General Interest > Feed Your Head
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Cleopatra2U:
Has anyone read this book? It's the author's memoir of the weeks he spent in Hazelden, an inpatient treatment center in Minnesota, recovering from alcohol and crack addiction.
Hazelden claims to be the world's most successful rehab. They base this claim on the fact that 17% of their graduates do not relapse within one year after leaving treatment. They base their program on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholic Anonymous.
James Frey never bought into the Twelve Steps, basically because he's an Atheist and does not believe in any sort of Higher Power (although he did perform what I consider to be thorough 1st, 4th, and 5th steps while he was in treatment).
Over a decade later, James Frey has never relapsed.
Some interesting passages from the book:
"If you do what the [Alcoholics Anonymous 'Big Book'] says, you will be cured. If you follow their righteous path, that path will lead you straight to redemption. If you join the club, you're the lucky winner of a lifelong supply of bullshit Meetings full of whining, complaining and blaming...
Near the end [of the 'Big Book'], there is a section of testimonials... As with most testimonials like this that I've read or heard or been forced to endure, something about them strikes me as weak, hollow and empty. Though the people in them are no longer drinking and doing drugs, they're still living with the obsession. Though they have achieved sobriety, their lives are based on the avoidance, discussion and vilification of the chemicals they once needed and loved. Though they function as human beings, they function because of their Meetings and their Dogma and their God. Take away their Meetings and their Dogma and they have nothing. Take them away and they are back where they started. They have an addiction."
"When [a recovering alcoholic] talks of God and of his trust in his almighty male God, his eyes glaze over. It is a glaze I know and have seen many times before, usually when someone is fucked out of their skull on strong, hard drugs. His God has become his drug and he is high, high as a Motherfucking kite, and he rants and raves, paces back and forth, God this and God that, blah blah blah. If I was closer to him or if I could get at him, I would punch him in the mouth just to make him shut the fuck up."
(Yes, the whole book is raw like this. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and consider it a mostly honest, often harrowing, visceral portrait of addiction and recovery.)
Although I'm not an Atheist (I'm an Agnostic), I share the author's views on AA, NA, and step-based treatment programs in general: they do not 'cure' addiction; they merely replace one dependency (drugs, alcohol) with another (meetings, God).
I left Straight for good when I realized what a sick place it was.
I went to AA for a while.
I left AA for good when I realized what a sick place it was.
I'm interested in hearing what other people think about this book and/or its authors (and my) views on step-based treatment programs.
~ Mindi M.
[ This Message was edited by: Antigen on 2004-02-22 09:00 ][ This Message was edited by: Eudora on 2006-02-25 10:01 ]
Cleopatra2U:
Whoever put the graphic/link in (Ginger?), thanks. That was mighty cool of ya. ::rocker::
[ This Message was edited by: Antigen on 2004-02-22 17:38 ]
Antigen:
I'll cop to that. You're welcome. :wink:
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
--Thomas Paine
--- End quote ---
Boston-sobah:
GOOD SUBJECT
it felt good to read this book
i was reminded alot of my time in tx in Oregon the DEA agent, organized crime figure, unorgainzed crime figures, doctors, farmers...
i fed on the people James met and interacted with, that was real that was strength
i will not forget that the program, the steps, the people that helped me and a belief in something greater (whatever it is or isn't) helped me want sobriety
i balance my life, in and out of meetings, i go 2X a week to try and offer someone new some hope if I can and remeber where i was and where i don't want to return
not everyone is as determined as Frey, I think his outlooks and story are important helpful because i didn't get sober to hide to fear
i don't want to be dependent on meetings but I know it took me time to love myself again
life begins in sobriety it does not end it is not a sentence
Anonymous:
art you are a jerkofff
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