Comments on: And They All Fall Down…This “Thing” They Call “Denial” http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/2009/01/04/and-we-all-fall-downthis-thing-they-call-denial/ ...using 21st century brain and addiction-related research to change how we talk about, treat and prevent substance misuse, underage drinking, addiction and secondhand drinking/drugging. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:40:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: LisaF http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/2009/01/04/and-we-all-fall-downthis-thing-they-call-denial/comment-page-1/#comment-4751 LisaF Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:38:20 +0000 http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/?p=116#comment-4751 Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments, Jacque. To your point of underage drinking as a problem related to the drinking age, you may find this report of interest, http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/ To answer your question on my research sources for my various blog posts -- they are many, but here are some of the more frequently used/cited: World Health Organization, http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/alcohol/en/index.html U.S. Surgeon General, www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/ National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, niaaa.nih.http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/ HBO, NIAAA, NIDA and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation collaboration, http://www.hbo.com/addiction/ American Society of Addiction Medicine, http://www.asam.org/ American Medical Association, http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/public-health/promoting-healthy-lifestyles/alcohol-other-drug-abuse.shtml Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, http://www.samhsa.gov/ National Alliance of Mental Illness, http://www.nami.org/ Again, thank you for commenting. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments, Jacque. To your point of underage drinking as a problem related to the drinking age, you may find this report of interest, http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/

To answer your question on my research sources for my various blog posts — they are many, but here are some of the more frequently used/cited:
World Health Organization, http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/alcohol/en/index.html
U.S. Surgeon General, http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, niaaa.nih.http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
HBO, NIAAA, NIDA and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation collaboration, http://www.hbo.com/addiction/
American Society of Addiction Medicine, http://www.asam.org/
American Medical Association, http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/public-health/promoting-healthy-lifestyles/alcohol-other-drug-abuse.shtml
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Alliance of Mental Illness, http://www.nami.org/

Again, thank you for commenting.

]]> By: Jacque elder http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/2009/01/04/and-we-all-fall-downthis-thing-they-call-denial/comment-page-1/#comment-4747 Jacque elder Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:19:48 +0000 http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/?p=116#comment-4747 Hello there: According to Freud's definition of denial, it is an unconscious process, totally not available to the conscious mind. What impact could it have to tell someone you think is in denial that they are in denial? What sort of responses have you had? Have you ever had anyone say "Yep, you are right and thanks for telling me. I am getting sober right now because of you." Denial (personal opinion) is a "one up, expert" position, and the person will always push back at you. To use it among family members is continuing this falsehood that the person doesn't know they may have a problem. A very young person just starting their drinking/drugging career may not be aware of it but they are just getting started! Most people know they have a problem and it insults their intelligence to be told otherwise. They may act like they don't have a problem or insight about it but more do. Exceptions might be the character from the movie "Leaving Las Vegas", where the character chooses to die (commit suicide) by drinking. His choice, and a sad one. I am wondering what research you are basing your blog material on, as if you are going to do this, please read the science on it. Alcohol related deaths have gone UP and not DOWN since the drinking age was changed to 21. Alcohol overdoses have also skyrocketed because we don't teach our kids how to drink normally or moderately so they are like pigs out of the gate. Sweden never used to have a problem but since they entered the EU and lots of great distilled alcohol is coming in at low prices, they are seeing alcohol overdoses. They teach their kids how to drink beer and wine moderately but they (for some reason) didn't teach them about distilled alcohol. Now, they have a problem with it. Cultures that don't tolerate intoxication have the lowest rates of addiction. That and imminent death affect the use of substances more than anything else. Imminent death might be our soldiers in Afghanistan or gangbangers on the West side of Chicago. Knowing both sides is very helpful to the public. Jacque elder Hello there:
According to Freud’s definition of denial, it is an unconscious process, totally not available to the conscious mind. What impact could it have to tell someone you think is in denial that they are in denial? What sort of responses have you had? Have you ever had anyone say “Yep, you are right and thanks for telling me. I am getting sober right now because of you.”

Denial (personal opinion) is a “one up, expert” position, and the person will always push back at you. To use it among family members is continuing this falsehood that the person doesn’t know they may have a problem. A very young person just starting their drinking/drugging career may not be aware of it but they are just getting started! Most people know they have a problem and it insults their intelligence to be told otherwise. They may act like they don’t have a problem or insight about it but more do. Exceptions might be the character from the movie “Leaving Las Vegas”, where the character chooses to die (commit suicide) by drinking. His choice, and a sad one.

I am wondering what research you are basing your blog material on, as if you are going to do this, please read the science on it. Alcohol related deaths have gone UP and not DOWN since the drinking age was changed to 21. Alcohol overdoses have also skyrocketed because we don’t teach our kids how to drink normally or moderately so they are like pigs out of the gate. Sweden never used to have a problem but since they entered the EU and lots of great distilled alcohol is coming in at low prices, they are seeing alcohol overdoses. They teach their kids how to drink beer and wine moderately but they (for some reason) didn’t teach them about distilled alcohol. Now, they have a problem with it.

Cultures that don’t tolerate intoxication have the lowest rates of addiction. That and imminent death affect the use of substances more than anything else. Imminent death might be our soldiers in Afghanistan or gangbangers on the West side of Chicago.

Knowing both sides is very helpful to the public.

Jacque elder

]]> By: Breakingthecycles.com – Changing the Conversations » Blog Archive » Worried About Your Teen’s Alcohol Use? Consider the CRAFFT Screening Tool http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/2009/01/04/and-we-all-fall-downthis-thing-they-call-denial/comment-page-1/#comment-4681 Breakingthecycles.com – Changing the Conversations » Blog Archive » Worried About Your Teen’s Alcohol Use? Consider the CRAFFT Screening Tool Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:20:05 +0000 http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/?p=116#comment-4681 [...] There are a number of short assessment / screening tools for anonymously assessing your or someone else’s drinking, such as: CAGE, WHO Audit, NIAAA Clinician’s Guide and NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking. Keep in mind that when done by a layperson, these tools are for assessing NOT diagnosing. They are simply a way of validating a person’s concern about their own or someone else’s drinking patterns. Why use one? Mostly so you can stop the denial that a problem exists, if it does. People are often looking for a better understanding of what is considered a drinking problem and what is not, so they can feel more confident in believing what they think is happening after completing an anonymous assessment. Using one of these screening / assessment tools can prompt them to want to learn more about drinking problems and what can be done about them.  See related post, “And They All Fall Down… This ‘Thing’ They Call ‘Denial‘”. [...] [...] There are a number of short assessment / screening tools for anonymously assessing your or someone else’s drinking, such as: CAGE, WHO Audit, NIAAA Clinician’s Guide and NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking. Keep in mind that when done by a layperson, these tools are for assessing NOT diagnosing. They are simply a way of validating a person’s concern about their own or someone else’s drinking patterns. Why use one? Mostly so you can stop the denial that a problem exists, if it does. People are often looking for a better understanding of what is considered a drinking problem and what is not, so they can feel more confident in believing what they think is happening after completing an anonymous assessment. Using one of these screening / assessment tools can prompt them to want to learn more about drinking problems and what can be done about them.  See related post, “And They All Fall Down… This ‘Thing’ They Call ‘Denial‘”. [...]

]]> By: The Oprah Winfrey Show – [BEYOND] The Diane Schuler Story http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/2009/01/04/and-we-all-fall-downthis-thing-they-call-denial/comment-page-1/#comment-4390 The Oprah Winfrey Show – [BEYOND] The Diane Schuler Story Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:06:52 +0000 http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/?p=116#comment-4390 [...] posts: “And They All Fall Down, This ‘Thing’ They Call ‘Denial’,” “Family Addiction – a Tough Nut to Crack,” “SPECT Scans Showing [...] [...] posts: “And They All Fall Down, This ‘Thing’ They Call ‘Denial’,” “Family Addiction – a Tough Nut to Crack,” “SPECT Scans Showing [...]

]]> By: Breakingthecycles.com – Changing the Conversations » Blog Archive » The Oprah Winfrey Show – [BEYOND] The Diane Schuler Story http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/2009/01/04/and-we-all-fall-downthis-thing-they-call-denial/comment-page-1/#comment-4146 Breakingthecycles.com – Changing the Conversations » Blog Archive » The Oprah Winfrey Show – [BEYOND] The Diane Schuler Story Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:30:07 +0000 http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/?p=116#comment-4146 [...] posts: “And They All Fall Down, This ‘Thing’ They Call ‘Denial’,” “Family Addiction – a Tough Nut to Crack,” “SPECT Scans Showing [...] [...] posts: “And They All Fall Down, This ‘Thing’ They Call ‘Denial’,” “Family Addiction – a Tough Nut to Crack,” “SPECT Scans Showing [...]

]]> By: Breakingthecycles.com - Changing the Conversations » Blog Archive » Family Addiction - a Tough Nut to Crack http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/2009/01/04/and-we-all-fall-downthis-thing-they-call-denial/comment-page-1/#comment-1763 Breakingthecycles.com - Changing the Conversations » Blog Archive » Family Addiction - a Tough Nut to Crack Mon, 18 May 2009 05:11:33 +0000 http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/?p=116#comment-1763 [...] regardless of whether our loved one stops drinking or not. Here are two links that may help: “And They All Fall Down…This ‘Thing’ They Call ‘Denial‘” and “What To Do When You’re Concerned About a Loved One’s [...] [...] regardless of whether our loved one stops drinking or not. Here are two links that may help: “And They All Fall Down…This ‘Thing’ They Call ‘Denial‘” and “What To Do When You’re Concerned About a Loved One’s [...]

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