Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism

by Katherine Ketcham, William F. Asbury, Mel Schulstad, et al.

Book Overview

"This invaluable work will contribute much to the battle against our number one disease."--from the Foreword by George McGovern, former senator and author of Terry: My Daughter's Life-and-Death Struggle with Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a disease. It's time we started treating it like one.

Science has offered undisputed proof that alcoholism is a disease rather than a weakness of character, yet millions of alcoholics continue...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553380141
• ISBN13: 9780553380149
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Must Reading for Every Alcoholic

As a recovering alcoholic, 59 year old, professsional woman, this book has helped me tremendously. For over 20 years, I blamed my weak will-power for my inability to control my drinking. However,I have been successful in other areas of my life so I knew I did have a lot of self-discipline. This book helped convince me (and accept)that I am one of a minority of people who is genetically unable to drink alcohol moderately. The "brain research" documented in this book convinced me that many of the emotional problems that I experienced periodically in my early recovery were the result of the changes that alcohol had caused in my brain. I was able to expect some of the anxiety, sleep problems, depression, cravings, etc, and since I was prepared for them I was (am) able to deal with them. If you are still drinking or recovering, this book is full of information that will help you.

Ray of Truth in the Dark World of Ignorance

Citing the latest hard, cold facts of the most modern scientific discoveries, authors prove beyond the reasonable doubt, and state both loud and clear: Alcoholism is NOT a flaw of character, NOT a weakness of will, but the physiological disease, over which a person, stricken with it, has no control! And it's an equal opportunity disease, striking good people from all walks of life: blue collar workers as well as admirals and generals, senators and congressmen, farmers and sailors, high school dropouts and college professors, beggars and millionaires, idiots, geniuses and our neighbor, everyday common man and woman... (...)People are different, authors claim and prove in great detail. Some 10 to 15% of us have a gene, which creates different enzymes within our system, which in turn make highly addictive chemicals while processing the ingested alcohol within our bodies. Human brain is uncapable to resist the craving for alcohol, caused by those chamicals, which are never produced by the bodies of non-alcoholics. Therefore, alcoholics are not more guilty of having alcoholism, as cancer patients are guilty of having cancer, or diabetics being ill with diabetis.The only solution to the disease of alcoholism is professional, medical treatment, followed by warm and sensitive care of the family, support groups, and society. Punishment, consisting of creation of severe stress, humiliation and application of strong mental and spiritual pain won't work, only making condition worse. Much worse! Primitive and superficial psychological counseling won't work, either. Only complex, modern, professional treatment will.Great reading for anyone affected by or interested in the disease of alcoholism. A must for judges and prosecutors, busy sending ill people into the sewer pipe of industry of "corrections"! And those few members of MADD, who REALLY want to decrease incidents of drunk driving by fighting its causes, not symptoms, by helping alcoholics to get well, not just looking for an outlet of their hate and anger, which are the most destructive and counterproductive of all human emotions.

Updates a classic of informative literature

Beyond the Influence is an update and an elaboration of Katherine Ketcham and James R. Milam's Under the Influence (1981). Whereas the first book was an emergency crash course in alcoholism, this is the full curriculum.The main point the authors make is that alcoholism is a disease that anyone who has the susceptible internal chemistry can get, be he saint or sinner, tower of strength or shriveling weakling. It doesn't make any difference. Your personality or moral fiber are irrelevant. We tend to think that alcoholics are somehow immoral or possessed of a character flaw. But, as Ketcham, et al., demonstrate here, there is only one flaw that leads to alcoholism, and that flaw is one of internal chemistry and not of character. Furthermore, despite some pollyannaish delusion to the contrary, there is only one cure and this book makes it clear exactly what that cure is.The updated material presented here (in the main, a greater appreciation of the power of Alcoholics Anonymous, a more in-depth discussion of the relevant chemistry, an elaboration of the spiritual aspects of recovery, an incisive attack on "The Booze Merchants," a clearer inventory of how alcoholics can be diagnosed before the onset of the latter stages of the disease, and a delineation of how recovery can be achieved) make this a very superior book and for the most part a worthy update. However these additions also make Beyond the Influence less accessible than UTI, which was more direct, and was smaller and weighed less. This last may seem a minor point, but I could pocket the old book while the new one needs to go into my backpack.Politically speaking, the authors call for greater taxes on liquor; they insist on alcohol being labeled a drug; and they allow that psychotherapy can be (providing that the counselors are educated about the true nature of alcoholism) useful in helping alcoholics recover. They do not directly call for an end to liquor advertising but given the tone of their words, I have little doubt that they would like to see that come about, and I think it might some day. The liquor industry, driven by its need to increase consumption, is increasingly aiming its ads at young people, children even, with its frogs and lizards and other cute spokespersons, and so will someday find itself in the same position that tobacco companies find themselves in today. At least one hopes so. I should add that the authors are not prohibitionists, recognizing that prohibition does not work.Readers looking for a distinction between hard (distilled) liquor which is typically forty to fifty percent alcohol by volume and beer and wine (six and twelve percent) will not find it here. The authors insist that booze is booze, and no useful distinction can be made. I agree that for alcoholics that is exactly the case; and in fact I always worry about a person who can drink Thunderbird with the same appreciation as say a Beaulieu Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. The truth is however, t

Beyond the Influence

Katherine Ketcham and William Asbury have written a book which should be required reading for every parent and high school student in America. The reality of what alcohol does to your brain and body, even in moderation, was a real eye-opener. For those unfortunate to have become addicted to this drug, the book offers not only answers, but hope and compassion. I urge everyone to read this well researched, very readable book.

Rich with up to date information

This book should be in every therapist's library, whether their field is addiction treatment or not. The content includes a rich array of contributions from a variety of authourities in the field of mental health and addictive disease. Not only is it a excellent reference book for the addictionologist, but it can be clearly understood by the layperson. I am familiar with the writings of Katherine Ketcham. This is among her best. I recommend this book highly.