A Quick Review of the Addiction Recovery Program: 7 Weeks to Sobriety
Seven weeks to sobriety is a book that explains a system of treatment for alcoholism. The emphasis in the book is on the science of taking vitamins and supplements to replace the depleted reserves of the alcoholic. There is also a strong factor in the book to push the alcoholic to figure out what type of alcoholic they are, so that they can take the proper supplements in order to achieve recovery.
This is actually junk science that is not really based on good studies, so I would take it all with a grain of salt.
Using nutrition to overcome addiction is not necessarily going to work. The misleading thing in this case is that good nutrition actually is important for long term recovery, but I would argue that it does not make any difference at all in the first 7 weeks. In fact, probably everyone who has successfully become sober who is a real alcoholic probably did not pay much attention to nutrition in their early recovery. Why? Because it is an inconsequential detail at that point.
Early recovery requires action. Tons of action. Say you want to stop drinking and learn a new way of life. Can you do this through taking supplements? Not really. The vitamins and supplements you take represent only a tiny fraction of the overall effort needed to stay sober during the first 7 weeks. That is why I say that no one who makes it in recovery even thinks about nutrition in early recovery. It is a distraction at best, and downright misleading at worst.
Just look at people who go to rehab and then check into long term treatment. These people are devoting their entire life to recovery, going to several meetings each day, getting therapy, getting help from their peers, and doing everything that they possibly can to stay sober. And yet, most of them still relapse! Do we really believe that better nutrition or supplements is the answer in this case?
The average alcoholic or drug addict will not even notice these vitamins. Heck, they don’t even feel a pint of whiskey or a handful of pain pills anymore. What is a bunch of vitamins and supplements going to do for them? Absolutely nothing, at least in early recovery.
I appreciate the fresh take on recovery that 7 weeks to sobriety offers, but the science of using nutrition to overcome alcoholism is just plain crazy. There is nothing to back it up with, no studies to prove it is effective or even helpful.
I am sure supporters of the program will disagree, but remember that I am concerned mostly with early recovery here. For long term recovery, I am sure that the 7 weeks program makes more sense, but in early recovery, you need more action, more support, and more relief from your environment (like what inpatient rehab provides).
Recommended Reading
- Overcoming Addiction
- 10 Ways to Embrace Creative Recovery and Take Your Sobriety to the Next Level
- Typical Sobriety Pitfall: Going to Fast in Early Recovery
- Addiction Recovery Analogy – The Sobriety Tree
- Holistic Addiction Treatment Center
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Have you actually tried the program or read up on the hundreds of proven studies? I find YOUR advice extremely dangerous as alcoholism is a biochemical disease and perhaps your comments will disuade someone from actuallly trying the nutritional approach. Whoever reads this article, please take IT with a grain of salt and do your own research. The author here is just stating an opinion without any research to back it up.
Show me a double blind, placebo controlled study that shows how effective a nutritional approach is in overcoming drug addiction or alcoholism.
If it is not double blind, placebo controlled, then I would definitely take it with a grain of salt.
Who made me an expert? Nobody did….but I have sat through many lectures from an MD who is an addictionologist, and it is his opinion that only well designed studies carry credibility.
Makes sense to me too….
So let’s not just talk about how “there are studies” out there….show me the research! I will investigate it, and perhaps even write what I can to help your cause (if it holds water with me, that is).
I was in Barnes and Noble looking at self-help books to help me stop drinking beer in 2000. I found Seven Weeks to Sobriety. I was desperate to stop drinking. I had gone to doctors (no help at all), Al-anon (a mistake), and AA (did not know at the time, but AA has smoking and non-smoking meeting, and as a non-smoker I ended up in a smokers meeting!). To make this short, I read the book, bought the vitamins/minerals/etc, and stopped drinking for 10 years. Hooray for this book. I started drinking after 10 years of no alcohol, and the only place to turn to to quit again is Seven Weeks To Sobriety.
I’m looking into the Recovery Health Center in Minneapolis which is run by the author of Seven Weeks to Sobriety. Has anyone been to this program?
As someone who is following the plan in the “7 Weeks” book, I thought I should add my comments. The supplements make a tremendous difference for me. I have been binged on food as long as I can remember and included alcohol as soon as I could afford it. Within two days of starting the multi-vitamins and glutamine, my physical cravings for carbs and alcohol largely disappeared. I still feel cravings when I am late taking the glutamine or the day after having flour or sugar, but I recognize it for what it is and know that the cravings will go soon. It does take changing habits as well, but it seems to be much easier without my brain constantly telling me that I would be just fine if I had another drink. It’s nice to shut that jerk up.
I can’t believe you would write such drivel. You are an idiot.