Bill Wilson (A.A.) Story on Amazon Prime

If you have Amazon Prime, I recommend Bill W.:
https://www.amazon.com/Bill-W-Willi...d=1668460601&sprefix=bill+wilso,aps,89&sr=8-1

Especially if you have any connection to recovery for alcoholism (or similar). I found it quite moving and powerful. I have family members involved A.A and Alanon, and I've been to meetings myself.

My personal belief is that recovery from TMS and recovery from addiction is the exact same phenomenon. A.A. goes about it differently, with a much heavier emphasis on spirituality. But both lead to a personal awakening that leads to recovery.

 

Tim, I feel like I recently heard about this film (positively) and with your recommendation it's now on my watch list. I agree with everything you said about the relationship between addiction and TMS recovery. In fact, someone was discussing this exact topic very recently. If I can find it, I'll post the link to that thread.

 

Thanks, Jan. I wasn't sure if I would like it at first, because it seems little slow. But after a while it really sucked me in, and I found it quite moving. It even goes into some of the more controversial parts of his life, like his late-in-life interest in LSD as aid in helping hard-core, problem alcoholics. Which sounds kind of shocking. But is interesting now, since there some evidence that hallucinogenic drugs may help people with very severe depression when administered in a clinical setting.

Glad you can see the parallels between TMS recovery and recovery from addictions. I'm a firm believer that it's more or less the same thing, just a different approach. I think the TMS community could probably learn something from the 12-steppers (especially the fellowship part and helping others). And likewise, the 12-steppers could probably learn stuff from us.

 

I had a particularly fast and thorough recovery experience with Sarno's book. Perhaps because I used the 4th step 'inventory' format for anger and resentment.

When I first read HBP and he implied repressed rage, I found it odd... my pain began a few weeks after I had STOPPED regularly doing that step (which actually makes it a 10th step) ..I had stopped writing because I felt my anger and fear and resentments were 'boring' because they were so redundant.

Nowadays, when I feel anger or resentment I have a quick prayer "God... please give me an extension on this until I can write about it tomorrow morning"...

...and I agree. These overlap a lot. The only nuance might be, the stuff we write about is CONSCIOUS and of course TMS being unconscious which requires an educated guess on my part about what might actually be bugging me 'down there'

 

...and more than once I have met a somnambulist in my life and thought "That person could use a strong dose of psilocybin or LSD, for their own good" LOL

 

I think Bill W. and the crew had to rely on the best tools and information they had available at the time (much like Sarno did). For them it was the Oxford Group, and I don't think they delved much into the unconscious.

 

Enjoyed this. Thanks for recommending it.