The Doctor's Opinion

1999
OA Online Big Book Study

THE DOCTOR'S OPINION

ASSIGNMENT:
Read the "Forward To The Third Edition"
Respond To Questions About This Reading
Text of The Doctor's Opinion Found Here

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"The terms "spiritual experience" and "spiritual awakening" are used many times in this book which, upon careful reading, shows that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism has manifested itself among us in many different forms. Though it was not our intention to create such an impression, many alcoholics have nevertheless concluded that in order to recover they must acquire an immediate and overwhelming "God-consciousness" followed at once by a vast change in feeling and outlook.

Most of our experiences are what psychologist William James calls the "educational variety" because they develop slowly over a period of time. Most emphatically we wish to say that any alcoholic capable of honestly facing his problems in the light of our experience can recover, provided he does not close his mind to all spiritual concepts. He can only be defeated by an attitude of intolerance or belligerent denial."

...The Big Book

Hi, everyone.

My name is Lee. I'm a COE and the coordinator for the BB and Recovery loop. I am also the group leader for March and April.

I love the simple definition of spiritual awakening as the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from addiction. When I first sat in the rooms, I used to hear people introduce themselves as gratefully recovering compulsive overeaters. "GRATEFUL?" I thought. I could never imagine I would feel grateful.

Today I do feel grateful. NOT because I have this disease, but because this disease was probably my only avenue to a spiritual life. I was raised to believe in the God of Intellect, and, as we know, there's no substance to that. I've watched those near and dear to me hold on so tightly, determined that what they saw was all that there is. It's like falling off a cliff and grabbing onto yourself to stop the fall. It doesn't work.

I once met a man who had a bizarre allergy to milk. Whenever he drank it, his ears would start bleeding and he'd have to be hospitalized. He told me, "You know, every 5 years or so, I just want to be like a normal person and drink a glass of milk. So I do, then my ears start to bleed. So I go to the hospital, and 2 days and $3,000 later, I'm okay again. For another five years."

I was amazed by the story. I remember telling a friend, "I wish it were that obvious to me with my food." She commented, "No, you have a different path."

How true! If my problem with compulsive overeating had been that obvious to me, if I had just been able to binge once every five years with a 2 day, $3,000 hospital stay, and then be relatively "normal" again, I doubt I would have sought recovery. But here I am. Not because I wanted this, but because I needed this.

I feel like a living example of staying open to the concept of spirituality. I've done a lot of "acting as if," yet the truth is, I'm a miracle, as we all are.

It is the sharing of our collective experience, strength, hope and wisdom inspired by our reading of this Big Book together that will make a difference in our recovery. *It would be helpful to you as you read along to substitute the word food for alcohol and compulsive eater for alcoholic. I hope all of you will join us on our journey through the Big Book,

Questions for all of you: Please answer any or all of them, or feel free to share other comments/insights related to this reading.

Love in recovery,

Lee

THE QUESTIONS

1. Has being in a 12-step program changed your spirituality? If so, how?

2. What kind of miracles have you experienced in this program?

3. Please comment on any observations you've had related to the statement, "He can only be defeated by an attitude of intolerance or belligerent denial."

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