Job Discussion Forums

[johnslat]

Dear MuscatGary,

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a proselytizer for AA. Oh, when I first gave up drinking in 2002, I joined an online group, and when I got back to the States, I attended meetings for a couple of years. But then, I stopped going, and, in the almost ten years since then, I haven't imbibed.

So, maybe not everyone NEEDS AA. In fact, there are some alternatives:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-horvath-phd/addiction-treatment_b_1663494.html

However, in my opinion, AA can and does work for many - and it by no means has to induce any kind of "quasi-religious superstition addiction."

Oh, I imagine it CAN induce it - in some. But in all my time in AA, I can't recall a single instance of any individual who had acquired such a mental state.

You also mention "People with addictive personalities . . . " but there seems to be a growing body of opinion and research that makes a good argument that such a "personality type" doesn't really exist:

"The truth is, most of the personality traits mentioned as part of the addictive personality are human personality traits used by humans (not just addicts) when confronted either without invitation or by someone who has not established rapport. It ought to be unethical for a client to be cursed at, threatened, or manipulated in the name of addictions treatment. A client's recovery is dependent on a skilled empathic counselor."

http://www.addictioncts.com/blog/2013/05/04/The-Myth-of-the-Addictive-Personality.aspx

http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/socialscience/2013/03/addictive-personality-myth-or-reality.html

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-heart-addiction/201105/the-myth-impulsiveness-in-addiction

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09595238480000131?journalCode=cdar

May I ask how you arrived at your conclusion?

Regards,
John

[MuscatGary]

[MuscatGary]

Fairly balanced blog about the proposed changes on Muscat Muttering - http://www.muscatmutterings.com/2014/06/storm-coming-booze-on-brink-ba-lost-my.html

Some of the comments are a tad immoderate though....

[globebot]

As a young man living in the ME, I found some redeeming qualities in these denizens of the desert. When I returned in middle age, I found absolutely nothing. A culture of entitlement rife with corruption and wasta has turned them into hyenas bent on satisfying their worst carnal desires. Alcohol is the least of their problems. Drugs are pervasive throughout the ME, with much worse consequences. It's the only cure for indolent and meaningless lives. There's a good reason the region is in a state of turmoil with extremism in the ascent. Many more heads are waiting to roll I am afraid, and it will be their own.

[1st Sgt Welsh]

[Tazz]

There is no tourism in Saudi-other than Muslims visiting Mecca for Umroh and Haj.........

[johnslat]

Dear Muscat Gary,

"One of the problems with that, especially in the past several years, is that atheists and agnostics who need a way to recover from alcoholism either don’t join or feel excluded from local AA groups that push religion on them. (They may be unaware of secular alternatives that are out there or simply don’t have any of those groups in their areas.)"

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/03/21/an-increasing-number-of-atheist-and-agnostic-alcoholics-anonymous-groups-are-altering-the-twelve-steps/

http://www.sossobriety.org/home.html

http://weagnostics.com/agnostic-steps.html

It's my belief that, after the age of 7 or so, people don't change. Your "personality" or character or whatever you want to call it has little, if any, "wiggle-room."

But behavior can change. I don't that how that can be accomplished will be the same for everyone, not at all. Each addicted individual needs to find what works best for him/her.

Regards,
John

[nomad soul]

[1st Sgt Welsh]

Many thanks nomad soul. Something to bear in mind.

[Tazz]

I can just see some backpacker planks making their way to Yemen with their surf boards and diving gear.....they will most certainly feel like they are on 'another planet' once they are held captive.

[nomad soul]

[MuscatGary]

[Tazz]

Desolate looking place....the link contains very little information of any use 'if' anybody was planning a trip there-for example, it states that visitors need to bring some cash because there are no ATM's on the island and yet fails to state what currency is used.........anyway, back to the drinking!

[caliph]

Tours of SA for non-muslims:

http://www.amazingtours.info/

http://sauditourism.sa/en/Pages/default.aspx

http://sauditourism.sa/en/Plan/TourOperators/Pages/default.aspx

[CANDLES]

They can do as many pretty pictures as possible for Farasan Islands, but will not succeed. It just has not been developed enough! I mean scraggy bushes and golden sand ...???? does not make 'Paradise'....