New book published today proves
alcoholics can recover and drink responsibly

A new book published today, "Phoenix in a Bottle," will prove that
alcoholism is not a disease or illness, but a self-harming behaviour
problem rooted in childhood, which alcoholics can correct and be able
to drink responsibly again if and when they so wish.

The authors are former alcoholics Lilian and Murdoch MacDonald, a
married couple from Ayrshire in Scotland.

Lilian and Murdoch's lives were devastated by alcoholism, but they
have now recovered so completely that they now not only lead normal
lives again, but are also able to drink in a perfectly sociable
manner once more.

That goes against the teaching of Alcoholics Anonymous, and of many
alcoholism treatment centres throughout the world. But Lilian (61)
and Murdoch (58) believe that lifelong sobriety is not the solution
to alcoholism, as this only treats the symptoms and not the causes of
the problem, and is merely a damage limitation exercise.

The couple argue that alcoholism, in common with other self-harming
disorders like bulimia, anorexia and self-mutilation, often stems
from problems experienced in childhood. And if these problems can be
identified and properly addressed, then the problem behaviour can be
cured.

Ten years ago the couple had hit rock bottom, sleeping rough for two
weeks on the streets of Cambridge, where a quarter of a century
previously as an undergraduate Murdoch had received an honours degree
in English Literature at Magdalene College. They had moved to
Cambridge from Ayr with the idea of Murdoch doing research for a
doctorate, but had reverted to their old habits, started binge
drinking, and been thrown out of their lodgings.

After a fortnight, and when they were just about at the end of their
tether, two nurses on their way home after a Saturday night out took
pity on Lilian and Murdoch, bought them a cup of tea and found them a
place in a homeless hostel.

They spent the next twelve months there getting to the roots of their
alcoholism. They tried AA one last time, before concluding that it
was a quasi-religious cult whose ideas on alcoholism were inadequate
and outdated.

Instead, by reading psychology, they decided that the causes of their
alcoholic behaviour lay in problems experienced during childhood. And
that once these problems were realised and addressed, there was no
longer any need for escape through alcoholism, and they could even
drink normally like other people again.

Ten years after selling newspapers from a stand in Market Square,
Cambridge, so that he and Lilian could get back on their feet
financially, Murdoch is now a freelance business and financial
journalist, and also runs his own public relations consultancy.

And in order to pass on the benefits of their experience to others
who still have problems with alcohol, the couple have written their
book "Phoenix in a Bottle".

Eminent American addiction expert Dr Stanton Peele PhD has read the
book, and commented:

"Phoenix in a Bottle is a modern version of The Days of Wine and
Roses, and tells the true story of how two people who entered a
period of desperate drinking stayed with one another in a close
loving relationship, and emerged from their alcoholism able to drink
responsibly again.

"Both a wonderful love story and a challenge to conventional wisdom
about how people can recover from drinking problems, Phoenix in a
Bottle gives people hope, and helps them to confront their own
demons - alcohol or otherwise."

"Phoenix in a Bottle" by Lilian and Murdoch MacDonald is published
today (May 31, 2005) by Melrose Books, price £16.99. It is available
through good bookshops or online direct from the publishers by
logging on to http://www.melrosebooks.com. It is also available from
http://www.amazon.co.uk (ISBN: 1905226144).

Web address to buy "Phoenix in a Bottle":
http://www.melrosebooks.com/detail.php?isbn=1905226144

Lilian and Murdoch's website:
http://www.alcoholicscandrinksafelyagain.com

WEBSITES OF PSYCHOLOGISTS / CLINICS / COUNSELLORS WHO AGREE WITH
LILIAN AND MURDOCH'S FINDINGS:

http://www.harmreductioncounseling.com/
http://www.nova.edu/gsc/
http://www.schaler.net/
http://www.addictionoptions.com/
http://www.peele.net/
http://www.habitdoc.com/
http://www.practicalrecovery.com/
http://www.behaviortherapy.com/
http://jameshamilton.typepad.com/james_hamilton/
http://www.rebt.org/
http://www.harmreductiontherapy.org/
http://www.doctordeluca.com/

PHOTOGRAPHY

Print quality jpegs are available from Fame Publicity Services, or
can be downloaded from http://www.alcoholicscandrinksafelyagain.com

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