Willpower Ch: 8

Eric Clapton's Struggles and Recovery

• Clapton's substance abuse, including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and Valium, severely impacted him.
• Early rehab attempts, such as Hazelden, were initially unsuccessful due to lack of honesty (e.g. his Valium use) and lack of commitment.
• Relapses were frequent. He would be tempted to revert to addictive behavior easily. Triggers included cravings and past experiences.
• Suicidal thoughts and feelings were closely linked to his drinking. Wealth and fame didn't alleviate the desires he had.
• Driving past a crowded pub was a key trigger for Clapton's relapse.

The Role of Surrender

• Clapton's moment of surrender at Hazelden marked a turning point in his recovery.
• He realized he lacked the willpower to abstain on his own and sought help.
• He credits his sobriety to asking for help, a process including kneeling and prayer, rather than will power alone.
• The feeling of surrender was linked to prayer and humbling himself.

How Alcohol Affects Self-Control

• Alcohol reduces inhibitions by lowering blood glucose and reducing self-awareness.
• It exacerbates inner conflict by removing the restraint of the "good angel."
• Avoiding a binge requires recognizing the situation beforehand, similar to stopping at the pub during a relapse. Requires proactive behavior.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

• AA's 12-step program, while not scientifically rigorously designed, has attracted many for support and self-control.
• Attendance at meetings correlates with decreased drinking.
• Studies on AA's effectiveness have conflicting results, highlighting the difficulty of accounting for confounding variables. For instance, regular attendance might be followed by abstinence, or more likely, abstinence might lead to continuing attendance.
• AA's merits include clear goals, monitoring (by daily use of attendance), and peer support.

Social Support in Recovery

• Social support, including friends and a support system, was an important factor in Clapton and Karr's abstinence.
• Social pressure and peer influence are both positive and negative. Negative pressure can cause relapse, while positive groups motivate for abstinence.
• AA's members offer support that may be more crucial than the program's structure or belief in a higher power.

Religion and Self-Control

• Religious practice is associated with greater longevity and healthier behaviors.
• Religious activity reduces inner conflict by establishing priorities and influencing willpower and monitoring processes.
• Rituals like prayer, meditation, and fasting build willpower and self-discipline.
• The "higher power" aspect of religion can provide a framework for goal setting and self-control through the belief that someone is watching and encouraging behavior.

Hyperbolic Discounting

• The concept of hyperbolic discounting explains how immediate temptations outweigh future benefits.
• People struggle to delay gratification, especially at the point of immediate temptation.
• This affects those who are susceptible to immediate gratification, who cannot forsee consequences, like long-term negative health impacts caused by drinking or smoking.
• Defining clear lines (bright lines) around desired outcomes (e.g., total abstinence) can help override and prevent hyperbolic discounting during a trigger moment.

Bright Lines and Self-Control

• Clear rules, such as total abstinence, are effective for maintaining self-control.
• Bright lines provide certainty and confidence that future self's behavior align with the current plan / goal.
• Belief in a higher power can strengthen the commitment to a bright line.

Conclusion

• The combination of a support network, self-control planning, and possibly spiritual methods are beneficial factors contributing to recovery from destructive habits like heavy drinking.
• While there are arguments for and against the effectiveness of AA, the methods appear generally effective.
• The combination of peer pressure and self-discipline are influential regarding relapse.