Monday, October 03, 2005
Scared Sober
This story is actually a little scary. It's about a former Soviet, now Russian technique to recover from alcoholism.
Three months earlier, Svetlana had been "coded" -- a catchall term for a Russian method of treating alcoholism that essentially involves scaring the living daylights out of the alcoholic. Dating to the former Soviet Union, it involves the manipulation of the alcoholic's psyche to create the belief that alcohol equals death.The line between therapy and brainwashing is a fine one indeed and I am afraid this might cross it. I wonder how much other therapy, even therapy in this country, crosses the line?
Alcoholics get 'coded'
In Svetlana's case, that was induced by mild hypnosis followed by injection of a temporary but powerful drug that could attack her respiratory system. Before the drug kicked in, the doctor gave her a little vodka to taste. She became dizzy and had difficulty breathing before the doctor stepped in with some oxygen to revive her.
