Book 'The addiction beyond' still current

In 1999 Jan Geurtz published the book 'The addiction beyond'. Now, so many years later, the book is still relevant and is read by many people who want to stop drinking alcohol. Among other things, the book talks about the 'relief method'. We talked to the writer.

Beyond Addiction was published in 1999 and is still being sold. What is the strength of this book?

J: “Addiction is a problem of all times, so then, now and in the future there will be people with an alcohol problem who seek help. In addition, it is a self-help book that uses a different method to get rid of your addiction.”

In your book, you talk about the "Relief Method." Why does this term cover the load as far as you are concerned?

J: “Traditional counseling uses the 'willpower method'. If you are strong enough, you can get rid of your alcohol problem. In this way, stopping drinking becomes a battle that you enter into with yourself. But you've been fighting that battle for a long time. Because during your addiction you also resist your own obsessions and self-rejection. And then you drink again to not be bothered by that annoying feeling.

The "relief method" is about quitting your addiction rather than drinking or other addictive behaviors. You are researching what an addiction is. You face your fears - what happens if I stop? - While reading the book, you may continue to drink. Nobody says you have to stop. If you feel the desire to drink, then you don't have to fight with yourself. Then you say to yourself: it's okay, you're allowed to be addicted. And then you get in touch with the deeper feeling, that you don't want to be addicted. Once you get to the point where you really don't want it anymore, then you stop from love and only feel free. Then relief comes.”

You have struggled with addictions yourself. This book is a record of the search out of those addictions. What were real eye-openers for you during your search?

J: “That self-rejection is the engine behind every addiction. And by self-rejection I mean the bad things you think about yourself: "I'm such a loser for drinking again" or "It's my fault that my partner doesn't want to be with me anymore" and so on. Then you see that your glass of wine or your cigarette or your sniff of cocaine does not improve your life at all, but only a temporary break in the increasing misery of your addiction.”

What would you recommend/advise to our participants, who put their alcohol consumption on hold for a month, during the difficult moments?

J: “Feel well what you feel during your alcohol break. A restless feeling or that longing for that familiar glass of alcohol, seems like you need it to feel good. In reality, it is a symptom of your body's recovery and cleansing of all the toxins within you. It helps to drink more water, go for a walk or eat fruit: doing healthy things that immediately reinforce the joy of quitting.” www.jangeurtz.nl

Photo credits: Jet van Gaal