Ockham's Razor Revisited

Ockham's Razor is a blazingly candid memoir/recovery guide within a spiritual context. It is a deeply moving, intensely caring, intimate portrayal of a gay man's journey through abysmal depression, manic episodes, extreme indulgence and sexual addiction. He eventually discovered the power of the simple solution and enjoys enduring sobriety.

Unlike many self help books, it speaks from the heart as one who's been there and back too many times. It offers a simple, do-able plan that can lead to a safe harbor for addicts, and people on the brink of disaster. It is a valuable source of information and inspiration for manic depressives, addicts, their supporters, co-dependents and professionals in the field gift-wrapped in a literate and fascinating read.

Twenty-six years of practicing, studying, rising above and sinking to the depths, recommitment, regret, disillusionment with incompetent professionals, 12-step commitments and lapses, confirms the author as an expert on the subject with a workable solution.

Prologue:

The title of my book derives from the principle of succinctness used in problem-solving devised by William of Ockham (c. 1287 – 1347) . This book gives evidence to the fact that freedom from addiction can be achieved by keeping it simple. It is my gift for anyone who's living on the razor's edge.

Here is a question for you. Are you tempted or tortured by addiction? It comes in many forms: drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food, relationships, gambling, sex, compulsive spending, workaholism, and a host of others. It can destroy your life and the lives of those you love. You, too, can be free as I now am.

I have lived a life of addiction and insanity. It has been a fractured life. Some of my challenges have included overcoming mental illness, alcoholism and sexual addiction.

On the inside, I always felt different. I was lonely and insecure. I attached myself to things that seemed to make me feel better; but, over time, those things became dysfunctional. I had to learn how to let go. That was not easy!

I learned to live my life in compartments. I locked away those parts of my life that I didn't want others to see. I presented a facade of normality even though I didn't have the slightest sense what normal meant. I lived a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde existence as I walked through the shadows of my secret lives.

If you can relate to anything I have said, you may need help. Help is out there in many forms, most notably in the form of twelve-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. There are twelve-step meetings for many other addictions and they have helped individuals find a life of freedom from self-destruction. They are spiritually-based programs designed to help people reach out for help from a power greater than themselves. Some call this God.

They are not religious programs. There is a vast difference between spirituality and religion though the latter may serve the former. This book is not meant to be a replacement for twelve-step programs. It's simply that different approaches work for different people. My program may be an alternative or it may be a maintenance program for those who are already recovering.

In this book, I shall try to condense the premise into the one abiding principle; that is, that you do unto others as you would have them do unto you. You do unto yourself with gentleness. You do no harm. Use your conscience as your guide.

I've found it best to keep things simple in order to recover from living a life based on dependency. I learned that I didn't need to be dependent on anything outside of myself in order to find happiness. That only comes from within. I believe that is all God wants for any of us. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Thus we are meant to be free; free to choose what is best for us; free to be all we can be.

It is my hope that today can be the beginning of a new life for you. By taking baby steps, I have learned to live a life beyond my wildest dreams. It's my greatest hope that you can too. You deserve it!