From Ron Roizen, FYI. (BTW, The “Four
Ls” are “Liver, Lover, Livelihood, and Law,” being the four
chief problem areas that in turn occasion seeking treatment in cases of
excessive drinking.)
From: Ron Roizen
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 3:00
PM
To: 'LORNA WALLACE'
Subject: RE: book
Hi Lorna…
In the late 1970s I did a study on
the structure of alcoholism treatment services in two U.S. cities, San Francisco
and Phoenix.
In Phoenix, as
it happened, a "provider" used the Four Ls as a part of the specialized
lexicon of alcoholism treaters in that time and place. I liked the notion
and reported it in my (co-authored) unpublished report. Soon afterward,
as I recall, Nick Heather and Ian Robertson saw this language and attributed
the Four Ls to me personally and not to my Phoenix provider source -- in their book, Controlled Drinking (London, Methuen,
1981). Their book became quite popular over time – again, as I
recall. In due course, and thereafter, I would receive the occasional
query about how and why I had come up with this little model; this would happen
perhaps once every three years or so. Each time I would explain that in
fact the Four Ls were not mine at all but part of the recovery world's
vernacular in Phoenix
-- and, for all I knew, in a wider area by now. Yet, “Roizen”
seemed to stick to the “Four Ls” all the same. Incidentally,
I believe some thinkers have elaborated Four Ls, now suggesting one, two, or
three more Ls; some have even branched out (gasp!) into other letters of the
alphabet! Incidentally, Australia
seems to have had the greatest interest in the concept, doubtless because
Heather and Robertson made their homes there (right?), though there may have
been other reasons too I guess.
Thanks for your inquiry, and sorry
for the delay in getting back to you.
Ron Roizen
Wallace, Idaho
U.S.A.
From: LORNA WALLACE
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 2:04
AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: book
i'm trying to find the book which explains roizen's four l's
liver lover livelihood and legal think it was 1980 but
not quite sure
if you could supply the reference that would be great then i
could get it.