Welcome to the home of the Sonora Model, a temporary name for what is believed to be the first complete, comprehensive, and verifiable model of addiction and compulsion, and very possibly our first real cause for hope that addiction can not merely be controlled, but virtually wiped out in as little as a generation. The technology needed to prove (or disprove) this model may not exist until the '20s or even the '30s, and it could be more than a decade before widespread curative care becomes available. But we can begin to put an end to the suffering long before cure arrives. This site exists to document and explain the discoveries which make these remarkable claims possible, to give hope to those unable to accept the dismal prognoses of current models and treatments, and to provide comfort and reassurance to those who have been unable to benefit from the treatments of our time.

...starting points...

Hazardous Information Advisory ...please read this page before spending any time on this section of the site. Introduction: What It's All About A brief overview of the Sonora model and what it means Principles of the Sonora Model Find out what the infant-shock model is all about, what makes it work, and why. FAQ: What is shock? One of the best introductions anywhere to the phenomenon of shock. This concept is central to the Sonora model, and could even change the way you look at all forms of illness. Frequently Asked Questions How well does the Sonora model answer your questions about addiction? What's new, what's changed New section: Addiction Myths...Busted! Looking for something a bit lighter and less intense than most of the material here? Check out this collection of myth-busting mini-articles. (16/09/04) Answers to new FAQs: "What does the model say about intoxication?" (15/09/04) "How does the model account for the irrational thinking of addicts?" (16/09/04) Core principles section now completed The most recent rewrite of the core principles of the model is now complete (16/07/04) Seminar materials now available All presenter's materials from the infamous Smoke Better, Drink Better seminar are now online and downloadable. (12/07/04) The widenthecircle.org site is back Visit the first formative web devoted to the infant-shock model to see how the model has evolved since 2001. (09/07/04) FAQ rewrite complete A core selection of FAQs is now back online; this section will grow as more material from the old site is revised. (08/07/04) Miscellaneous content: The widenthecircle.org web This formative web, once actually released in pirated form, was produced in 2001 and is believed to be the first attempt to publicize the existence of the infant-shock model of addiction and the possibility of mass cure in our time. The Smoke Better, Drink Better Seminar The complete presentation materials and all handouts from what is believed to be the very first public seminar on addiction ideologically oriented around the Sonora (infant-shock) model of addiction. Lessons from history What our past tells us about how we respond to major breakthroughs in the health sciences; a personal perspective by the webmaster. Mission statement What this site hopes to achieve About the webmaster The story behind this site

If this is your first exposure to the Sonora Model web, please read the following before proceeding.

This web is intended for adults and should not be browsed by unsupervised minors. The material is posted as-is (for now) with no warranty of value or factual accuracy, although every effort has been made to be as complete and open as possible in the presentation of this material. I will not be liable for any misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the material in its current form. This web represents a private, unfunded effort. Donations are not solicited or wanted at this time.

All visitors are strongly urged to read the hazardous information warning linked to the button above before reading any of the core material in this web. There is also a disclaimer of fact and liability which should be read by all visitors prior to forming any opinion in regard to the validity and/or practicality of any of the material presented here.

This web proposes that addiction and compulsivity represent distinct subcategories of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and can thus be both treated as such, and also considered to be as curable as any PTSD. This theory has been independently proposed in various forms by several other individuals over the last 30 years, and has been used as the basis for alternative treatment methods which have produced results indistinguishable from cure. At the time of posting (July 2011), this web was believed to be the most precise and supportable theory of its kind, and the only thorough discussion of addiction as a PTSD available to the general public. This is the third generation of this material; it was originally posted in a more primitive form at widenthecircle.org (defunct) in 1998, and in an early draft of its present form at cublea.com in 2000-2001.

This material was removed from public view in 2005. Since then, no comparable or competitive theory has emerged to replace or supplant it, and no evidence has surfaced which calls the model's validity into question. The author believes that while this theory cannot be used to develop treatments accessible by the general public for perhaps another twenty years, the existence of this theory represents a source of hope for the increasing numbers of addicted/compulsive individuals who are resistant to current forms of treatment. It is for this reason that this web has been reposted.

This material was produced by a lay researcher and has not been reviewed or published elsewhere. It should be evaluated strictly on its own merits. The author has made diligent efforts to address all rational inconsistencies and instances of "Occam's Broom" in the presentation of this material, and thus far no individual or organization has presented compelling evidence which invalidates the theory. It may yet prove to be an incorrect theory, and visitors are strongly encouraged to submit challenges to the author, and all such challenges will be posted as they are submitted. Any serious challenge which invalidates this theory could provide the vital clue needed to develop an even better theory. Tens of millions of lives are at stake; none of us can afford to be defensive about our beliefs.

Prior editions of this web have been copied and distributed without the author's permission as pirated e-books or for sharing with others. The author has no connection with these unauthorized distributions. This theory has evolved steadily since its first web posting in 1996, and any versions of this material available from other sources will contain misinformation or factual errors which have since been corrected or addressed. This material needs to be treated as potentially hazardous information, and should not be distributed in any form without the permission of the author.

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