PART ONE Once a ‘Functioning’ Alcoholic/Addict, Now an “Acceptable, Responsible, Productive Member of Society” “The obsession with instant gratification blinds us from our long-term potential.” – Michael Dooley I clearly remember that my attitude (well, at least part of it) coming into my first 12-Step recovery meeting was: “Although I’ve got a problem with drinking…
“Recovery”… from a Family Member’s POV – Part One Building Trust Doesn’t Happen Overnight “The inability to open up to hope is what blocks trust, and blocked trust is the reason for blighted dreams.” – Elizabeth Gilbert Here’s a challenging question many people are forced to ask themselves who have loved ones in recovery: “How…
Drug withdrawal can be a scary process. It often involves both physical and mental symptoms. The discomfort felt by those attempting to do it on their own often leads them back to drug use. The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. Drug withdrawal symptoms can be properly managed at a…
“We may not always be able to control what we are, but we can control what we do.” – Akiroq Brost When many of us first come into treatment or 12-Steps fellowships, we’re informed rather quickly that it’s wise to “avoid the people, places and things” that remind us of our former using lifestyle. This…
What screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how it’s s’pozed to be. – Anonymous For most of us who’ve found our way into recovery, there came a time when it was plain as day we needed to change our minds about “how life works” – that is, what…
“The inability to open up to hope is what blocks trust, and blocked trust is the reason for blighted dreams.” – Elizabeth Gilbert Here’s a challenging question many people are forced to ask themselves who have loved ones in recovery: “How can I be willing to have trust in my loved one when he/she has…
“The greatest ideas are the simplest.” – William Golding, Lord of the Flies When many of us come into recovery, early on we seem to carry around a head full of what we feel certain we need to have or do in order to succeed. Then, usually quite quickly, we come face-to-face with the truth…
Feeling that no one really understands us can keep us from recovery for many years. – Just for Today (April 5) When we first arrive at the doors of recovery, certainly we all have our own personal story of how we got here… meaning, each of us has a unique tale of how our lives…
“No personal calamity is so crushing that something true and great can’t be made of it.” – Bill Wilson, Author of Alcoholics Anonymous More often than any of us could ever know, something we say from the heart about the challenges we’re facing in our recovery—and how we’re handling such—may end up benefitting another person…
“Through the program, many of us have found a serenity we never thought possible.” Al-Anon At first, it may be a shock to hear, “the truth is, family members of those in recovery need recovery, too!” You might think, “what the heck are you talking about?!” And while that reaction is understandable, research confirms alcoholism and…