A CD For Beating Marijuana Addiction

Hypnosis is valuable for a lot of things. It's not some kind of hocus pocus magic or anything, it's a useful tool that follows the way that our minds think and helps us to make our thinking better, more positive.

Hypnosis helps us to create better habits in the way we think. It can also help us to alleviate bad thinking patterns and even get rid of them.

Addictions are also diseases of the mind which affect our thinking processes, so it just makes sense that Hypnosis is useful when we are trying to change from bad thinking patterns that get us in trouble - and on to healthy thinking, which provides us with better health and reasonable ways to cope with life.

Now, there are a lot of people who will say that marijuana is NOT a physically addictive substance and that our bodies don't come to rely on the THC substance in the same way as Cocaine addicts or Alcohol addicts have their bodies physically addicted to cocaine or alcohol.

Read above again if you missed the part about addictions being diseases which affect the MIND!

ANYTHING that causes differences in mood and significant differences in the thinking process is a substance that can be addictive. If the mood changes and thinking changes and one gets used to these changes, coming to rely on those feelings, ways of thinking, and those mooods...then one is an addict.

Here is a product available to help beat marijuana addiction through the use of hypnosis. Change your thinking, change your life!

Help For Quitting Nicotine

Re-create who you are and turn yourself into a NON-SMOKER. If quitting smoking has been too difficult for you and you've tried time and time again without successfully quitting the habit, try a new set of tactics!

Hypnosis for Non-Smoking This is a simple, step-by-step program of hypnotic suggestion and imagery you can use to recreate yourself as a non-smoker...

Let this Hypnosis program help you to stop smoking!

Need To Contact Me?

If you need to get in touch with me, look me up at YUWIE. I'm at the Yuwie Social Site often - just log in and look for ' teeray '

Send me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Library of Research Articles

If you're looking for more material about Addictions and Recovery, don't overlook the Hazelden Virtual Research Library .

You'll find a database 'search' function and everything over at the Hazelden site.

Databases include:

* ETOH
* Project CORK
* Medical library via PubMed and NCBI
and
* NCADI - 'Prevline'

Check out these sites. Don't forget to bookmark them. They'll come in handy when you're in a hurry to look up important topics and information about addictions and recovery.

The Hazelden library also has some materials in audio form.

For quick info and stats, find the 'Surveys Intl' and 'Surveys US' links.

From the Hazelden pages, you'll also find access to the Butler Center For Research!

Hopefully, by using these links, you'll be able to find almost anything you're looking for in the way of addiction and recovery information.

Stay well - take care!!

Have a clean and wonderful day.

Narconon Concept of Drug Addiction

Causes of Drug Addiction - Topic Treated Seriously by Narconon

Narconon is a secular rehabilitation program that specializes in treating the causes of drug addiction along with the addiction itself. Narconon is based on the beliefs and writings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and looks at the causes of drug addiction from an addict’s perspective so it can effectively treat the drug addiction.

The treatment does not use any drugs of any type to ease the pain of withdrawal and provides drug rehabilitation, education, and prevention services. Much of Narconon’s programs are presented in school classrooms using materials developed by the Narconon professionals. The materials are meant to supplement the school’s existing drug prevention program.

Proponents of the Narconon program claim a 70 percent success rate with combating drug addiction compared to a 30 percent rate in other rehabilitation programs. Hubbard created the program after doing extensive research and studies on drug addiction causes and how to combat the disease effectively without the use of drugs.

The premise of the Narconon model states that addicts can resume normal, healthy, productive lives when they work with the skills they are given in the program. The program can be administered out-patient or at an in-patient Narconon sanctioned facility.

Generally, the Narconon program takes four to six months to work effectively. Participants are said to be going “back to school” to become re-educated on drugs, the dangers of drug, drug addiction, and drug recovery. All of this is done without the benefit of pharmaceutical help.

Like the Scientology religion, Narconon has its opponents who say that the information that is presented isn’t always scientifically sound even if the program claims it is. They say that Narconon skews information so that it supports their conclusions and doesn’t give the whole picture. Some see that as a form of brain washing and thus write off Narconon as a scam.

Opponents also say that the educational materials given to schools don’t take into account developmental abilities of the students they are trying to reach. The materials for elementary schools are basically the same as the materials for high schools. The materials are more scientific without providing explanations or definitions for presenters to help children with their comprehension of what is being presented.

The causes of drug addiction are wide and varied and Narconon claims to address them fully through their program. Even if their information isn’t as accurate as some would hope, they do have a certain amount of success with those who go through their classes.

Because the causes of drug addiction are far-reaching, perhaps Narconon is an answer for those who need it.


Feed Shark

Bringing a Comment Up Front

I'm just bringing a comment up front because sometimes people don't see the comments area or don't have time to go check out comments.

"" NattyCAt said...
Here's a website you may find useful. http://www.addicted.com is a site for friends, families, and those who suffer from various addictions. ""

Thanks for commenting, NattyCat!

Here's the 'About' page for that site:
http://www.addicted.com/about.aspx

And some interesting 'Self-Tests,' including 'sexual addiction,' 'gambling,' 'food addiction,' and 'tobacco' :

http://www.addicted.com/selftests/

I browsed around this site. It's a pretty interesting site. There are over 40 pages of articles (links to about 5 articles per page), so this is a site definitely worth checking out.

Thanks again, NattyCat!!

Addiction Not Just Antisocial Behavior

Not long ago, most people thought that Alcoholism and Addiction was just quirky, Antisocial behavior that the addict just refused to address and control. It was thought that the addict brought on all his or her own worst consequences.

Today we have better information and can realize that addiction is much more complicated than just someone not dealing with their behaviors. It involves sickness of emotions, impaired psychological make up, spiritual unsteadiness and also physical/chemical imbalances in the body.

Though an addict, at some point has to come to terms and start owning the behaviors of addiction and admit that they are causing many of the harmful and unpleasant consequences in life, there are certain things that an addict doesn't have complete control over.

An addict can start to even up factors in a life that is out of control by by HALTING substance intake and immediately starting to deal with the other imbalances that are out of control. Though some of an addict's behaviors might appear (and are) antisocial, there are a number of things that the addict will have to work on in order to gain control of their life again. These won't be strictly 'behavioral' details. Patterns of thinking and old, erroneous attitudes have to change as well.

Dealing with so many variables is often overwhelming for newly recovering addicts or freshly 'clean' persons. Just because the addict puts the drugs down doesn't ensure that life will return to normal right away. It takes time to make changes and often, 'patience' is hard to come by, but perserverence and the development of patience is very important in recovery.

The immediate surrounding friends and family of an addict who has finally stopped 'using,' will often expect (as does the addict) that life will be magically better because the booze and drugs have been taken away, removed from the addict. This 'instant better life' rarely happens. Instead, it's important to realize that the friends and family who support the addict's decision to 'clean up' will most likely need some support from somewhere, themselves. They'll have to relearn how to communicate with the recovering person, just as the recovering addict will have to learn how to communicate without being under the influence of drugs. Perhaps nobody has spoken to the addict for a very long time without the addict under the influence of drugs.

Groups like Al-Anon and AlaTeen can help when there is confusion in the family. These groups also offer an alternative source of help for when families are reactive toward each other. There are Al-Anon and AlaTeen members who understand the discomforts and stresses of going through the rebuilding process that occurs when an addict effects the lives of family members. If brothers, sisters, friends, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, granparents, and children would like to go elsewhere with their difficulties and spare some burden on their family members, Al-Anon and AlaTeen are good alternative choices for support.

Often families do feel like they're placing a burden atop another family members' shoulders. Rebuilding lives is hard work and not without glitches along the way. Often, families who are in the rebuilding stage don't understand why they still have conflicts after the booze and drugs have left the home. They may wonder, "Why am I not happy - why is everything still such a struggle?" They may think, "This is what I wanted (the substances out of the home) but I still do not feel better or like life is normal!" In worrying about these thoughts, attitudes and feelings, family members might feel like something is wrong with them because they don't feel like life is improving any. They shouldn't worry - THIS IS QUITE NORMAL and a way to alleviate more worrying - or more worrying about how other family members are doing with all the new changes - is to gain support outside of the family group.

Here's an Al-Anon/AlaTeen link that has more information:

Al-Anon/Alateen

Club Drugs Not For Safe Recreational Use

Club Drugs are never safe. Club Drugs are not for 'safe recreational drug use.' I think that, for the most part, the phrase 'safe recreational drug use' has been quite overused by addicts who are in denial of their own problematic substance abuse issues. Every mind-altering and mood-altering substance has the potential to cause harm - even COFFEE! Sugar can have very potent effects upon people and affect their mood, too, so it's plainly DANGEROUS to assume that any actual 'drug' should be called safe or 'for recreational use.'

Club Drugs have an added "X" factor of sorts. What's in Club Drugs? Oh, something we usually can't identify, let's call it variable "X" or factor "X" for now. It's simply an unidentified substance, mixed in with the 'good stuff.' The truth of the matter is that 'X' can be anything - a 'filler' a 'binding' ingredient, another substance that will actually give 'a buzz' on top of the other parts of the drug mixture that many Club Hoppers are trying to get high from. It can be a toxin or poison or anything.

Some slang handles for a few 'Club' or 'Street' drugs:

ECSTACY: 'E,' 'X,' or 'XTC.'
GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate, or gammahydroxy-butyric acid) - popular with 'Ravers.' Slang names for GHB: Liquid X, Liquid Ecstacy, Grievous Bodily Harm, Georgia Home Boy or sometimes just Home or Homeboy.
Ketamine: 'K,' 'Ket,' 'Special K,' 'Kit Kat,' or 'Vitamin K.'
Rohypnol: 'R-2,' 'Roofies.'

Each of these types of drugs above are connected with 'club drug' use, however, each of these can have different effects on substance users. Side effects can range from sweating to shaking, hallucinations to loss of motor control, paranoia to seizures and, of course, none are safe drugs in any way so they can all cause death.

GHB is mainly a depressant but it can cause drug users to stop breathing with little warning.
Rohypnol is the 'Date Rape Drug,' and extremely powerful and dangerous sedative.

Often producted in home-made or make-shift 'labs,' Club Drugs dont have carefully standardized dosages or ingredients, so ANY amount can be fatal. One never knows how potent the drug will be or how many toxins are in the drug and they're just altogether unsafe in any dosage.

On top of all that is not known about the ingredients and potency of Club Drugs, users of Club Drugs often mix these with alcohol. Because so much is questionable about the Club Drugs, it is also a fact that nobody truly knows what will happen when someone adds alcohol to their body after they've already ingested Club Drugs.


If you'd like some more information about this topic or would like to know how to tell if a friend is using drugs - or how you might help if you're SURE a friend is in need of help to deal with addiction problems, you can call:


National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information -
800-729-6686

Alcohol Industry Information

The Alcohol Industry is a multi-million dollar industry and many people rely on income and support through the Alcohol Industry, despite the fact that alcohol abuse can be so dangerous. Not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic, and in their own ways, many Alcohol producers and distributors try to do what they can to educate people about dangers of alcohol products.

By the same token, producers, supporters and distributors of alcohol products will also market alcohol in ways that are harmful to the public.

Here's a site that gives information about both the pros and cons of the Alcohol Industry. It's the Marin Institute site:

The Marin Institute - Alcohol Industry Information

Alcohol Studies

The Centre For Alcohol Studies is a North American institute dedicated to studying all about alcohol abuse, drug abuse, interaction of the mind and psychoactive substance use and more.

The Centre For Alcohol Studies (CAS) uses a multidisciplinary approach to study addictions and mind-altering substances. This includes biochemical sciences (neurophamacology and biochemistry), sociology, and psychology (clinical as well as experimental).

You can access their website at:

Alcoholic Studies at CAS - Centre For Alcohol Studies

You can visit the site and check out what CAS is doing in the way of research about substance abuse problems.

Have a Safe and Sober Summer!

Alive & Free has a great article about summertime safety and sobriety that has some shocking details! According to the article, almost HALF of the drowning deaths recorded involve consumption of alcohol! (Assuming that the article is talking about in North America, as Alive & Free is located in the U.S.A.).

From my own experiences, I have to say that I think the 'ACTUAL' number of accidents related to or caused by consumption of substances is much greater, because the article deals with 'known' and 'reported' accidents. I happen to know that a great number of accidents (related to boats or other vehicles in general) are not reported and a huge number of accidents that addicts manage to climb out of by the skin of their teeth, so-to-speak, is much higher. I've seen friends to this in the past, and I've done it myself during my 'active addict' days.

Often, someone who has been enjoying summer activities, driving an auto or recreational vehicle (motorbike, boat, quad, scooter, pedalboats etc) while drinking or otherwise consuming addictive substances, will get in an accident, crash the apparatus or recreational vehicle, then RUN AWAY! Afraid of being caught and charged with an offense of driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a lot of addicts manage to avoid the authorities and fail to report accidents.

I realize I've added non-water vehicles in my comments above, and the following article deals with mainly water activities and vehicles, but when people are driving drunk/stoned throughout the summer months, they are also driving all manner of vehicles.

That said, here's the Alive & Free article:

==================================================
Keeping Summertime Water Activities Safe and Sober
==================================================

Summertime water activities--boating, fishing, and swimming--can quickly become fatal when alcohol is added to the mix.

Alcohol is involved in about 49 percent of drowning deaths. In fact, about one-half of all accidents and fatalities occurring on the water result from alcohol use, says Dr. Michael Mello, spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Boating accidents are a big part of the problem. Each year they kill an average of 714 people. These deaths are due to two major safety failures: uneducated boaters and lack of a required life jacket.

"Drinking while on the water also heightens the risk of dehydration, and especially when combined with the stresses of sun exposure, boat vibrations, engine noise, and constant motion," Mello says. "Alcohol impairs a boater's balance, vision, reaction time, and decision-making skills."

These factors make collisions the most common form of boating accident. However, capsizing and falls overboard account for the most boating fatalities.

Anyone who wants to drive an automobile must demonstrate knowledge of traffic laws and ability to operate a car. But not so with boats. Owners of recreational boats are not always required to pass safety tests or take a boating safety course.

And while boating under the influence of alcohol (BUI) is outlawed in all 50 states, there is no "open container" law for boats.

"It's not illegal to have a beer by your side and operate a boat," says Tim Smalley, boating safety specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "It's just when you get to that point of impairment that the magic dial clicks over to risky."

Impairment for boaters occurs at about .035 BAC, or slightly less than two drinks within one hour for most people. All states have boating-under-the-influence laws, with legal limit blood alcohol concentration levels ranging from .01 to .10. Sixteen states have a zero tolerance level for minors.

"People think they're safe when they're on a boat--when they're anchored fishing or putting along with a little trolling motor," Smalley says. "Actually, that's the time when fatal boating accidents happen, and alcohol can be the cause."

Taking a cue from the literature on driving safety, some people appoint a "designated boater"--a non-drinker--to operate the watercraft. But even passengers who drink increase their risk of drowning. Intoxication makes it more likely that they'll capsize a rowboat or fall over the side of a motorboat.

This is a moment of danger. "Alcohol can reset your body's thermostat so that water seems colder," Smalley adds. "And, the torso reflex--an involuntary gasp--occurs when you hit cold water. When this happens, you can aspirate water into your lungs and drown. The torso reflex is more likely to happen when you've been drinking."

Water activities are safest when you're sober. Use the following strategies:

Learn to swim. Check with your local office of the American Red Cross for swimming courses. In addition, always swim with a buddy. Avoid solo outings.
Wear a life jacket. Boat operators and all passengers should wear personal flotation devices approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. This applies to swimmers and non-swimmers alike.
Stay free of alcohol and other drugs. There is no "safe" amount of alcohol to consume before swimming, fishing or boating. In fact, you can become impaired more quickly than usual due to heat and fatigue.
Take a boating safety course. These are offered by several organizations. The U.S. Coast Guard has information online.
Create and share your "float plan." Before going out on the water, find someone on shore to act as an emergency contact. Tell this person where you'll be and how long you'll be gone.
Serve alcohol after your time on the water. Responsible alcohol use can still be part of your recreation plans. Just wait until you're off the water for the day. Plan to party on-shore at your cabin, boating club, or back yard. Offer plenty of food and non-alcoholic drinks as well.
--Published May 14, 2007




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================



You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

The Serenity Prayer

(Properly Titled, "Serenity Prayer Gets To The Heart Of Recovery")

In the concentration camp, Viktor Frankl was prisoner No. 119,104. He spent most of his time in forced labor, laying tracks for Nazi railway lines. At one point, his job was to dig a tunnel for an underground water main. He worked alone. His reward was a coupon worth 12 cigarettes. Instead, he exchanged the token for 12 bowls of soup so he could avoid starving.

Many people assume that the only response to this situation would be misery or insanity. Yet, even in the concentration camp, Frankl felt free. In Man's Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy (Beacon Press, ed. 4), Frankl concluded that everything can be taken from us except one thing: the last of human freedoms -- to choose one's own attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

Another name for this freedom is acceptance. And acceptance is the key to the Serenity Prayer, commonly recited at meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and other Twelve Step groups:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

If we can understand what this prayer means, then we can better understand what recovery from addiction is about.

As human beings, we have two basic strategies for handling any situation that disturbs us. One is to change the situation. For example, if were chronically short on money, we can trim our expenses or seek a higher-paying job. If were lonely, we can call a friend.

This is how we usually cope with distress: We try to alter the world outside us. And in many cases, this is powerful and appropriate.

However, circumstances are sometimes beyond our power to change. A sudden, unpredicted expense may undercut our plans to save money. We can call a friend to quell our loneliness, but that person may not be at home. Hoping we can control every event that comes our way is like hoping we can control the weather.

In such moments, we often forget we have a second option: We can change our response to the situation. This second option is the one Frankl discovered. While he was in the concentration camp, escape was not feasible. He was powerless over his situation. So he responded by dwelling on thoughts that empowered him.

More specifically, Frankl stayed alive to the beauty of nature. Even the Nazis could not take away sunsets. He imagined amusing incidents that could take place in the future, allowing himself to laugh. And he remembered the people he loved. I understood, he wrote, how a man who has nothing left in this world may still know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved.

It's possible to discover how these two options work in our own lives. Complete this sentence: I could be happy only if . . . Typical answers usually include the right job, the right relationship, more money, a new car, a child, a house. All of these have to do with the first option -- having the right circumstances. All are attempts to change the world outside our heads.

But addiction is one of those situations that were powerless over, and recovery from addiction means looking for serenity elsewhere -- in the world inside our heads. It's learning how to dwell on beliefs, attitudes and thoughts that remain true no matter what happens to us.

Veronica Ray, in her book Choosing Happiness: The Art of Living Unconditionally (Hazelden), makes the same point: The most important thing to learn about happiness, I believe, is that it is a choice. We always have it available to us; it's within each of us. What we need to remember is that there's always another way of looking at anything.

As the Serenity Prayer reminds us, this means changing what we can, accepting what we can't, and knowing the difference. For people in recovery -- for all of us -- such knowledge is the heart of serenity.

--Published November 20, 2000




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

I Invite You

Just a little invite...

I hope readers will CELEBRATE their clean time and feel positive about being sober.

You're likely at this blog because you were looking for information about addiction and recovery, so chances are - you or someone you are close to has a problem with drugs and alcohol.

Here's a CLEAN TIME CALCULATOR that I hope you'll put to use:


AA History Sobriety Calculator

Don't forget to be good to yourself. Sometimes, seeing the number of days that you've been sober/clean is a good motivator for keeping up the good work!

According to this calculator, I have been clean and sober for:

911 Days,
18 Hours, (almost another DAY - Yay!)
38 Minutes,
and approximately
7, 977,530 HEARTBEATS!

WOW!!

I remember a time when I couldn't stay sober for more than an hour after waking up!

Check and see what your stats are:

AA History Sobriety Calculator

Congrats to you!

teeray~~

This is About ME

Okay - so you're looking around for information about 'Addiction' '12-step links' 'Recovery' 'Alcoholism' or something of the sort and

BAM

Up comes

"Addiction and Recovery Information Portal"

A BLOG...whoopee.

So you figure it's going to be another one of those WHINY, PERSONAL, single-minded Recovery Blogs from some half-wit IDIOTSTICK in the early stages of Recovery - who just HAS TO TELL PEOPLE how to do things 'cos they've been sober for a whole 90 days and have 3 keychains, a half-dozen 12-Step medallions and the like...

HAHA

WRONG!

That's not what this blog is about at all.

I wanted to make a place where the information is SERIOUS (most of the time) for people who are looking for GOOD INFORMATION about Alcoholism, Addiction, Recovery and other related topics.

So who am I?

I am recovering addict/alcoholic with a mere 3 Years of Clean Time under my belt. I DO NOT contact my sponsor as often as I should, I DO NOT attend enough meetings, I do NOT live a perfect life...

...but I am Clean and Sober, dedicated to my Recovery. I adhere to 12 Step Principles as much as possible.

Also - I DO NOT only contact my sponsor when I feel like I am having a CRISIS!
(I will also contact my sponsor when things are A-okay - and will contact other 'sponsor-like' friends to see HOW THEY ARE DOING! Just for the heck of it!)

I DO NOT just go to meetings when I feel like I am having a CRISIS!
(I drop by sometimes, to see who's there, see who's sharing, see what's up on a damn and freaking GOOD DAY!)

AND

I DO NOT trash other programs that are not AA/12-Step related.
(I really enjoy such literature as Kasl's 16-Step material, various Native Spiritual/Recovery literature, and even some ANTI-12-Step Literature - which keeps me ON GUARD against those who might develop, then pass on to me - heavy 12-Step biases and quirks that don't really belong to 'The Principles' of Recovery.)

It's all good, my friends!

I am a mother, sister, peer, classmate, daughter, auntie, friend, and I am NOT A LOVER because my plant died
(My cat ROX tho' and together we decided we didn't need no wimpy stick-in-the-mud plant...that's what my plant looked like 'bout 5wks after I got the cat - like a li'l stick in mud)

HAHA

Where was I?

I'll start again - I am a mother, sister, peer, classmate, daughter, auntie, friend, ex-wife (LOL thank GAWD), writer, editor, researcher, philosopher, comedian (yes, those two things go together really well - philosophy and comedy woo hoo), cook, recovering addict and.....well face it, sometimes I am a bytch too, but only when I have to be!

And I am many, many other things, too...

You can see WHY I have choosen to support the Hazelden and Alive & Free organizations and use their SERIOUS ARTICLES on this blog instead of professing to know it all and fill this space with ONLY MY IDEAS...

'cos - factually - I am not a very serious person much of the time

And I don't have wonderful ah-hah-providing, fact-based information in my head about recovery, ready to convey at a moment's notice most of the time.

I'm just someone who is checking out PATHWAYS
There are many
Sometimes I can't get OVER the obstacles on certain pathways and I have to look for another ROUTE...the idea of stayin on ONE PATHWAY and FOCUSING on that forever is LUDICROUS - or LUDACRIS, however you wanna play with that...

So I keep a blog, elsewhere, called CLEAN TIME FOR DUMMIES - which is a better indication of my life in Recovery but it doesn't always have the most pertinent or serious topics going on, if you know what I mean.

Anyhow - that's almost enough ABOUT ME

I have more articles to read, more permissions to gain, more work to do.

Oh and by the way - yes, part of the reason I maintain these blogs is because my recovery is ALL ABOUT ME!

:)

Nobody else is going to do my Recovery for me or keep me clean and sober. Writing about Recovery-related topics, reading articles and deciding upon what 'goes on the blogs' is helpful for me in my Recovery.

I'm lucky because when I blog, I get to uncover information in my searches - that a lot of other people just aren't stumbling across.

It's fun

But that's enough About ME!

Achieving Healthy Friendships: A Lifeline To Sobriety

There is an old song that goes "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold." While those words work well when sung around a campfire, the reality is that we can't keep each and every friend we make throughout our lives. As we grow more solidly into who we are ultimately becoming, some friendships refashion themselves to accommodate our changes, some friendships have to fade away, and sometimes new and healthier friendships emerge when we let go of a toxic relationship.

"When I was using, it was very clear who my friends were; they were the people I could get high with and the folks who provided the dope," said a recovering drug addict and alcoholic. "Now that I'm sober I realize I never really had any true friends. I learned through AA that friendship takes work and it's not just about me."

Friendship should be treated as a verb--a process of finding out how we want to relate to others and how we want others to relate to us. Friendship takes practice being with other people and learning from our interactions. It is a mutual bond of respect, trust, and vulnerability that encourages healthy growth and acceptance.

For people in recovery from alcoholism, a healthy friendship can be a lifeline to sobriety, just as an unhealthy relationship can be a threat to hard-won abstinence. "It is crucial for recovering people to discern between relationships that are affirming and those that keep them stuck in old roles," said Rosemary Hartman, supervisor of Hazelden's Family Services. "If one friend is in recovery and one isn't, there's a power differential."

People who are chemically dependent themselves often feel threatened when a friend enters recovery, because they may be encouraged to look at their own drug or alcohol use, said Hartman. "They may argue against the person's belief that they have a problem, or pressure them to go to social events or places they know will have drugs or alcohol."

It's often harder for older people in recovery to let go of unhealthy friendships, because friends may have a long history with each other that includes many positive memories, and it's harder in later years to meet new friends, said Hartman. She said recovering people of all ages should ask themselves, "When do I spend time with this person? Have I always used with him or her and do they encourage me to use more? Does this person affirm my efforts to stay sober?"

Hartman said you need to be assertive yet kind, compassionate yet honest with friends, and set new boundaries that honor and insure your abstinence. If your friend cannot support your recovery, you should take a break or end the relationship. "Behave with integrity," she suggests. "Although we can't control how someone else will behave, we are responsible for our own behavior."

Saying goodbye to a friend can be painful, but members of a recovery group can often help because they are also working to maintain healthy relationships in their sobriety. Hartman suggested that, in addition to their regular groups, men and women might benefit from attending an all-male or all-female group where they can meet new friends.

"If you started using at age 14, most of your friendships will be based on using and you'll have little practice on how to make friends," she said. "Recovery groups are safe places to practice new skills. Focus on forming friendships that allow you to be the kind of person you want to be."

Recovery means change, not just for the person who embarks on the recovery journey, but for his or her friends and loved ones, too. Choosing whether to continue a relationship is an important part of recovery, but the better the choices are, the more solid recovery--and friendship--will be.

--Published June 28, 2004




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Nicotine Anonymous Offers Steps To A Smoke Free Life

Kelly used cigarettes to literally create a smokescreen between her and other people. "It helped me to stuff my feelings," she recalls, describing many of her relationships at the time as unhealthy.

"This smokescreen prevented me from seeing this clearly and allowed me to hide and be in denial. Instead of examining my feelings in a healthy way, I smoked and stayed in unhealthy situations. This caused me to repeat the same mistakes over and over in my life."

That pattern changed when a friend introduced Kelly to Nicotine Anonymous (NicA). She joined, and today she's well into her second year as a nonsmoker.

NicA is a mutual-help group of people who support each other to live nicotine-free. The group's doors are open to anyone who wants to quit using tobacco products of any form. Also welcome is anyone in a smoking cessation program--including people who use devices such as the nicotine patch to gradually eliminate the craving for this chemical.

The only requirement for joining NicA is the desire to abstain from nicotine. And all that's needed for an NicA meeting is two or more people who are open to change and willing to share their experience with living nicotine-free. There are no dues or membership fees. Groups sustain themselves through voluntary donations.

NicA bases its recovery program on the Twelve Steps as adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous. One way to understand how these Steps work is to relate them to the Serenity Prayer, often used in Twelve Step groups: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

This prayer can be interpreted in a nonsectarian way, for use even by atheists and agnostics. The key is to focus on the principles of acceptance, courage, and wisdom.

To members of NicA, acceptance means knowing that they cannot control the strength of their craving for nicotine. Instead of denying or fighting this craving, they fully admit its physical and psychological power.
Members also learn to deal with craving in ways that do not involve lighting up a cigarette or digging into a can of chewing tobacco. This is the courage to change by choosing a new response--finding ways to live with a craving until it passes.
Of course, this can be hard. So, NicA emphasizes the wisdom of turning to a Higher Power for strength. This can be any source of outside help. For some people, it is the God of a religious tradition. For others, it is simply their NicA group or the example set by a sponsor--a mentor who has longer experience with the program.
Kelly recalls that she was initially turned off by talk of God or a Higher Power. Still, she found enough value in NicA to stay with the program.

"When I feel like I want to smoke or I find myself in the midst of insanity, there are a variety of things I try to do to help myself get through it," Kelly notes. "I try to talk about it with my sponsor, say the Serenity Prayer, read some of the NicA literature ("Our Promises" is my favorite), or go to a meeting."

To learn more, contact Nicotine Anonymous World Services, 419 Main Street, PMB# 370, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. Information is also available by phone at 415-750-0328, by e-mail at info@nicotine-anonymous.org, or at http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/.

You can find more resources for nicotine-free living during the Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society (ACS). This annual event takes place Nov. 18 with activities planned at ACS chapters across the country. For more information, call 1-800-ACS-2345. Or go to http://www.cancer.org/ and search on "Great American Smokeout."

--Published November 15, 2004




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Tips For People Who Want To Quit Smoking

There is no one right way to quit smoking. However, people who succeed at quitting consistently do the following things:

1. Set a quit date.

Setting a date too far in the future allows time to talk yourself out of quitting. To increase your odds of success, set a quit date for some time within the next 30 days. This gives you a sense of urgency and still allows time to prepare for the change.

You might find it helpful to choose a date with personal significance -- perhaps your birthday or wedding anniversary. In any case, circle the date on your calendar and commit to making it the start of a smoke-free life. Also announce your decision to friends and family.

2. Create a quit plan.

According to federal guidelines for smoking cessation issued in 2000, people who want to quit smoking should have access to nicotine replacement therapies. These include the nicotine inhaler and nasal spray (available by prescription) and nicotine gum and the nicotine patch (available by prescription and over the counter). In addition, non-nicotine medication such as bupropion, an antidepressant, can ease withdrawal.

Remember that medications deal only with the physical aspects of quitting tobacco. Their main purpose is to reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal so that you can deal with the psychological aspects of nicotine addiction. In fact, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Sept. 11, 2002) suggests that nicotine replacement therapy when used without counseling may be ineffective.

To get psychological support for quitting, sign up for a smoking cessation program or join a support group, such as Nicotine Anonymous. You can also consider residential treatment. Only a few such programs are available, but they can boost quit rates.

Barry McMillen, supervisor of Nicotine Dependency Treatment Services at Hazelden, directs a seven-day residential program for smokers called Your Next Step. "Smoking is an addictive process with daily rituals around tobacco products," said McMillen. "Residential treatment goes beyond nicotine replacement to look at the whole process of tobacco recovery."

Dr. Michael Fiore, director of the Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, underscores the need to combine medication and psychological support. "Insurance coverage for smoking cessation treatment leads to greater utilization and more people ultimately quitting," said Fiore. He adds that help lines for smokers who want to quit "appear very effective and are a powerful way to reach underserved segments of our society."

3. On your quit day, stick to your plan.

Following these suggestions can help:

Get rid of all items related to smoking-cigarettes, lighters and ash trays.
Drink lots of water and juice.
Eat healthful snacks such as raisins or carrots.
Stay active with exercise, work or hobbies.
Call a friend who's quit smoking or a help line for smokers.
Participate in a smoking cessation class, counseling session, or support group.
Avoid places where people smoke.
4. Keep trying.

Remember that many smokers make several tries before they succeed at quitting. If you're trying to quit and it's not working, then ask for help.

"One of the main things that people who try to quit smoking often do is isolate themselves," said McMillen. "They don't tell anybody what they're doing, and they don't try to get help. HMOs are now taking a more positive look at treatment for nicotine dependence. The bottom line is that if you want to take the opportunity, there is help available."

For help in quitting, contact the American Cancer Society (800-227-2345 or http://www.cancer.org/) to receive a copy of "Set Yourself Free," a pamphlet about quitting smoking. You can also contact the following organizations:

American Heart Association, 800-242-1793, http://www.americanheart.org/
American Lung Association, 800-586-4872, http://www.lungusa.org/
Nicotine Anonymous, 415-750-0328, http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/
--Published November 18, 2002




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Twelve Steps Apply To Nicotine Addiction

"I started to wake up in the middle of the night to have a cigarette," recalled Barry, a recovering alcoholic. "I could almost set my clock by it. About 2:30 every morning I'd need to wake up and have a cigarette before I'd go back to sleep. That scared me."

This was reason enough to get help for quitting smoking. For Barry, there were two more: His father died of lung cancer, and his brother had a heart attack. Both were heavy smokers.

Despite working successfully with alcoholism, Barry collided with nicotine addiction. Getting rid of that duality can be tough for recovering peoplepartly because nicotine use has been so widely accepted. That's true even in Twelve Step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Case in point: Bill W., cofounder of AA, was a smoker who died of emphysema.

The same Twelve Step principles that help people abstain from alcohol and other drugs can help them abstain from nicotine as well.

Admit powerlessness. People addicted to nicotine show behaviors like those of other addicts: They continue to use the drug despite adverse consequences, and they fail to quit through sheer willpower.

Jeanne E., author of "Twelve Steps for Tobacco Users," a Hazelden pamphlet, recommends that smokers face their failure to manage nicotine use by asking key questions: How many times have I actually tried to quit or reduce smoking and failed? Have I ever avoided nonsmoking people or situations where I couldn't smoke? Have I avoided physical activities because I knew I'd get winded? Have I gone out at odd hours to buy tobacco?

Ask for help. Smokers use an array of tactics to quit on their own, such as imposing an arbitrary limit on the number of cigarettes they smoke per day, buying low-tar products or brands they don't like, and tapering down to meet a projected quitting date.

People who successfully use the Twelve Steps admit that such tactics don't make it. The alternative is opening up to a source of help outside ourselves. The Steps refer to this as a Higher Power, and this term is open to whatever interpretation works for the individual. For some smokers, a Higher Power is God as conceived in their spiritual tradition. For others, the term refers to family members, friends, a smoking cessation program or a Nicotine Anonymous group.

Put personal relationships on a new basis. The Twelve Steps call upon recovering people to take inventorythat is, to see the web of consequences that smoking creates in their lives. To perform this inventory, Jeanne E. recommends asking some further questions: How does smoking affect me, including my health, energy, finances and self-image? How does my smoking affect others? What specific incidents trigger my need to smoke? And what character defects, such as impatience, fuel my need to light up?

When smokers admit the answers to themselves, others and a Higher Power, they gain a powerful inducement to quit nicotine use. They can follow up by making appropriate amends to people they've harmed through their nicotine addiction.

Quit one day at a time. Central to the Twelve Step message is the slogan, "One day at a time." Breaking recovery into 24-hour segments makes quitting manageable.

Nicotine Anonymous, a Twelve Step support group for smokers, offers meetings and literature for people seeking to quit and those in recovery. To learn about an NA meeting closest to you or for more information, contact NA World Services at 415-750-0328 or http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/. For information on "Twelve Steps for Tobacco Users," call Hazelden Publishing and Educational Services at 800-328-9000.

--February 10, 2003




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Sobriety - High Schools Offer a Program of Learning, Recovery

The writer Anais Nin said that "adolescence is like a cactus." The teenage years are indeed prickly ones, filled with uncomfortable emotions and uncharted terrain as teens enter high school and move self-consciously into young adulthood.

High school presents even more challenges for teens recovering from addiction who struggle to remain clean and sober after treatment. Drugs and alcohol are easy to come by in most schools, and the pressure to use them is often great. According to the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the number of students age 12-17 who received treatment for substance abuse rose 20 percent from 1994-1999, with well over 100,000 young people entering treatment each year.

Studies show that approximately 80 percent of students who return to their former high schools after treatment begin using drugs or alcohol again. "One of the first rules of recovery is that if youre trying to stay clean and sober you have to avoid your old playground and your old playmates," said Andy Finch, director of the Association of Recovery Schools and executive director of Creative Recovery Communities, a nonprofit organization that runs Community High School in Nashville, Tenn.

Community High School is one of 19 high schools nationwide designed to support the recovery of young persons who have either received treatment for their addictions or made a conscious decision to live a sober lifestyle. According to Finch, four more such high schools are set to open in the next two years, and three college programs are currently in operation.

Often called "dry highs, sober highs, or recovery highs," these schools provide what Finch calls a "protective cocoon" that nurtures students recovery as they work to attain their high school diplomas. "Recovery schools are not treatment facilities," emphasized Finch. "Recovery schools are self-contained schools where students receive the full-range of academic services. Students are in school seven hours a day, just like in other schools, and they are expected to exist the other 17 hours a day in the real world."

The difference between recovery schools and traditional high schools is that 100 percent of the students are in recovery, and staff and fellow students are dedicated to supporting all students in their recovery. Every student is expected to work a recovery program, and all students are required to be alcohol- and drug-free. While some schools conduct random urine screens, other schools have students sign a sobriety contract. Anecdotal evidence shows that the relapse rate is substantially lower for students who attend recovery schools after treatment versus those who attend traditional schools. Most recovery schools give students a second chance if they relapse and are honest about it and if they agree to do whatever they need to do to make their recovery program stronger.

Recovery schools are quite small, ranging from six to 70 students. Many of the teachers, counselors, and staff are in recovery themselves or have worked in some recovery setting, and the individual attention a student gets can make the difference between flourishing and failing. However, it is the small student-to-teacher ratio and size of the school that makes it hard to get public funding in the current economy, and funding varies dramatically from state to state. For instance, the Nashville school receives no public subsidies, while other schools, such as the nonprofit Sobriety High in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, receive about 40 percent of their funding from the state and 60 percent from private donations.

Before the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment recently helped create the Association of Recovery Schools, schools developed on their own, through trial and error, with no blueprint and little guidance from other schools. It is Finchs dream that many more recovery schools will open now that an information and support network has been established and they dont have to start from scratch.

"Every state and most major cities could populate a recovery school, yet 40 states provide no such options," Finch said. "I would like to see schools develop around the country so that students coming out of treatment can easily commute to a school where they can learn life skills they need to maintain their sobriety and discover that being in recovery can actually be fun."

For more information on recovery high schools and colleges, go to the Association of Recovery School Web site at http://www.recoveryschools.org/.

--Published December 30, 2002




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Forgiveness Is The Art Of Releasing Resentment

One day, long after their abusive father died, Kate asked her brother Kevin how he felt about their painful childhood. "I can't condone how we were treated," said Kevin, "but I've finally forgiven dad."

Kate was astonished. "Not me. I'm so consumed with rage and hatred, I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him."

"But don't you see, Katie," Kevin said, hugging his sister, "then dad is still powerful. He's still beating you up. . . ."

Kevin was not telling his sister to simply "forgive and forget." If we forget our personal or our world's history, we risk having cycles of abuse and injustice repeat themselves. "Forgiveness is not forgetting or denying the effects of a wrongdoing, and it is not pardoning or excusing," explained Rokelle Lerner, a psychotherapist speaking at a recent Hazelden Women Healing Conference in Minneapolis. Forgiveness is "the road from resentment to connection," she added, quoting another writer.

The Big Book of "Alcoholics Anonymous" says resentment destroys more alcoholics than anything else because deep resentment leads to futility and unhappiness and shuts us off from the "sunlight of the Spirit." Authentic forgiveness takes time as the hurt party works hard to let go of resentment and the need for retribution, said Lerner. Ideally, the offender will also work hard to earn forgiveness through sincere and generous acts of restitution and repentance--what those in recovery circles call "making amends." But our ability to forgive can't depend on the reactions or actions of another, she said.

As people recovering from addiction often discover, genuine forgiveness is an internal process that can occur with or without anyone else's knowledge or participation. When you practice the art of forgiveness, you may reconnect with another person or community, or you may reconnect with parts of yourself that get shoved aside when bitterness takes over.

Most alcoholics know guilt, shame, remorse, and self-loathing intimately. To rid themselves of those feelings, they come to accept that they are imperfect beings worthy of forgiveness. Understanding that we are more than our transgressions helps us see beyond the transgressions of others.

It is also important to look objectively at a situation to determine what you or other factors (such as illness, personal struggles, etc.) may have played in what occurred. You may then see the problem from the other person's point of view and choose not to be offended, or you may choose to engage in a healthy and respectful dialogue in an attempt to heal the relationship. It is always important to protect yourself. If it is in your own best interests to discontinue the relationship, or if the person with whom you are in conflict is dead, some experts suggest writing an "unsent letter" in which you express your hurt and feelings, yet proclaim your forgiveness. You can even burn the letter as a symbolic act of releasing your resentment.

Kevin discovered that he could forgive his father, yet still be mad at him for abusing his sister and him. As Lerner pointed out, forgiveness can exist simultaneously with anger, just as joy can exist in the midst of grief. Lerner cautioned not to approach forgiveness too quickly or too casually. She said this "cheap forgiveness" is often a gratuitous gift or a compulsive attempt at peacemaking done with no processing of emotion and no coming to terms with the injury. Such forgiveness, she said, is "premature, superficial, and undeserved."

Someone once said that forgiveness is letting go of the idea that you could have had a different past. When we forgive, we surrender the burden of hurts and resentment that so easily weigh us down and keep us from living a full and joyful life.

Healthy forgiveness is not the simple, hasty "I'm sorry" that we were taught to say whenever our parents demanded that response. Real forgiveness is hard and contemplative work that we practice one day at a time, one experience at a time. It is a path to healing and serenity that begins and ends with compassion for ourselves and our feelings. Perhaps rather than "forgive and forget," our new adage should become "forgive and live."

--Published May 31, 2004




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Native American Traditions Blend With AA Principles

Basil Brave Heart's journey of healing began 31 years ago when a Lakota medicine man took him to a sweat lodge, made a circle in the dirt with a stick, then planted the stick in the center of the circle. "He told me, 'This is you in the center, and alcohol walks around you on the outside like the trickster coyote. You chase it up a hill, but it circles around and fools you. Don't let it sneak up on you. Turn around and embrace it so it can become one of your most powerful teachers.'"

Brave Heart says that alcohol has become a prolific teacher whom he can trust to remind him each morning that he must stay sober. Today he is a Lakota Elder and spiritual leader who holds a master's degree in psychology. Using an approach that incorporates western psychology, Twelve Step philosophy, and Native American ritual and ceremony, Brave Heart also works with alcoholics, drug addicts, and persons dealing with post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

"When I meet a person who is 'way down on the chart,' I first of all tell him my story. I remember in the late '30s watching my father and his friends get drunk. They were the first generation on the reservation, and I think they confused alcohol as a gift from the creator because it seemed like it changed the world. They even called it minniwakan--the Lakota word for "sacred water"--and they'd open a bottle and spill some of it on the ground like an offering. But alcohol doesn't change the world, it only changes the drinker. I think of alcohol as chemical warfare that was used to decimate and weaken us."

Brave Heart was raised on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation and, like many other American Indians, was placed in a boarding school where Indian traditions, beliefs, and values were discouraged. He started drinking as a sophomore because he wanted to "fit in." His drinking accelerated in the military service, where the events he witnessed as a combat soldier in Korea led to PTSD.

After Korea, Brave Heart returned to South Dakota to get a teaching degree, but his drinking got so bad that he lost jobs, got arrested for drunk driving, and contemplated suicide. It was then he met with the medicine man and subsequently entered treatment. "In AA they talk about alcoholism being a powerful, cunning, and baffling disease," he said. "It was another way to say what the medicine man had told me."

This ability to blend the tenets of AA with his ancestral teachings gives Brave Heart a way to communicate with young and old, regardless of their experiences. "I carry the message, show by example and story telling, and listen to the stories of others."

While Brave Heart may not use AA terms like "enabling" or "tough love" with a Lakota grandmother, he'll talk about "waouchila," the Lakota word for compassion, and explain how sometimes the most compassionate thing you can do for a loved one is to let go and trust that a higher power (or the Great Spirit, or Grandfather) will help them surrender to the mystery of healing.

Brave Heart often serves as a spiritual guide (which he likens to being an AA sponsor) for individuals who desire to become clean and sober. "If they want me to guide them, I ask them to prepare for a vision quest by being free from alcohol for one year." A vision quest is a spiritual "time out" where a person goes alone to an isolated place for a number of days to communicate with the creator and rediscover one's authentic self, explained Brave Heart. This agreement is sealed in a sweat lodge, where the person makes a commitment to certain members of the community. Water, earth, air and fire are used to engage all the senses and remind everyone present that they are connected to everything around them, as well as to each other. The sweat lodge symbolizes the womb. "It is a moist, safe, dark, and trusting place where people can bare their souls with confidence, just like at an AA meeting," said Brave Heart.

"I recommend that people do these rituals and ceremonies and also attend AA," said Brave Heart. "Alcohol takes over the whole person. Spirituality is one thing, but you also need others who have been sober for a while to help you understand about the numbing of feelings and relationships."

Ceremony helps you live within yourself; AA helps you live in the world, he explained.

--Published August 23, 2004




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Breaking Through Denial

[Original Title "Breaking through denial is alcoholic's first step in recovery"]
===========================
===========================

Looking in the mirror and accepting what we see can be one of the hardest things we ever do. It's especially hard when the image staring us in the face is painful or doesn't fit with how we want to see ourselves. Sometimes, the truth is so painful that we avoid it at any cost.

Refusing to accept a painful reality that alters the perception of ourselves is a psychological defense called denial. As human beings, we may use denial to protect ourselves from knowledge, insight or awareness that threatens our self-esteem, mental or physical health, or security.

The term "denial" is often used in the chemical dependency field to describe people who deny substance abuse problems. "Denial is the tendency of alcoholics or addicts to either disavow or distort variables associated with their drinking or drug use in spite of evidence to the contrary," said Patricia Owen, PhD, a licensed psychologist for Hazelden in Center City, Minn.

It's a common misconception that all alcoholics and addicts are in denial. In fact, people have various levels of awareness of their chemical use problems and readiness to change behavior. "People may recognize certain facts concerning their use, such as number of arrests or how often they drink," Owen said. "At the same time, they may woefully misperceive the impact their use has had on the people around them, their relationships, how they feel about themselves, or the implications of their drinking history."

Some common statements made by alcoholics who deny their disease include: "I could quit anytime I wanted to." "I'd quit using if people would quit ragging on me." "If you were in my situation, you'd drink, too." Typically, the more severe the addiction, the stronger the denial. This is often baffling and frustrating to family members and others who care about the addicted person.

"If a person doesn't recognize that his or her behavior is creating problems, then he or she wouldn't see the need to change or seek assistance," said Barbara McCrady, PhD, professor of psychololgy and clinical director of the Center for Alcohol Studies at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. "They are also likely to react negatively to people who believe they have a problem."

Also feeding denial is the stigma and shame associated with alcoholism. Unfortunately, much of society still perceives alcoholism as a moral failure.

There are many barriers to overcoming denial. In some cases, the alcoholics behavior may be similar to his or her peers -- it's hard for them to understand that anything is wrong. Other people don't think they can be successful in making changes in their lives, so they refuse to recognize there is a problem.

Chemically dependent people don't have a monopoly on denial. The defense is also employed by many people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and AIDS. People with these diseases may use denial to avoid accepting their mortality, giving up fantasies of control or invincibility, or dramatically changing lifestyles.

An article in the Dec. 14, 1994 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association" notes that "denial may constitute a barrier to the patient's sharing of essential information; it may also interfere with the patient's ability to hear and accept medical advice." Examples of denial include not reporting chest pain or other potentially life-threatening symptoms and denying the impact of chronic or disfiguring illnesses.

It is a myth that harshly confronting a person with the consequences of his or her behavior helps people break through denial. "In most cases, it builds up the defense even more," Owen said. "People fear coming into treatment because of the shame and stigma associated with alcoholism; they fear rejection and confrontation and facing up to their guilt and low self-esteem. A more effective way is to help people learn more about their disease and get support from others who also have the disease."

Family members can help by allowing the chemically dependent loved one to experience the consequences of his or her drinking or drug use. "If someone passes out in the yard -- unless it's a life-threatening situation -- they should be left there," McCrady said. "The person will begin to recognize that there are consequences for his or her actions. If family members give feedback, it should be when the person is sober or straight and it should be expressed in a caring rather than confrontational manner."

--Published February 2, 1998




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Good Reasons Why Young People Should Avoid Alcohol

Adolescence can be a volatile time of life. Young people's physical and emotional states are in flux. They live in a society that places demands on them to "grow up fast."

Add alcohol to this mix and you have the potential for lifelong and life-threatening consequences.

Young people are especially vulnerable to the effects of drinking. They may think that because they're in good health now, drinking won't hurt. But it can have devastating consequences-today and later in life.

You can't ignore the facts. According to the Ninth Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health, substance abuse may impair adolescents ability to make judgments about sex and contraception, placing them at increased risk for unplanned pregnancy, sexual assault, or becoming infected with a sexually transmitted disease, including HIV/AIDS.

According to a study released in December 1999 by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, teens 14 and younger who use alcohol are twice as likely to have sex than those who don't, and teens 15 and older who drink are seven times likelier to have sexual intercourse and twice as likely to have it with four or more partners than non-drinking teens. What's more, numerous studies have shown that adolescents are more likely to engage in unprotected sex when they drink alcohol than when they do not.

Every year about 3 million teens are infected with a sexually transmitted disease. Among sexually active teens, those who average five or more drinks daily are nearly three times less likely to use condoms, thus placing them at greater risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that fewer than 1 percent of AIDS cases occur in adolescents, whereas persons in their 20s account for 20 percent of all cases. Because of the incubation period between exposure to HIV and the onset of AIDS symptoms (as long as 10 years), the high rate of AIDS among people in their 20s may be a consequence of infection during the teen years.

There are other disturbing numbers. One national study of teenagers found that about half had been drinking and/or using drugs before the act of intercourse that resulted in unintended pregnancy. Each year about one million teenaged girls in this country become pregnant, and 80 percent of those pregnancies are unintended. Alcohol use during pregnancy may result in fetal alcohol syndrome or effect.

Alcohol use is implicated in more incidents of sexual violence than any single drug, according to the CASA study. Alcohol use-by the victim, the perpetrator or both-is implicated in 46 to 75 percent of date rape cases among teens and college students.

The use of alcohol and other drugs is associated with the leading causes of death and injury (such as motor-vehicle crashes, homicides and suicides) among teenagers and young adults. A 16-year-old is still more likely to die from an alcohol-related problem than any other cause.

In addition to the immediate dangers posed by young drinkers, underage alcohol use is a strong predictor of future alcohol abuse. A recent study found that people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at 21.

April has been designated as Alcohol Awareness Month by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. The theme of this month is preventing underaged drinking, and April 7-9 is Alcohol-Free Weekend. It is a good time for schools and communities to plan programs that encourage young people to avoid alcohol and offer healthy alternatives to drinking. This comes at a good time, since many schools are now busily planning proms, graduation parties and other events.

It's clear that delaying alcohol use is beneficial to the health and development of young people. Increasing awareness of the potential consequences of alcohol use is one piece to helping young people make informed, healthy choices in their lives. Parents can greatly influence those choices by practicing responsible alcohol-use behavior and establishing--and enforcing-clear no-use rules about alcohol.

--Published March 27, 2000




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Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Parents: Do Not Provide Alcohol To Underage Youth

Spring is a time of great celebration for young people -- spring break, proms and graduations. It's a time when parents are challenged to host the ultimate party for their child. It's a time when many young people expect to use and abuse alcohol at parties.

This expectation puts great pressure on parents to provide alcohol or permit access to it. But the consequences of allowing kids to drink could be disastrous.

A parent provided alcohol for his son and high school friends at a New Year's Eve party. After leaving the party, one intoxicated partygoer was killed and another seriously hurt after their car struck a tree. The parent hosting the party was fined $3,000 for providing alcohol to minors and is facing a wrongful death civil suit. He will regret hosting that party for the rest of his life.

In addition to great risk of injury, the consequences to young people for underage drinking can be severe. To name a few, they include suspension from school and extracurricular activities, revoking one's driver's license, and greatly increased auto insurance rates.

Parents who host parties need to be aware of their responsibilities and the potential problems of providing alcohol to minors. Two myths seem to feed tolerant parental attitudes about alcohol use.

First, some adults, especially the baby boomer parents, don't think of alcohol as a drug. They view it as "better than" using other drugs, said Doug Johnson, the Washington County attorney in Minnesota and former chief of the Juvenile Division for 12 years. "For each kid we send to treatment for drug abuse, we send 100 kids for alcohol abuse. The attitude of parents is, 'I have to keep my kid off drugs, so let them drink.'" Alcohol is an addictive, mood-altering chemical that is potentially more dangerous than any other drug.

The second myth is that drinking by underage kids is safer when done at home. "We need to debunk the logic that parents are protecting their kids by allowing them to drink or providing alcohol in the home," said Kay Provine, prevention specialist at Hazelden. "Parents tell themselves the kids are going to drink anyway, so let's try to control it." But controlling the amount of alcohol and the behaviors of drinkers is virtually impossible. Kids drink to become intoxicated. When this happens young people get out of control -- they become more violent, sexually active, belligerent. They do things that can destroy lives.

The reasons to not provide alcohol are many. First, alcohol consumption for any youth under the age of 21 is illegal in the United States. The only exception to this in Minnesota, for instance, is that a youth may consume alcohol in the home with a parents permission. Laws vary by state, but in Minnesota, providing alcohol to minors is a gross misdemeanor punishable by a $3,000 fine and/or up to one year in prison. A civil suit for damages may result in "parents losing everything they own," added Provine.

In addition, research shows that the earlier young people start drinking, the more likely they are to become clinically diagnosed as alcoholic.

Parents are poor role models if they reinforce the idea that alcohol and other drug use is a necessary and accepted way to entertain at parties. Kids need to know how to have fun without alcohol. Parents need to talk with their children about alcohol before hosting a party. They can be responsible hosts by setting a no-alcohol rule. Provine suggested that parents greet kids at the door, make certain that no uninvited guests are allowed in, check in on the party frequently, and not allow guests to come and go. Parents should never leave the party unattended.

The situation that most frequently results in problems is when parties are held while parents are away for the weekend, said Johnson. The word travels fast about such parties, and before you know it the party is out of control, with hundreds of uninvited guests.

Rules and expectations need to be clearly spelled out with young people before drinking opportunities present themselves. Young people need to be prepared to say no to alcohol in advance of drinking opportunities. Parents need to help them choose parties where there will be no alcohol. Parents need to deliver a clear message: Alcohol and other drug use of any kind is not acceptable.

--Published Feb. 28, 2000




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~

Changing The Culture of Drinking on College Campuses

At its Web site, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) says the tradition of drinking on college campuses has developed into a culture entrenched in every level of college students' environments. "Customs handed down through generations of college drinkers reinforce students' expectations that alcohol is a necessary ingredient for social success," NIAAA states.
The NIAAA says that these beliefs and the expectations that come with them greatly influence how students view and use alcohol. Keg parties, drunken scenes at sporting events, and weekend get-togethers at bars have become the norm at many colleges. Too often, otherwise sensible young people engage in dangerous drinking activities because of peer pressure that permeates their school environment.

But a custom or tradition is not a predisposition. High school students don't graduate hard-wired to binge drink, so the key is to challenge those longstanding expectations and change the culture of drinking on college campuses. To help do this, the NIAAA established the Task Force on College Drinking, a blue-ribbon panel of college presidents, scientists and students who conducted a comprehensive review of research on college drinking and the effectiveness of methods to prevent it.

Among other things, the Task Force concluded that a change in drinking culture requires intervention at three levels: the individual-student, the entire student body, and the community. Because no two schools are alike, programs must be tailored to address each school's specific alcohol-related problems. The Task Force is confident that this approach can provide schools with techniques that will enable them to realistically assess alcohol-related problems, develop well-documented programs to prevent and reduce the problems, and define measurable outcomes to reflect success or make adjustments.

Data from several national surveys indicate that about four in five college students drink and that about two of every five college students in the past two weeks engaged in binge drinking (defined as consuming five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more in a row for women). As NIAAA points out, at least 1,400 college student deaths a year are linked to alcohol. High-risk drinking also results in serious injuries, assaults, and other health and academic problems. It is a major factor in damage to institutional property. All students (whether they drink or not) and the community feel the ripple effects of campus alcohol problems.

The Task Force acknowledges that changing a culture is no easy matter, and it expresses great empathy for college administrators who seek to implement prevention programs. While interest around prevention efforts is keen and immediate if a student dies as a result of excessive drinking, the drive to make deep changes or explore root causes often wanes after a crisis recedes. It takes time and energy to implement an effective, research-based prevention program, and it is essential that administrators obtain external support from the community, alcohol beverage and hospitality industries, foundations, and other organizations.

One organization that has enjoyed success in the area of alcohol awareness and prevention is the BACCHUS Network, which began in 1975 as a student leadership group at the University of Florida. BACCHUS, which is an acronym for "Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students," focuses on providing peer education. More than 32,000 student leaders and advisors work with over 8 million peers on more than 900 campuses to promote healthy and safe lifestyle decisions about alcohol abuse, tobacco use, illegal drug use, unhealthy sexual practices, and other high-risk behaviors. Through the years, BACCHUS has developed a host of prevention materials, and it offers trainings, hosts conferences, and provides speakers on a variety of topics.

One basic prevention strategy promoted by BACCHUS is the positive social norms approach. By conducting research and surveys about students' attitudes and behaviors, colleges can determine the "true norms" on their campus, such as "most students don't binge when they drink." The next step is to communicate the true norm to students, with the hope that awareness of those norms will change perceptions about alcohol use and encourage students to rethink their decisions about abusing alcohol.

As the NIAAA Task Force emphasizes, the culture of college drinking is counter to the culture of learning. Although there are no easy answers to high-risk college drinking, the Task Force states that: "More educators are acknowledging the existence of a problem. Researchers are discovering new approaches for responding, and communities are becoming aware of their vital role in prevention. Through committed collaborative efforts grounded in research and supported by institutional leadership, the Task Force is convinced that the culture of drinking at U.S. colleges and universities can be changed."

To view the entire Task Force report and recommended strategies for change about college drinking, go to www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov. For information on the BACCHUS Network, visit www.bacchusgamma.org.

--Published April 30, 2007




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
=============================================
"Copyright © 2003 Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved."
=============================================
You can access more Articles like this at Hazelden.org

Thank you, Hazelden and Alive&Free for allowing me to use your articles.

T Lewis~~