Taking Medication and Staying Clean To just about any addict, the phrase, “Take as prescribed” is considered as a suggestion. Instead of one every four hours, they take 4, every hour. To recovering addicts, this is a joke. To others that think they don’t have a problem, this may be a warning sign. Talk to … Continued
If you’re a recovered alcoholic or substance abuser, you know that escaping your addiction through rehab and recovery gave you a second chance at life. It’s a cause for celebration, after struggling through addiction and completing a rehab program successfully. You deserve to be acknowledged for your success! However, it’s also important to remember that … Continued
“Keep Coming Back” We have a saying in meetings, “Keep coming back.” This expression means a lot of different things to different people. To the newcomer it means, keep coming back to meetings. To some it’s a derogatory comment, meaning you’re in need of more meetings. To others it means you’re always welcome to the … Continued
How do you know when you’ve hit it? We’ve all heard of the term “hitting rock bottom”…but where exactly is it? Is it the same rock bottom that others hit? For many, “rock bottom” is a point an addict reaches when they are finally willing to seek help. Things are now so bad for them … Continued
The impact of addiction is felt well beyond the person struggling with the disease. Family, friends, co-workers, and even neighbors can be impacted by the many problems addiction brings. Lies, violence, legal troubles and more bring hardships to those around you — and many times those with loved ones abusing drugs or alcohol suffer a … Continued
Am I running away from, or running towards something? Addicts and alcoholics are natural escape artists. Every drink, every hit we took, was to escape. We wanted to escape the pain, the emotions, the feelings, the husband, the wife, the kids, the job. We lived to use and use to live. Now we’re confronted with … Continued
We Only Have to Change One Thing When we come to recovery for the first time, we’re told we only have to change one thing: Everything! But just like it says in the Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text, How It Works, “This sounds like a big order and we can’t do it all at once, we … Continued
Pushing against an immovable object is an exercise in frustration, and a big waste of time and energy. Yet for many of us, we do just that when we refuse to fully accept ourselves as we are, warts and all. There are just some things that have to be accepted for what they are. For … Continued
People who are trapped in addiction can suffer greatly. Their obsession with alcohol and drugs can lead to the destruction of everything they hold dear. It is usually obvious that their addictive behavior is the source of the misery, but the individual may still be unwilling to change. This is because there is comfort in … Continued