Understanding Alcoholism & Addiction

The former drug addict who found God and built a successful business - BBC News How Ryan Longmuir was able to quit drugs overnight and establish and grow his catering business Regis Banqueting.

THE SERENITY PRAYER

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

The Serenity Prayer has comforted millions of people who strive to cope with change, disappointments, chemical dependency, and all sorts of other problems. This prayer can comfort us as we deal with the realities of chronic illness.

When we’re overcome with pain or disappointed about slow or little progress, this prayer can help us put our lives into focus. It helps us see if we’re wasting time and energy on things we can’t change, such as the chronic conditions we live with, how others feel, and the past. And just as important, this prayer points us toward the things that we can control — our attitude, our willingness to change, and the outcome of this day.

I pray for the wisdom to recognize the difference between things I can and cannot change.

Beautiful people do not just happen

MESSAGE TO A RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC AFTER A SLIP

Picking up alcohol or drugs again is always a bad choice for those in recovery. The extent of the damage caused by this will usually be determined by the speed by which you can quit again. If you find out that you cannot quit immediately ,you better check yourself to a treatment centre. Being outside and drinking is just too dangerous for you. I am not - exaggerating this but all of us should always remember that In some cases those who return to their abuse will never manage to stop again – this means that their return to addiction is a death sentence. Having said that ,it is vital that those who relapse or slip understand that they can still build a successful life in recovery. The sooner they can stop again the better it will be for them.

Even a brief return to substance abuse is a big mistake for people trying to recover from addiction. A slip is a setback, but it doesn’t have to progress into a fully blown relapse. It is understandable that people will feel guilty and a bit ashamed of their slip, but feeling this way can also be highly dangerous – it also benefits nobody. They may convince themselves that all is lost and so the only option is to resume their addiction like before. This type of thinking is not only highly destructive, but it is also completely wrong. A slip can be the turning point in your recovery because it indicates that clearly you have been doing something wrong. If you can therefore learn from the incident it may mean that your recovery will be stronger than ever before. Keep coming back and all the best.

SELF DIAGNOSIS

Drinking cuts you off from God. No matter how you were brought up, no matter what your religion is, no matter if you say you believe in God, nevertheless you build up a wall between you and God by your drinking. You know you're not living the way God wants you to. As a result, you have that terrible remorse. In recovery you begin to get right with other people and with God. A sober life is a happy life, because by giving up drinking, you get rid of your loneliness and remorse. And you begin to have real fellowship with other people and with God.

Alcohol is Never the Answer unless the question is "What is C2H5OH?"

https://www.waldenu.edu/about/newsroom/blog/2016/strengthening-families-facing-addiction?cid=wal-0001011&utm_campaign=Walden+-+Spotlight+on+Walden&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=spotlight+on+walden%2Cscholar+of+change%2Cbsn%2CNursing

Strengthening Families Facing Addiction | WaldenU Blog Scholar of Change Jackie Kundert shares how she faced her son’s addiction head on—and positively impacted her community

"BLESSED" The definitive autobiography of soccer's first pop-star footballer.
George Best was blessed with an extraordinary gift; he brought beauty and grace to soccer never before seen. But he was unable to cope with the success and fame his genius brought and his life story is littered with tales of women, s*x and, of course, drink. George Best here tells his own dramatic and inspiring story.
Of most importance is how he details his struggle with alcoholism, he proves the fact that alcoholism is a real disease which does not affect only the lowly in society. A chronic disease which if not dealt with appropriately and in time leads to death as it happened in his case.
For someone suffering from alcoholism, this might be just the impetus and inspiration you need to begin your journey of recovery.

DRY DRUNK | AN IN DEPTH EXPLANATION OF THE DRY DRUNK IN RECOVERY
Being active in addiction ingrains many negative trains of thought, attitudes, feelings and actions. Simply removing alcohol or drugs without changing these underlying factors is likely to produce ‘dry drunk syndrome’.

Dry drunk is a slang expression infamously known in the sober community. It describes a person who no longer drinks or abuses drugs, but continues to behave in dysfunctional ways.

The syndrome is best described as someone who fits one of two conditions:

1. A person with chemical dependency issues who has given up alcohol and drugs, but made no internal emotional or behavioral changes. Essentially, the only difference in these individuals is the absence of a substance. The popular analogy in recovery is, “…if you sober up a horse thief, what do you get? A sober horse thief.”

2. A person with chemical dependency issues who is currently abstinent yet regressing in recovery. This may include little/no 12 step meeting attendance, minimal/no active sponsor relationship and little/no involvement in 12 step fellowships. Sober alcoholics and drug addicts in this category will likely begin exhibiting negative thinking, isolation behavior and a general uneasiness/restlessness with life.

It is important to recognize regression to old ways of thinking and acting, or lack of progression on the road to recovery. Another catchphrase used in the sober community is “untreated alcoholism.” Both terms refer to the same symptoms, and these dangerous conditions traditionally mark the initial stages of relapse.

The big book of Alcoholics Anonymous describes dry drunk syndrome and untreated alcoholism with the phrase “restless, irritable, and discontented”. Basically, if you happen to be a sober alcoholic or addict, and find yourself consistently dissatisfied with life, you may be in the thick of untreated alcoholism/addiction.

Dry Drunk Syndrome When an alcoholic manages to break their addiction, there can be a lot of initial optimism about the future. For years, life may have been a bit unbearable for the addict and their love ones, due to alcohol abuse. Now that the drinking has stopped it is reasonable to expect that things will improve.…

http://www.spiritualriver.net/alcoholism/steps-feel-great-alcoholism-recovery/

Steps to Feel Great in Alcoholism Recovery - Spiritual River What are the required steps for an alcoholic or a recovering drug addict to start feeling better in recovery? I’m not just talking about physically here….I am talking about the total package. I’m talking about feeling good emotionally, spiritually, physically, …

In God's economy, nothing is wasted. Through failure, we learn a lesson in humility which is probably needed, painful though it is.
Be thankful today, for all your past failures were necessary for you to be where you are now. Through much pain comes experience and, in suffering, you become obedient. When you seek God, He shares His treasured gifts. Through experience and obedience, growth starts, followed by gratitude. Yes, then comes peace of mind.

CARRYING THE MESSAGE, NOT THE ADDICT!!!

Alcohol is poison to the alcoholic. Poison is not too strong a word, because alcoholism leads eventually to the death of the alcoholic. It may be a quick death or a slow death. When we go by package stores and see various kinds of liquor all dressed up in fancy packages to make it look attractive, we should always make it a point to say to ourselves so we'll never forget it: "That stuff's all poison to me." And it is.

Drinking cuts you off from God. No matter how you were brought up, no matter what your religion is, no matter if you say you believe in God, nevertheless you build up a wall between you and God by your drinking. You know you're not living the way God wants you to. As a result, you have that terrible remorse. In recovery you begin to get right with other people and with God. A sober life is a happy life, because by giving up drinking, you get rid of your loneliness and remorse. And you begin to have real fellowship with other people and with God.

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2014/04/7-ways-my-life-improved-after-i-quit-drinking-joseph-choi/

7 Ways My Life Improved After I Quit Drinking. ~ Joseph Choi I don’t know what it was about that day almost a year ago that made everything click. I’ve certainly had worse incidents where I put myself, and others, in

DRUG ABUSE, ADDITION AND THE BRAIN

Many people do not understand why people become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior.

What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction -- that it is a disease that impacts the brain, and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume productive lives.

What Is Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs.

It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is addicted to stop abusing drugs. Fortunately, there are treatments that help people to counteract addiction's powerful disruptive effects and regain control. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications, if available, with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patient's drug abuse patterns and any concurrent medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drugs.

As with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed effectively.Yet, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse does not signal failure; rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated or adjusted, or that alternate treatment is needed to help the person regain control and recover.

What Happens to Your Brain When You Take Drugs?

Drugs are chemicals that tap into the brain's communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. There are at least two ways that drugs are able to do this: by imitating the brain's natural chemical messengers, and/or overstimulating the "reward circuit" of the brain.

Some drugs, such as ma*****na and he**in, have a similar structure to chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, which are naturally produced by the brain. Because of this similarity, these drugs are able to "fool" the brain's receptors and activate nerve cells to send abnormal messages.

Other drugs, such as co***ne or methamphetamine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters, or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals, which is needed to shut off the signal between neurons. This disruption produces a greatly amplified message that ultimately disrupts normal communication patterns.

Nearly all drugs, directly or indirectly, target the brain's reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that control movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this system, which normally responds to natural behaviors that are linked to survival (eating, spending time with loved ones, etc), produces euphoric effects in response to the drugs. This reaction sets in motion a pattern that "teaches" people to repeat the behavior of abusing drugs.

As a person continues to abuse drugs, the brain adapts to the dopamine surges by producing less dopamine or reducing dopamine receptors. The user must therefore keep abusing drugs to bring his or her dopamine function back to ''normal'' or use more drugs to achieve a dopamine high.

Long-term drug abuse causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits, as well. Brain imaging studies of drug-addicted individuals show changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision-making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Together, these changes can drive an abuser to seek out and take drugs compulsively -- in other words, to become addicted to drugs.

Why Do Some People Become Addicted While Others Do Not?

No single factor can predict whether or not a person will become addicted to drugs. Risk for addiction is influenced by a person's biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example:

🔹Biology. The genes that people are born with -- in combination with environmental influences -- account for about half of their addiction vulnerability. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction.

🔹Environment. A person's environment includes many different influences -- from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life, in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and s*xual abuse, stress, and parental involvement can greatly influence the course of drug abuse and addiction in a person's life.

🔹Development. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person's life to affect addiction vulnerability, and adolescents experience a double challenge. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it is to progress to more serious abuse. And because adolescents' brains are still developing in the areas that govern decision making, judgment, and self-control, they are especially prone to risk-taking behaviors, including trying drugs of abuse.

Prevention Is Key

Drug addiction is a preventable disease. Research has shown that prevention programs that involve the family, schools, communities, and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. Although many events and cultural factors affect drug abuse trends, when youths perceive drug abuse as harmful, they reduce their drug taking. It is necessary, therefore, to help youth and the general public to understand the risks of drug abuse and for teachers, parents, and health care professionals to keep sending the message that drug addiction can be prevented if a person never abuses drugs.

CODEPENDENCY

Codependent relationships are a type of dysfunctional helping relationship where one person supports or enables another person's addiction, poor mental health, immaturity, irresponsibility, or under-achievement. Among the core characteristics of codependency, the most common theme is an excessive reliance on other people for approval and identity.
Co-dependency is a learned behavior that can be passed down from one generation to another. It is an emotional and behavioral condition that affects an individual’s ability to have a healthy, mutually satisfying relationship. It is also known as “relationship addiction” because people with codependency often form or maintain relationships that are one-sided, emotionally destructive and/or abusive. The disorder was first identified about ten years ago as the result of years of studying interpersonal relationships in families of alcoholics. Co-dependent behavior is learned by watching and imitating other family members who display this type of behavior.

Characteristics of Co-dependent People Are:

An exaggerated sense of responsibility for the actions of others
A tendency to confuse love and pity, with the tendency to “love” people they can pity and rescue
A tendency to do more than their share, all of the time
A tendency to become hurt when people don’t recognize their efforts
An unhealthy dependence on relationships. The co-dependent will do anything to hold on to a relationship; to avoid the feeling of abandonment
An extreme need for approval and recognition
A sense of guilt when asserting themselves
A compelling need to control others
Lack of trust in self and/or others
Fear of being abandoned or alone
Difficulty identifying feelings
Rigidity/difficulty adjusting to change
Problems with intimacy/boundaries
Chronic anger
Lying/dishonesty
Poor communications
Difficulty making decisions

Alcoholics are people whose drinking got them into a "blind alley." They haven't been able to learn anything from their drinking experiences. They are always making the same mistakes and suffering the same consequences over and over again. They refuse to admit they're alcoholic. They still think they can handle the stuff. They won't swallow their pride and admit that they're different from ordinary drinkers. They won't face the fact that they must spend the rest of their lives without liquor. They can't visualize life without ever taking a drink. Do you want to get out of this blind alley? Contact us, recovery is possible.

ADDICTION AS SPIRITUAL DISEASE AND ITS CURE
(From my own personal experience)

The Role of Spirituality in Addiction Recovery:

Does addiction require spiritual healing? We believe so. We review the basic principles underlying a spiritual life, and the cure for addiction here.

FINE SPIRITS LEAD TO DESPERATION
Spirituality fascinates me. I guess thats because of all the years spent living in the darkness of my own addiction. For more than fifteen years, the only spirit I ever felt came out of a bottle with the words fine spirits printed on the label. I emptied thousands of bottles looking for the spirit inside, but never was able to find it. All I ever got out of any bottle the next morning were feelings of sorrow, emptiness and pain. Ironically, those were the same feelings that caused me to drink in the first place. I wasnt alone in my little black hole, though. Countless addicts before me have felt the same way, and there are millions more feeling the same silent desperation today. There is a way to climb out of the darkness, though, using a spiritual approach.

What is spirituality?

So what, exactly, is spirituality?

Simply stated, spirit and soul are said to be separate entities, yet connected. The soul is the essence of our inner being it is the place inside us where inner peace and happiness are meant to reside. Spirit is the flow of energy that connects our soul with a universal energy. Some call this energy God, while others think of it as universal knowledge, higher self, or even an invisible, yet very real form of energy called love. Spirit is the high voltage power line that carries light (and love) to the soul. So how do substances affect this soul-spirit conduction?

1. Drugs and alcohol block the pain
On the one hand, addicts also use alcohol and drugs to block painful memories that have harmed our souls in the past. Its a way to hide from the pain of emotional, physical, or other types of trauma we carry within us. Its a band-aid approach, of course a quick fix to escape reality, rather than face it.

2. Drugs and alcohol block the spirit
On the other hand, substances deaden our ability to connect to spirit at all. Many people, alcoholics and teetotalers alike, are often only vaguely aware that spirit exists, if at all. As a practicing alcoholic, I was completely in the dark. Thats because alcohol and drugs deaden ones perceptions and block the ability to feel normal emotions like joy, peace and a connection with others. Emotions are a form of energy. If spirit connects us to the Great White Light in the Sky, then someone must have turned the light switch off inside me. Someone did, and it was my old pal, alcohol.

A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION RESTORES INNER PEACE
Its only when the pain of addiction becomes greater than the pain weve been trying to escape that were forced to do something about it or not, as the case might be. Some choose to continue on a downward spiral until theres nothing left to save, including their own life. Others do choose to save themselves on a physical and mental level, but stop at that point. While that approach does help us learn to control the urge to drink or get high, it doesnt address the underlying issues that drive addiction. More effort is required to restore the inner peace, joy of living, and serenity that result through a spiritual connection.
This is where spirituality separates the men from the boys or recovering addict vs. cured addict, in this case. A spiritual connection is a leap of faith. Youre simply putting your trust in the belief that a power greater than your own can, and will, help you to overcome addiction. Its a very simple thing to do, but sincerity counts, and you have to mean every word of it.
But you also have to be willing to face yourself in the mirror, which is not easy. It requires courage. Fear is the biggest reason many of us are hesitant to make the leap. Were afraid to face the pain, shame, guilt and other weaknesses within ourselves and were afraid to bare our deepest secrets to an invisible power greater than our own. We fear we might be judged for it, rather than forgiven. For the first time, we must admit we can no longer handle our problems. And we must become willing to hand them over to something we cant see. Its not a pleasant experience for anyone.
However, as anyone who has had a spiritual awakening can tell you, fear is the first thing to disappear. Fear, guilt, pain and other issues that drive addiction can be erased in an instant and replaced with a sense of calmness and faith that never leaves your side again. Once the negative emotions that fuel our addiction have gone, the addiction is also gone permanently. Our spiritual disease disappears along with it. We are no longer fragile, recovering addicts, always just one drink or one puff away from relapse, ruination and death.
We become former addicts, cured of addiction no longer recovering, but recovered.