A man takes a drink, the drink takes another, and the drink takes the man. – Proverb

Newcomer asks;

I’ve heard Alcoholics Anonymous members say, “It’s the first drink that gets you drunk,” and Overeaters Anonymous members say, “Don’t take that first compulsive bite.” It seems a little extreme. Don’t Twelve Step programs allow for the possibility of doing things in moderation?

Sponsor replies;

There are numerous stories of addicted people who started with the idea that they’d have “just one” of whatever it was. Hours, days, or weeks later, they were still in the middle of a binge.

Most of us, when we were active in our addictions, promised ourselves repeatedly that we’d be moderate, though we’d already accumulated plenty of evidence that we lacked the desire and the capacity for moderation. Once we started using, no matter how seemingly insignificant the beginning, we were under the control of our addiction. We experienced a craving that no quantity of a drug or repetition of an addictive behavior could satisfy.

There are people who can do in moderation what people filling the seats at meetings couldn’t stop doing, once they started.

But we are not those people.

Today, I’m strengthened by accepting my need to take special measures to protect my health and recovery.

You are reading from the book: If You Want What We Have

Buy now; If You Want What We Have: Sponsorship Meditations

Some methods A.A. members have used for not drinking

About that title…

Even the words “stay sober” -let alone live sober-offended many of us when we first heard such advice. Although we had done a lot of drinking, many of us never felt drunk, and were sure we almost never appeared or sounded drunk. Many of us never staggered, fell, or got thick tongues; many others were never disorderly, never missed a day at work, never had automobile accidents, and certainly were never hospitalized nor jailed for drunkenness.

We knew lots of people who drank more than we did, and people who could not handle their drinks at all. We were not like that. So the suggestion that maybe we should “stay sober” was almost insulting.

Besides, it seemed unnecessarily drastic. How could we live that way? Surely, there was nothing wrong with a cocktail or two at a business lunch or before dinner. Wasn’t everyone entitled to relax with a few drinks, or have a couple of beers before going to bed?

However, after we learned some of the facts about the illness called alcoholism, our opinions shifted. Our eyes have been opened to the fact that apparently millions of people have the disease of alcoholism. Medical science does not explain its “cause,” but medical experts on alcoholism assure us that any drinking at all leads to trouble for the alcoholic, or problem, drinker. Our experience overwhelmingly con-firms this.

So not drinking at all-that is, staying sober-becomes the basis of recovery from alcoholism. And let it be emphasized: Living sober turns out to be not at all grim, boring, and uncomfortable, as we had feared, but rather something we begin to enjoy and find much more exciting than our drinking days. We’ll show you how.

(Introduction; Living Sober, Alcoholics Anonymous 1975)

See also;

• 5 Alcoholism Myths
• Alcoholic, Addictive Behaviors
• Are there Patterns to Denial Behavior?
• What is AA?
• HALT being Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

Living Sober

Rabbi Shais Taub: Judaism and Addiction Recovery.

The entirety of the 12-Steps is a spiritual system for living. It’s not just that “Higher Power” thing most people have seen in movies where someone goes to AA. The whole program is a guide for how to live a life of God-consciousness.

Why is the program of recovery all about improving one’s relationship with God? In a real small nutshell I’ll say it like this. For “normal” people, spiritual fitness is a luxury. For the true addict, however, spirituality is the only effective means to bring about the complete remission of an illness that is progressive, fatal and incurable.

The pioneers of AA — the first of the 12-Step groups — had received a revolutionary insight from psychiatrist Carl Jung. Jung revealed that neither the medical nor the mental health professions could help the alcoholic but posited that relief from alcoholism could be found through spiritual means. “Spiritus contra spiritum” Jung called it, making a play on Latin words that mean “spirituality is [the antidote] against [addiction to] spirits.”

Rabbi Shais Taub: Judaism and Addiction Recovery.

Mutual Support Groups / Self-Help Groups

Mutual support (also called self-help) groups are an important part of recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). Mutual support groups exist both for persons with an SUD and for their families or significant others and are one of the choices an individual has during the recovery process.

Mutual Support Groups

Mutual support groups are nonprofessional groups comprising members who share the same problem and voluntarily support one another in the recovery from that problem.

Although mutual support groups do not provide formal treatment, they are one part of a recovery-oriented systems-of-care approach to substance abuse recovery. By providing social, emotional, and informational support for persons throughout the recovery process, mutual support groups help individuals take responsibility for their alcohol and drug problems and for their sustained health, wellness, and recovery. The most widely available mutual support groups are 12-Step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), but other mutual support groups such as Women for Sobriety (WFS), SMART Recovery® (Self-Management and Recovery Training), and Secular Organizations for Sobriety/Save Our Selves (SOS) are also available.

12-Step Groups

Twelve-Step groups emphasize abstinence and have 12 core developmental “steps” to recovering from dependence. Other elements of 12-Step groups include taking responsibility for recovery, sharing personal narratives, helping others, and recognizing and incorporating into daily life the existence of a higher power.

Participants often maintain a close relationship with a sponsor, an experienced member with long-term abstinence, and lifetime participation is expected.

AA is the oldest and best known 12-Step mutual support group. There are more than 100,000 AA groups worldwide and over 2.5 million members.

The AA model has been adapted for people with dependence on drugs and for their family members. Some groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Chemically Dependent Anonymous, focus on any type of drug use.

Other groups, such as Cocaine Anonymous and Crystal Meth Anonymous, focus on abuse of specific drugs. Groups for persons with co-occurring substance use and mental disorders also exist (e.g., Double Trouble in Recovery; Dual Recovery Anonymous).

Other 12-Step groups—Families Anonymous, Al-Anon/Alateen, Nar-Anon, and Co-Anon—provide support to significant others, families, and friends of persons with SUDs.

Twelve-Step meetings are held in locations such as churches and public buildings. Metropolitan areas usually have specialized groups, based on such member characteristics as gender, length of time in recovery, age, sexual orientation, profession, ethnicity, and language spoken. Attendance and membership are free, although people usually give a small donation when they attend a meeting.

Meetings can be “open” or “closed”?that is, anyone can attend an open meeting, but attendance at closed meetings is limited to people who want to stop drinking or using drugs. Although meeting formats vary somewhat, most 12-Step meetings have an opening and a closing that are the same at every meeting, such as a 12-Step reading or prayer. The main part of the meeting usually consists of

• members sharing their stories of dependence, its effect on their lives, and what they are doing to stay abstinent,
• the study of a particular step or other doctrine of the group, or
• a guest speaker.

Twelve-Step groups are not necessarily for everyone. Some people are uncomfortable with the spiritual emphasis and prefer a more secular approach. Others may not agree with the 12-Step philosophy that addiction is a chronic disease, thinking that this belief can be a self-fulfilling prophesy that weakens the ability to remain abstinent. Still others may prefer gender- specific groups. Mutual support groups that are not based on the 12-Step model typically do not advocate sponsors or lifetime membership. These support groups offer an alternative to traditional 12-Step groups, but the availability of in-person meetings is more limited than that of 12-Step programs. However, many offer literature, discussion boards, and online meetings.

To contact a mutual help / self-help group look in your local phone book or click on a link below.

For People Who Have a Substance Use Disorder

• Alcoholics Anonymous: http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org
• Chemically Dependent Anonymous: http://www.cdaweb.org
• Cocaine Anonymous: http://www.ca.org
• Crystal Meth Anonymous: http://www.crystalmeth.org
• Heroin Anonymous: http://www.heroin-anonymous.org
• LifeRing Secular Recovery: http://www.unhooked.com
• Marijuana Anonymous: http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org
• Methadone Anonymous: http://www.methadone-anonymous.org
• Narcotics Anonymous: http://www.na.org
• Secular Organizations for Sobriety/Save Our Selves: http://www.sossobriety.Org
• SMART Recovery: http://www.smartrecovery.org
• Women for Sobriety: http://www.womenforsobriety.org

For People With Co-Occurring Disorders

• Double Trouble in Recovery: http://www.doubletroubleinrecovery.org
• Dual Recovery Anonymous: http://www.dualrecovery.org

For Families, Friends, and Significant Others

• Al-Anon/Alateen: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org
• Co-Anon: http://www.co-anon.org
• Families Anonymous: http://www.familiesanonymous.org
• Nar-Anon: http://nar-anon.org

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Factors that Foster and Hinder the Process of Recovery for Alcoholic Women.

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, potentially fatal disease that crosses gender, race, ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic strata.

Much of what is known about the disease of alcoholism has been uncovered studying male alcoholics.

A phenomenological study was undertaken to identify those contextual factors that fostered and hindered the process of recovery for alcohol dependent women.

Criteria for participation in the study were: women self-identifying as recovering from alcoholism, aged 25 years and older, able to converse and write in English, and abstinent from alcohol use for a minimum of two years. Eleven women (6 Caucasian, 4 African-American, one Native American; 8 heterosexual and 3 lesbians) in recovery for alcohol dependency were recruited by networking and snowball sampling. The women ranged in age from 32 to 76 years of age and had been in recovery from 2 to 37 years. Data were collected through individual audio tape recorded interviews that lasted 45 minutes. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method for content analysis.

The data revealed the factors that fostered recovery from alcoholism were:

• working a program of recovery,
• developing a support system,
• making amends for past behaviors,
• recognizing recovery as a life-long process, and
• helping other alcohol dependent women struggling in recovery.

These were all incorporated in the Alcoholics Anonymous program and fellowship.

The identified factors that hindered the process of recovery were:

• everyday stress,
• feeling stigmatized for being alcoholic, and
• dealing with painful childhood memories.

Research report; M. Kathleen Brewer. The Contextual Factors that Foster and Hinder the Process of Recovery for Alcohol Dependent Women. Journal of Addictions Nursing, Volume

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• Brief Intervention (twelvestepfacilitation.com)

SAMHSA announces a working definition of “recovery” from mental disorders and substance use disorders

A new working definition of recovery from mental disorders and substance use disorders is being announced by the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The definition is the product of a year-long effort by SAMHSA and a wide range of partners in the behavioral health care community and other fields to develop a working definition of recovery that captures the essential, common experiences of those recovering from mental disorders and substance use disorders, along with major guiding principles that support the recovery definition. SAMHSA led this effort as part of its Recovery Support Strategic Initiative.

The new working definition of Recovery from Mental Disorders and Substance Use Disorders is as follows:

A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.

“Over the years it has become increasingly apparent that a practical, comprehensive working definition of recovery would enable policy makers, providers, and others to better design, deliver, and measure integrated and holistic services to those in need,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “By working with all elements of the behavioral health community and others to develop this definition, I believe SAMHSA has achieved a significant milestone in promoting greater public awareness and appreciation for the importance of recovery, and widespread support for the services that can make it a reality for millions of Americans.”

A major step in addressing this need occurred in August2010 when SAMHSA convened a meeting of behavioral health leaders, consisting of mental health consumers and individuals in addiction recovery. Together these members of the behavioral health care community developed a draft definition and principles of recovery to reflect common elements of the recovery experience for those with mental disorders and/or substance use disorders.

In the months that have followed, SAMHSA worked with the behavioral health care community and other interested parties in reviewing drafts of the working recovery definition and principles with stakeholders at meetings, conferences and other venues. In August 2011, SAMHSA posted the working definition and principles that resulted from this process on the SAMHSA blog and invited comments from the public via SAMHSA Feedback Forums.  The blog post received 259 comments, and the forums had over 1000 participants, nearly 500 ideas, and over 1,200 comments on the ideas. Many of the comments received have been incorporated into the current working definition and principles.

Through the Recovery Support Strategic Initiative, SAMHSA has also delineated four major dimensions that support a life in recovery:

Health : overcoming or managing one’s disease(s) as well as living in a physically and emotionally healthy way;

Home: a stable and safe place to live;

Purpose: meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income and resources to participate in society; and

Community : relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

Guiding Principles of Recovery

Recovery emerges from hope: The belief that recovery is real provides the essential and motivating message of a better future – that people can and do overcome the internal and external challenges, barriers, and obstacles that confront them. 

Recovery is person-driven: Self-determination and self-direction are the foundations for recovery as individuals define their own life goals and design their unique path(s). 

Recovery occurs via many pathways: Individuals are unique with distinct needs, strengths, preferences, goals, culture, and backgrounds ? including trauma experiences ? that affect and determine their pathway(s) to recovery. Abstinence is the safest approach for those with substance use disorders.

Recovery is holistic: Recovery encompasses an individual’s whole life, including mind, body, spirit, and community. The array of services and supports available should be integrated and coordinated.

Recovery is supported by peers and allies: Mutual support and mutual aid groups, including the sharing of experiential knowledge and skills, as well as social learning, play an invaluable role in recovery

Recovery is supported through relationship and social networks: An important factor in the recovery process is the presence and involvement of people who believe in the person’s ability to recover; who offer hope, support, and encouragement; and who also suggest strategies and resources for change. 

Recovery is culturally-based and influenced : Culture and cultural background in all of its diverse representations ? including values, traditions, and beliefs ? are keys in determining a person’s journey and unique pathway to recovery. 

Recovery is supported by addressing trauma : Services and supports should be trauma-informed to foster safety (physical and emotional) and trust, as well as promote choice, empowerment, and collaboration. 

Recovery involves individual, family, and community strengths and responsibility: Individuals, families, and communities have strengths and resources that serve as a foundation for recovery. 

Recovery is based on respect : Community, systems, and societal acceptance and appreciation for people affected by mental health and substance use problems – including protecting their rights and eliminating discrimination – are crucial in achieving recovery. 

For further detailed information about the new working recovery definition or the guiding principles of recovery please visit:  http://www.samhsa.gov/recovery/

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

Wow! – I agree with this but would like to see a greater emphasis on Spirituality.

What do you think?

Alcohol Related Brain Impairment (ARBI) is a term used to describe the physical injury to the brain sustained as a result of alcohol consumption. Having ARBI is not the same as having an intellectual disability, nor is it the same as having dementia.

How does Alcohol use Result in Brain Impairment?

• Alcohol has a toxic effect on the central nervous system
• It causes changes to metabolism, heart functioning and blood flow
• It interferes with the body’s use of thiamine (vitamin B1, an important brain food)
• It is often associated with a poor diet
• It can cause dehydration which may lead to cell death
• It can lead to falls that injure the brain.

Cerebellar Atrophy (Brain shrinkage)

Impairment to the part of the brain called the cerebellum causes balance and coordination difficulties which typically affect the lower limbs and results in a wide-based gait (walking with the legs wide apart) called ataxia.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a sensory disturbance affecting the hands, feet and legs. It usually begins in the feet with numbness, pins and needles, burning sensations and pain, and may progress to loss of knee and ankle reflexes and muscle wasting.

Disorders associated with ARBI

The degree of brain impairment resulting from excessive alcohol consumption depends on many factors, including the amount and pattern of consumption, age, sex, nutrition and individual differences. ARBI may be mild, moderate, severe or very severe. ARBI is associated with changes in cognition (memory and thinking abilities), difficulties with balance and coordination and a range of medical and neurological disorders. The following are common disorders related to ARBI.

Hepatic Encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy is the neuropsychiatric syndrome seen in patients with liver disease. The syndrome features changes in sleep, mood and personality. Impairment and fluctuation of consciousness is accompanied by confusion, delirium and hallucinations and in the latter stages will progress to coma.

Executive Dysfunction

Impairment to the frontal lobes of the brain results in changes in thinking patterns, behaviour and personality. Executive dysfunction makes it difficult for people to plan and organise, to monitor and control behaviour, to think flexibly, and to adapt to change or unfamiliar situations. Frontal lobe dysfunction is often an early sign of ARBI, while memory function is intact.

Wernicke’s Encephalopathy

Wernicke’s encephalopathy is the acute neurological reaction to severe thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency and is characterised by disturbances of vision, ataxia, and global confusion. It may be reversed by large doses of thiamine, but left untreated may progress to coma and death.

Korsakoff’s Amnesic Syndrome

Korsakoff’s amnesic syndrome is a profound impairment of short term memory that results in an almost complete inability to acquire any new information. An associated feature is confabulation, or tendency to fabricate missing memories.

Common Deficits Associated With ARBI

The range of difficulties associated with Acquired Brain Injury is diverse and as individual as the people suffering them. ABI is sometimes referred to as a ‘hidden disability’ and is often undiagnosed especially among people who have a mild disability or where onset has been very gradual. In other cases it is anything but hidden as the person, their family, friends, and support workers struggle to cope with the challenges involved. All ABI’s can, however, result in significant restrictions on an individual’s ability to participate fully in education, employment, relationships and other aspects of life.

People may experience one, or a combination of the following:

SENSORY

• Visual impairments
• Hearing loss
• Loss of Smell
• Loss of Taste
• Body Temperature disturbance
• Chronic Pain

PHYSICAL

• Paralysis –total or partial
• Fatigue
• Limb weakness
• Visual-motor dis-coordination
• Tremor
• Headaches
• Seizures
• Balance disturbance

COMMUNICATION

• Slurred speech
• Reading/writing difficulties
• Expressive disorder
• Word finding difficulties
• Difficulty understanding

COGNITIVE

• Mental Fatigue
• Poor Concentration
• Memory Loss
• Planning difficulties
• Problem solving difficulties
• Reasoning difficulties
• Difficulties with learning
• Initiation difficulties

BEHAVIOURAL/PSYCHOSOCIAL

• Disinhibition
• Verbal Abusiveness
• Physically aggressive
• Increased Impulsivity
• Sexually inappropriate
• Agitation
• Depression
• Emotional instability
• Irritability
• Inappropriate behaviour
• Paranoia
• Loss of self-awareness

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MORE than four million Australians say they drink alcohol with the aim of getting drunk, a new study has found. And about half of those people try to get drunk at least once a week.

The report, commissioned by the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation, says 80 per cent of Australians believe the nation has a drinking problem.

The report has also found that alcohol is seen a more harmful drug than tobacco or illicit substances.

Know What To Ask

The goal of drug abuse treatment is to stop drug use and allow people to lead active lives in the family, workplace, and community. One continual challenge, however, is keeping patients in treatment long enough for them to achieve this goal. That is why finding the right treatment for a person’s specific needs is critical. Drug abuse treatment is not “one size fits all.” Treatment outcomes depend on the:

• extent and nature of the person’s problems;
• appropriateness of treatment;
• availability of additional services; and
• quality of interaction between the person and his or her treatment providers.

Family and friends can play important roles in motivating people with drug problems to enter and remain in treatment. However, trying to identify the right treatment programs for a loved one can be a difficult process.

To help, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) created this brief guide containing five questions to ask when searching for a treatment program:

• Does the program use treatments backed by scientific evidence?
• Does the program tailor treatment to the needs of each patient?
• Does the program adapt treatment as the patient’s needs change?
• Is the duration of treatment sufficient?
• How do 12-step or similar recovery programs fit into drug addiction treatment?

Full PDF document – Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask

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Hazelden: New ‘Sober24′ Online Community for People in Recovery.

See full details at Recovery Is Sexy

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