Tag: recovery

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One Foot In Front Of The Other; One Breath At A Time – Kyczy Hawk

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So simple. So hard. Not a lot to do and so easy to forget. The adrenaline intoxication wipes out the plan to keep it simple, maintain my boundaries, avoid that behavior, stop acting that way. I become wrapped up in the sensations of overwhelm and forget to pause. Really, I mean to use the pause, use the breath take a moment, consult my friend, my sponsor, my higher power, but I am already rushing down the path of self destruction. This mini-path of self destruction, or self forgetting, may not be a full relapse but unchecked it could lead to relapse. This tsunami of emotion may not wipe out weeks of devoted practice of living a sober life, but it can feel like a big detour. How to stop this train of false elation- these feelings that exalt those actions and attributes I am trying so hard to unlearn, retrain,… Continue reading

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Finding Home After Addiction: Accommodation Options For Those In Recovery

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One in 10 Americans over age 12 find themselves dealing with addiction. For the millions of people living with the chronic condition, an important part of the recovery process is not simply seeking treatment, but maintaining a healthy life post-addiction. Both for those who are newly sober and those who have been in recovery for years, going back to normal life afterwards is difficult. The routine aspects of everyday living – such as renting a home – can be limited by a number of different factors. In addition, environmental factors including your home environment can influence your recovery. Therefore, it is important that your home is somewhere that supports your recovery journey. Renting After Rehab Most people in recovery find themselves having to deal with the financial complications of their addiction. Poor financial decisions under the influence and drug-related debt can impact your finances, including earnings and savings. This takes time to repay,… Continue reading

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How to Get Successful By F*cking Up Your Life; Author, Anna Davids Latest Book.

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Anna David was, in every way, groomed for success. She grew up in an affluent community and came from a family that prioritized SAT scores, Harvard attendance and high-paying jobs. The problem was, she had low SAT scores, was rejected by Harvard and spent her early life feeling like the family’s great disappointment. Concluding that success was not for her, Anna focused her energies on an area where she excelled: drugs, alcohol and general mayhem. Washing ashore on the beaches of recovery at the age of 30, she begrudgingly entered a world of sobriety. That’s when she discovered that there were all sorts of ways to define success—and what’s more, that it was never too late to find it. The stories in this collection document her journey from self-indulgent party girl to sober and only semi-indulgent woman. By turns hilarious and touching, disturbing and ridiculous, How to Got Successful By… Continue reading

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Why Do Christians Need Recovery?

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Contrary to what most churches will tell you, Christian brains are just as susceptible to addictions as non-Christian brains. Becoming a Christian does not instantly give you a new brain, anymore than it gives you new legs, arms or any other body part. The brain is part of the physical body, NOT the spiritual soul. Churches advocate going to the dentist for your teeth, the doctor for medical issues, but if your brain is leading you astray, the church says, “all you need is Jesus.” The irony of this is that churches are filled with untreated addicts. From the pastors to the janitors, there is rampant addiction to; religion, food, nicotine, control, codependency, drugs, porn, alcohol, gambling, anger, and the list goes on and on. In fact, according to the Barna Group, “57 percent of pastors and 64 percent of youth pastors in the U.S. have succumbed to pornography either… Continue reading

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THE JOURNEY TOWARD TOLERANCE, COMPASSION, AND SERVICE (GALEN TINDER AND BILL WHITE)

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  Progressive transformations of personal character and relationships are central themes within narratives of addiction and addiction recovery. Entrapment within the self and its eroding effects on personal character are endemic features of addiction. Such entrapment goes by many names (narcissism, selfishness, self-centeredness), all reflecting a reordering of one’s needs and desires that morphs into near-total self-absorption—an entire orientation of being that shapes how we face the world and process reality. How one perceives, feels, thinks, judges, and acts are all transformed within this ever-shrinking capsule of self and the dominating self-drug relationship. The loss of control and creeping fear of impending insanity within the addiction experience require extreme defensive adaptations (the masks of addiction). Common among these defense mechanisms are distortions of reality (e.g., problem minimization and denial), elaborate rationalizations, overcompensation, increased grandiosity and arrogance, projection of blame on others, constant resentments (envy/ jealousy/ anger), narrow-mindedness, black-white / either-or… Continue reading