Yesterday I flew with my daughter to Minneapolis for detox and treatment - an event I could only imagine in a faraway fantasy. She called unexpectedly, after not talking to me for six months, and asked for help with the most desperate of states of heart/mind… begging to either die or get sober.
I grew up in an alcoholic family. As such I wasn’t imbued with a healthy sense of self. I struggled with issues of low self-esteem. I searched desperately for parental validation and proof that I was loved and worthy. I was a child dealing with a very adult issue. I had two alcoholic parents, and I didn’t have the coping techniques to deal with their alcoholism.
On March 11, 2023, The New York Times ran a commentary by Maia Szalavitz titled “People Have a Right to Nonreligious Rehab” questioning the connection between religion/spirituality and recovery, and we felt it was important to present The Retreat’s view on the issues raised in this article.
A remarkable effect can take place in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting when an individual struggling with a drinking problem asks for help, and someone is there to share with them that AA may be a solution. For some AA members, their journey of sobriety began at “open” AA meetings, which can be attended by any member of the community, alcoholic or nonalcoholic. Open meetings have long been a vital source of information for anyone who wants to learn more about the AA Fellowship.
When I first got sober, I mean the very day I stopped drinking and getting high, I wondered to myself and out loud to anyone who was unfortunate enough to hear me speak, “what am I going to do with myself now?? This is going to be SO BORING!”
Cinderella Syndrome goes by many names. Some call it wishful thinking. Some refer to it as wish fulfillment. Still others refer to it as fantastical or magical thinking. The late, great psychologist Dr. Albert Ellis described it as an irrational thought characterized by the idea that “One must be quite dependent on others and need them...”
The 12th Step of Alcoholics Anonymous says, “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps…” So, what is this “spiritual awakening” and why is it so crucial to long-term recovery?
The holidays may be “the most wonderful time of the year”, but for those new in recovery they can be fraught with stress and worry. In this article we’ll talk about how a person in recovery can navigate the holidays season while remaining clean and sober, happy, joyous, and free.
Did you know that November is National Gratitude Month? We often hear within the rooms of recovery that it’s important to have an attitude of gratitude, but why all this emphasis on gratitude? Why is it so important to our mental, physical, and spiritual health?
