Staying sober during the holidays can be a challenge. Alcohol permeates our society and is associated with many traditions of the season like baking recipes, festive holiday drinks, or celebratory toasts. All of these traditions seem to revolve around alcohol. However, just because this may describe the season, it doesn’t dictate the season or us. We don’t have to trip over something that is behind us. We can make new holiday traditions.
On July 4th our nation celebrates its birthday. We trace our birth to the Declaration of Independence which was dated July 4, 1776.
For the fellow truth-seekers, today, we're diving headfirst into the world of alcoholism. We're here to bust some common myths about alcoholism. So hold on tight as we embark on this myth-busting mission!
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!”
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?
