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.
There was a popular song in the 1960’s entitled “Where have all the flowers gone?” by Pete Seeger. The chorus went:
“Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago.”
Alcoholism is a type of addiction that can affect an individual’s mental and physical health. To avoid further complications, rehabilitation is recommended. However, understanding how to get an alcoholic into rehab can be a confusing process, especially if the affected individual doesn’t acknowledge their addiction. If you or a loved one are looking for recovery options, here is an alcohol rehab guide to help you better understand the process.
At a conference on recovery not long ago in Chicago, I listened to the speaker talk about making amends. The crux of her point was that the amend had to be equal to or greater than the offense. For example, you can’t falsely print on the front page of a newspaper that someone is a cheat and a liar and then print the retraction on page 17. No, if you’re going to set the scales of restorative justice evenly, the retraction has to go on page one.
When I first came into the Al-Anon program, I had spent so much time and energy into isolating, stuffing my feelings and trying to fix and control people, places and things, that I had no idea who I was, what I liked or disliked or even what I what felt. When they told me that I needed to keep the focus on myself and not the alcoholic, I didn’t know what that meant. I wasn’t capable of an intimate relationship with anyone else because I didn’t have an intimate relationship with myself.
Alcoholism is a serious issue in our society today—millions of people are currently suffering from alcoholism and the subsequent consequences. Unfortunately, there are many myths about alcoholism that plague our society, making it harder for those suffering to get the help they need.
It can be difficult to know how to help an alcoholic friend or family member. But if you have a loved one who is struggling from alcoholism, it’s important that you try to help them get the help they need. Alcoholism can be difficult to overcome, and your friend or family member will need all the support they can get.
Johann Hari stated at the end of his viral “TED Talk” that… “the opposite of addiction is not sobriety; the opposite of addiction is connection”. This comment was received as a landmark and almost heretical statement in the field of addiction treatment. It sent shock waves through the recovery community. It was a new and innovative way to view addiction and address recovery.
I’m writing this on a morning in March when the news media is full of coronavirus, or Covid-19 stories. Today’s Star-Tribune newspaper reports that the Costco store near The Retreat is out of toilet paper and won’t have any more for five days. They are also out of hand sanitizer, plastic gloves, and bleach wipes. The food aisles are decimated, as well, with non-perishables in short supply. It isn’t a full and complete panic, but it is certainly a lot of anxiety for a state that has no known cases of the virus.
