Stampede Craziness 2008

Well, it's Stampede time again in Calgary! This means

The booze is flowing freely. Not to mention all the GAMBLING that comes along with midway games at The Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.

A few tips if you're trying to stay clean and sober during the Stampede 10 days of festivities:

* Check in with (clean) friends often - to jog the 'accountability' part of you
* Don't be afraid to break certain plans during Stampede week - if you're simply not up to an appearance over on the grounds and Midway, it is better not to push your luck
* Go onto the grounds and midway EARLY in the day before partiers start up in full force
* Go to evening events with someone you trust to also 'stay clean and sober' - the added support and understanding will be very helpful
* Remember that The Stampede offers every kind of beverage, so if you get stuck in a situation with booze/drugs all around - SAY NO to the booze and ORDER something safe
* If someone buys you something 'unsafe,' simply return it!
* Be well rested before you ever set foot on the Stampede site or at a Stampede activity where booze/drugs might be present - remember H-A-L-T...(Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired - these 'states' of being are when addicts are most vulnerable)
* On the same note as above - eat properly before you attend Stampede events - and try to CONTINUE to eat decent foods while on-site at the Stampede

These are just a few things that might be helpful - protect your sobriety!

Coupla Jokes

I was needing some 'comic relief'

Here are some jokes I found when I searched online for some comedic 'distractions' in my life.

You may or may not find these 'cute' but I like 'em!

1. An Alabama State trooper stops a guy in a pick-up truck over on route I-90. The officer asks the driver,

"Got any ID?"

The driver responds,

"ID 'bout what?"

:)

2. A couple of tourists were driving through Louisiana until they approached a sign that said the town of Natchitoches was immediately up ahead. Upon trying to pronounce the name, they got in an argument. Since they couldn't decide who was right, and it was lunchtime anyway, they drove into the town to have lunch - still arguing about the pronunciation of the name.

At the restaurant, as the travellers waited at the counter, a waiter seated them at a table - and STILL - the tourists argued. When the waiter returned to take their order, one of the travellers said,

"Before we order, could you settle a disagreement we've been having? Could you pronounce the place where we are, and pronounce it very slowly so we can catch the name properly? We've been arguing about this ever since we saw the sign along the highway."

The waiter, with an extremely puzzled look on his face, said,

"Sure...
You say it...
'Burrrrrrrrrrrr-gurrrrrrrrr-Kiiiiinnnnnnnnng!"

Haha!

No Thank You - No Green Beer For Me

St. Patrick's Day is almost upon us!

A lot of people, Irish or not, celebrate this special day by having a few drinks.

What's more - pubs and restaurants put colouring into the beer to make it GREEN, the obvious colour dedicated to St. Patrick's Day items.

On St. Patrick's Day, once it fully rrrrrrrrolls around, I will be having a couple of cups of Green Tea, instead of Green-spiked alcoholic beverages and beer.

Although some people don't make too big a deal out of this festive day, a whole lot of people do, and for many, St. Patrick's Day celebrations don't happen WITHOUT alcohol being present. For this reason, St. Patty's Day is often a difficult time for recovering addicts. Many of their friends and family members will probably still celebrate by drinking green beer or green cocktails, and recovering addicts will do well to steer clear of festive individuals if this is possible, unless a safety plan is enacted.

There are a couple of posts already on this blog about "safety planning," so if you don't normally plan ahead and you're a recovering addict who has wondered how to deal with celebrations (I mean, you can't tell all people that they can't drink because YOU no longer drink, right?), scroll around a bit. If you've been trying to figure out how to get through festive events and occasions more smoothly, where alcohol will be present, just remember that you can plan ahead and be prepared for the fact that alcohol might literally be placed in your face during holiday and celebratory situations.

There is still no need to drink/do drugs, no matter how much people coax that you share in the celebration.

Just say, "No Thank You - No Green Beer For Me."

If this will be difficult - practice before the day hits!

According To The DSM-IV

According to the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition),

Addiction is recognized by 3 basic stages:

1. Preoccupation/Anticipation

2. Binge/Intoxication

3. Withdrawal/Negative effect

The following characteristics are typical of each stage:

1. Preoccupation/Anticipation:
Cravings (sometimes constant) and preoccupation with acquiring drugs/alcohol
2. Binge/Intoxication:
Using more of a substance than is necessary, using a substance beyond
experiencing slight intoxicating effects (using beyond calming down, socializing,
or relaxing, and actually getting stoned or drunk instead)
3. Withdrawal/Negative effect:
Experiencing intolerance, withdrawal symptoms, losing motivation for normal
activities in life (hangovers, shakes, planning on partying instead of spending
quality time with family and friends - selecting friends and family who party
while rejecting or ignoring those who do not)

It is believed that addiction has a biological as well as psychological basis
(some will go further and say addiction affects the person and body wholly, also in spiritual and emotional ways - and also that addiction and addicts affect the community).

There are varying opinions, of couse, however, no discipline that I am aware of DISCOUNTS addiction as partly out of control of the addict at advanced stages.

For this reason - it is important for addicts (and those who want to support addicts and see
them recover from addiction) - to realize that a change of behavior (behavior correction) as well as change in thinking/perception will have to occur, on a long-term basis, in order for the addict to get better.

This is not a matter of simply taking away the booze/drugs/substance/habit, and with addictions like food addictions and shopping addictions, it is particularly difficult for some people to improve quickly. Food needs to be eaten, shopping needs to occur, therefore a concerted effort must be made to change habits on many levels.

If you recognize yourself or a loved one who fits one of the stages above, please educate yourself about addiction and recovery. It doesn't matter if you notice someone (or yourself) at only 'stage one' preoccupation/anticipation. Without correction, behaviors, habits, and addiction itself only progresses to the next stages.

On the right side-bar, about half-way down the blog, are recovery organization links, including links for 12-step sexual addiction recovery, phobics, gamblers and other recovery.

Any habit that gets out of hand can become a behavioral and mind problem called addiction.

Please, take care of yourself.

Interesting Clips From TV Show "Intervention"

I was browsing around YouTube and found that a fan of the TV show, Intervention has put together a series of clips from the show.

There are some graphic clips, so if you're worried about being affected by these, move along...

...the clips are just over 5 minutes long...by about the 3 minute mark, the images aren't quite as graphic and involve scenes of the addict being brought to a counselling room to discuss treatment intervention.




The reason I have posted this video, graphic and all though it is - is because I was quite overwhelmed as to the number of YouTube videos on-site that are labelled 'Intervention' but are actually making light of the topic of addiction and addiction intervention.

People need to see the REAL effects of addiction - on both the addict and families. I realize the graphic nature of the video above might be 'triggering' to some, but I did place a warning to go along with the video so that those who don't wish to see everything in 'raw' form can wait 'til part-way through the video to see how the intervention 'meeting' was performed in this situation.

This clip is from a television show that A&E Network airs, called "Intervention."

Try This

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Sober Through The Holiday Season

One of the hardest times of year for people to stay sober is during the Christmas season. It's the biggest holiday of the year, with no doubts, and people 'full of good cheer' tend to:

* Take more time off since 2 stat holidays are in close succession (New Year's added)
* Feel obligated, through media ads, commercials, etc., to be 'in the spirit' of Xmas
* Spend more money at this time of year
* Visit family for the occasions of "Christmas Celebrations" and "New Years Parties"
* Have parties both with family/friends but also through workplaces

There are a number of other things that we see ONLY AT CHRISTMAS time and, unfortunately, most of the activities around this time of year don't actually MIX together well to make for happy times...

The fact that there are 2 holiday occasions a week apart - 2 of the most SIGNIFICANT events of the year, hands down - means that:

* Finances are rough for almost everyone
* People overspend
* Often the 2 holiday occassions are connected with each other on peoples' schedules and if one is stressful (Christmas) the tension simply carries over to the next (New Years).
* People often spend much more time with family at this time than at other times of the year, so family tensions invariably run high - it's not always that people don't LIKE their families...but when we grow up, move away from home and do other normal life activities, we get used to "our life" and often don't have the familiarity and patience with family that we used to when we lived at home. THIS IS NORMAL. But almost everyone says, during the Christmas Season - that is IT IS NOT RIGHT to have differences of opinion during this season...
* People EXCUSE the behaviors of family and friends (and employers and co-workers, etc) during this time of year, noting that we are all supposed to be partaking of the 'holiday spirit' of kindness, forgiveness, etc (blah blah blah)...IF we are not practicing these things YEAR ROUND, all the time, then a WEEK OF THIS ACTIVITY during Christmas and New Years is STRESSFUL AND UNCOMFORTABLE for most of us!

...slide youself some slack this Christmas season - Take care of yourself - especially if you have decided you want a sober life.

Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself and your sobriety this season:

* MAKE A SAFETY PLAN !

This is in case people buy you drinks or coax you to drink.

This is in case people around you drink too much this season, even if you don't.

This is in case there are family or social tensions during the season, which might make you feel like you need to drink to calm down.

This is JUST TO BE SAFER THAN PEOPLE WHO AREN'T MAKING PLANS to look after themselves, because - even if they are not drinkers, many people IGNORE their basic needs of sleep, standing up for themselves with family, saying 'no' to the extra cost of things related to Christmas and New Years. If you are a recovering addict, you have to THINK SAFE more than some other people do, that's all.

Here are a few things that I have done as a safety plan.

* Created 'scripts' for potentially uncomfortable situations
* Selected a 'stressbuster' friend to call when things are going rough
* Planned decent sleep times and EXTRA NAP TIME (excitement and visiting is hard on the system)
* Located meetings - of any variety, so that I could attend if stress became an issue
* Made "enough" points to stick to ("have had enough excitement - time to go lay down," or "have had enough of being around a person who is drinking, so I am going to watch TV in another room," or "have had 'enough' Christmas visiting for the day and evening, it's Midnight and it's time for bed)
* Selected a secondary 'sponsor-like' person to call if my first was unavailable - or just in case I needed two support people
* Mandatory visit with sober group of people just prior to visiting family, just to reaffirm that there are A LOT OF PEOPLE who do not drink in this world

A bit on 'scripts' and then I'll close out this post:

* I created 'scripts' for my first sober Christmas - for family situations that seemed to happen every year. This way, I had a response ready and didn't have to think about responding. Sometimes this was just to say "No" to family members who asked me to get drinks for them during the holiday season.

* You know that it's time for a script in situations where people have said "Hey, grab me a drink on your way back to the room," and you nod, without thinking, and plan to fill the request. In early sobriety, this can actually be a dilemma, and people may never have heard you say, "No, I won't do that - please get your own drink" before. And sometimes, people won't even accept this small difference of response from you, do be prepared to have someone look at you like you just grew an ear on your chin and a second head from your elbow lol. Even for something this simple, a 'script' helps YOU. However else someone ELSE reacts to YOUR new, healthier response is really their choice.

This scripting is really helpful and is mainly just thinking AHEAD OF TIME about how to react to situations you are quire sure will occur.

--don't go overboard with this and try to develop a response for EVERYTHING or you'll worry yourself needlessly, but if there are situations that seem to occur every year or some expectations that you know that family members (of friends) had of you when you were a drinker...these are things you can make 'scripts' - new responses - for this season.

The Latest Comment Translated

The latest comment was not in English, so I had it tranlated (from Portuguese to English) as follows:

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There you have it.

Dummy Book For Recovery

I've finally found it! One of the DUMMIES books - all on addictions and recovery!




Though I've never been totally diligent about searching for this title in books stores, I've kept my eye open for it everytime I see a 'Dummies Series' display in bookstores.

Finally, I just did a search online and "Addiction and Recovery For Dummies" showed right up within seconds!

And then a did a search from within one of the book companies I have an affiliate account with and *smacks forehead* The book is RIGHT THERE in my affiliate list.

So, listen up - if you buy this book, you'll be helpin' me out - AND - will be getting the easily explained, no-frills low-down on Addiction and Recovery.

I wish I had checked for this title before!

Thoughts On Sex Addiction

A lot of people either won't talk about Sex Addiction or they don't believe it is a problem like other addictions.

Many people imagine that 'sex addicts' are just those who are pedophiles or people who have very strange sexual fantasies and preferences. Some sexual fantasies aren't mixed up with addiction at all - they're just not for everyone.

Perhaps the problem lies partially in the topic of SEX, itself!

North Americans, in particular have a very set view of what types of SEX are normal.

For most people, 'normal sex' doesn't include:

* sex before marriage
* sex until a person reaches the age of majority (from 18-21 years old)
* female to female sex
* male to male sex
* role-playing sexual games
* loud verbalizing during sex
* discussions with partners about what we like during sexual encounters

The list goes on...

We don't talk enough about sex in healthy ways in many countries, cultures, and societies.

This helps people with sexual addiction to misunderstand the difference between 'kinky' or 'preferences' and 'sex addiction.' Sex addiction is a progressive illness that just keeps getting worse and worse for the addict as time goes on. A sex addict MAY NEVER hurt a child or even think of children and sex together in the same fantasies. Though pedophiles are likely also sex addicts, not every sex addict is a pedophile.

Many sex addicts have never engaged in intercourse before the age of majority, though on the other side of the scale, many were sexually abused as children.

Sex addicts have all kinds of situations, childhood experiences, and factors involved in their addiction - just like alcoholics, cocaine addicts, shopping addicts, heroin addicts, meth addicts, gambling addicts, and any other type of addicts.

Here is another article about Sex Addiction:

A Progressive Illness - Sex Addiction. Cut Out The Porn
(will open in new window)

Sex Addicts can have a successful recovery from their addiction, too. If we start talking about sex and sex addiction, then sex addicts can start to have the same chance of recovery that other addicts have.

Though there are a whole lot of centres for other addictions, there are few that specialize in making sure that sex addiction is treated as a real addiction. Even gamblers seem to be gaining more help these days than those labelled with a sex addiction.

Sex addicts are people with addiction problems that make their lives just as unmanageable as alcohol does to the alcoholic, crack to the cocaine addict.

Please read the article - and don't forget to rate it, as well.


A Progressive Illness - Sex Addiction. Cut Out The Porn
(will open in new window)

Please hit the thumbs up or thumbs down at hubpages once you've read the article.