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.

If You Want To Fail In Your Sobriety

In the early stages of sobriety, several people (including an addictions counsellor) told me to think of sobriety in this way:

"Just think - you only have ONE THING TO CHANGE about your life and self.....

That one thing is:

EVERYTHING."

Obviously, this seemed an insurmountable task - to change EVERYTHING about myself and in my life. But thinking about this phrase actually helped me in untold ways, and I am still sober and clean. Life is not perfect and I am not perfect, but I only have to deal with life on life's terms today. I no longer have to deal with life on life's terms - PLUS - navigating back and forth between the world of drugs and alcohol - and reality. When I wake up every day, I am IN reality and don't have to wonder what the heck is going on. This in itself is the one advantage that cannot be induced or enhanced by any drink or drug on or off the market.

If you don't believe in my words, however, and believe that you need to make sobriety more complicated than "just change Everything," and particularly if you 'Don't Get It,' then maybe you're not quite ready to live a sober life.

There are an infinite number of ways to relapse - but few (and simple) ways to stay sober.

I've just offered a simple concept, however, some people may need to hear the reverse in order to realize the value of sobriety. Some people aren't ready to be sober yet. Some people will need that one last awful drunken (or high) experience and all the hell that will accompany the high, in order to WANT TO GET sober.

Here's a fast track to that experience - just so that you can get it overwith and come back to the real world sooner (all the best to you - luck and all - in case you don't make it back out)

Here are some things that will help you FAIL in your sobriety:

* Hang out with your old friends
* Argue with your family and make sure that you let them know that YOU ARE RIGHT!
* Make life ALL ABOUT YOU - ALL THE TIME
* Keep that extra bottle in the freezer - just in case
* Avoid all 12-step or other recovery meetings
* Sober up ALL ALONE
* THINK EVERYTHING THROUGH - all the time - I mean - every minute detail, before ever taking action
* Use your brain to dissect all the problems in the world
* Focus on what's wrong with the world - instead of what is wrong with YOU
* INSIST on having things YOUR WAY
* Bend that elbow, first thing upon waking - don't think - just DO IT

These are just some little SURE-FIRE TIPS on finding the pathway to relapse.

I hope these have been helpful - and I hope you avoid the above pathway.

Some Drug Addiction Statistics

Drug Addiction Statistics

Some people don’t like learning about certain statistics, however, numbers are very important when considering the topic of addiction. Statistics can help us identify problem areas involving addictions, particular drugs in question, and numbers can help us better understand what exactly is going on with drug addiction in a particular location.

For instance, according to a 2005 American survey, marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. This was only two years ago, but marijuana has not always been the most commonly used drug. In the 1980's a primary drug of choice was alcohol - with a high number pointing to cocaine, as well. By 2005, marijuana was, by far, the more 'chosen' drug, and from comparing statistics, experts can try to figure out why. Over seventy-six percent of the population reported using marijuana in that 2005 survey year.

An estimated 15.9 million Americans aged twelve or older reported using illicit (illegal) drugs in the month prior to the 2005 survey. That statistic represents 7.1 percent of the population who are aged 12 or older. In 2004, the same figure was about 8 percent LOWER, so there was a significant increase in illicit drug use from 2004 to 2005.

Drug addiction stats are, no doubt, scary as well. In 2003, there were nearly 20,000 deaths directly attributed to drug use both legal and illegal. Of those deaths, about 3 percent were to people 21 years of age and under.

In the year 2001 alone, use of CLUB DRUG, "Ecstasy," increased by 58 percent from the previous year. This statistic was calculated by the amount of people who were admitted to a hospital emergency room with Ecstasy overdoses. Many more people, of course, never did make it to the emergency rooms, so we should really start paying MORE ATTENTION to these figures that are available.

A ton of statistics cannot even be gathered because only a certain amount of the population is prepared to answer questions. Only a certain part of the population are capable and available to answer questions. These stats should probably be higher, in recognition of all the addicts who are not 'polled,' not in treatment, not going to the hospital, etc...

But - back to stats that we do have:

Statistics on rehabilitation center admissions also paint a sad picture regarding drug addiction. In 2006, over 175,000 people checked themselves in to rehab facilities. It is estimated that about 5 percent of those people returned to drug use once they left the drug rehab centers.

Methamphetamine use is a particularly deadly drug that is on the rise as well. In 2006, a whopping 15 percent of the population reported using meth as their primary illicit drug. This can be explained by the fact that "METH" is easy to make with common, inexpensive, household items and it produces a significant high for the user that cannot be obtained by using any other drug.

Perhaps the scariest statistics on drug addiction are the ones that involve our youth. A HUGE number of youth report having been introduced to one type of drug or another on a regular basis by the age of 13. Nearly 50 percent of those children will try drugs by that age, and 20 percent of these will become addicted to various substances before graduating from high school.

It's a big, bad world out there – for adults and children alike. Although we may want to and it is easier to bury our heads in the sand when it comes to drug abuse and addiction issues, it is better and more important to pay attention to the stats and numbers. When presented with statistics on drug addiction, there’s really no way we can ignore the fact that there’s a problem in North America – a very serious drug problem!

Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction: A Guide to Coping and Understanding Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction: A Guide to Coping and Understanding

Overcoming Addiction and Alcoholism

Addiction and Alcoholism are two terms for the same affliction. Alcohol is simply a 'drug of choice.'

Things you'll need to think about in order to overcome addiction:

* Understand what addiction is

* Understand that there are 'stages' in both addiction and in recovery

* Addiction Treatment - understand that some personal cases require specific treatment, not according to the addiction but according to the individual and the stage of addiction that the individual is in

* Detox. There are stages of detox and there are also centres that deal in detoxifying people from addictive substances

* There is a difference between gaining benefit from treatment programs versus 'doing time' in treatment programs

* Personal goal-setting is part of getting healthy again. So-called 'normal' and healthy people use goal-setting all the time

* Balance is important

* Overcoming DENIAL is key in overcoming addictions

* Physical fitness and mental fitness go hand in hand to help create spiritual and emotional wellness in a person whose life does not need to center around the use of drugs

* Personal Power is important and learning ways to empower yourself during recovery can help you feel like some of your life is manageable again.


If you don't understand some of these terms, start searching for some information. Try searches on 'personal power,' 'empowerment,' 'denial,' 'detoxification,' and don't be afraid to learn more about how alcohol and drugs affect individuals, families, communities, either.

When people start becoming more aware of how serious addiction is - even in a general community - then people can start to learn how to combat the problem of addiction in case it surfaces close to home.

Even if you don't personally have an addiction issue or someone in your family who is an addict, you can be greatly affected by addictions in your community. Someone you work with, for instance, might have a problem. Your boss, one of your child's teachers, etc. If you are more aware about what addictions are, how the stages of addiction, stages of recovery and stages of detox work, you might be able to better understand an addict in your midst.

If necessary, maybe you can lead an addict to some information that will help to enable that person to overcome an addiction. It might not be a huge, time-defeating effort to help someone, but it will be a HUGE favor if you're just aware of these issues and can simply direct an addict to some help.

Can You Tell Myth From Fact?

Some statments about alcoholism and addiction.

Can you tell what things are true and which are myth?


1. Beer is not as intoxicating as "hard liquor".

2. Alcohol, a depressant drug, slows down reaction time and affects judgement. The effects of alcohol (and any other drug) depends not only on the amount consumed, but also on a number of other factors such as, the past drinking experience of the user, the way in which it is consumed, the feelings and mood of the person.

3. Spider and insects who are victims of the cycle of addiction are truly a new and widespread concern among scientists who only realized in 2006 that arachnids and insects actually had a propensity for addiction. Before the 2007 film, "Spiders On Drugs," (which detailed the results of extensive studies on spiders in the Canadian Hinterlands), the world merely thought that spiders and insects were nominal, unimportant, gross little creatures - acting upon instincts - rather than exhibiting addictive and co-dependent behaviors.

4. People who drink or use drugs harm not only themselves, but others such as their families and friends who care about them. The costs are even greater if a person drinks and drives.

5. Drinking coffee or taking a cold shower are ways of sobering up quickly.

6. Eating before drinking will keep a person from getting drunk.

7. Just as many women have drinking problems as men. However, women are less likely to seek treatment because of lower self-esteem, the stigma attached to being a female drinker, and the barriers associated with family responsibilities.

8. Drinking among natives is higher than drinking among the general population.

9. Blacking out and passing out are the same thing.

10. Beer is as intoxicating as "hard liquor". The same amount of alcohol is in a 12oz. bottle of beer and 1½ oz. of "hard liquor". Sometimes these beverages affect individuals in different ways but they are just as intoxicating.

11. If a person drinks or uses other drugs, they are only hurting themselves.

12. The "Spiders On Drugs" Video is a joke project put together by US higher-education students, therefore, addict spiders, including the 'Crack Spider's Bitch,' don't really live in the Hinterlands of Canada.

13. If a person can abstain for weeks or even months between drinking bouts, he/she does not have a drinking problem.

14. Eating before and while drinking slows down the body's absorption of alcohol, but there is no magical way to keep alcohol out of the bloodstream.

15. There is no help available for people with alcohol and other drug dependency problems.

16. Passing out is when a person who has consumed alcohol loses consciousness (goes to sleep). A blackout occurs after a person consumes alcohol and doesn't remember what happened, what he/she did or said even though they are conscious. They experience chemically induced memory loss.

17. A high percentage of alcoholics are skidrow bums.

18. Drinking is not as harmful as using illegal drugs such as marijuana, LSD, etc

19. There are no short cuts to sobering up. The body metabolizes alcohol at the rate of approximately one drink per hour. Time is the only way to sober up.

20. Less than 3% of the people who have alcohol problems are skidrow bums. Alcoholism affects people of all ages, social, and economic backgrounds.

21. More men have drinking problems than women.

22. Although alcohol use is legal and more socially acceptable than using illegal drugs, it is still classified as a drug. Alcohol has the potential to be abused and is one of the most abused drugs in society. Alcohol like illegal drugs can be physically and/or psychologically addictive.

23. Research indicates that the prevalence of native drinking is approximately the same in non-native groups. However, of those who drink, more natives have an "excessive drinking" pattern rather than a "social drinking" pattern (Moss 1979, cited in Moss et al, 1985).

24. A person does not have to drink every day or every week to have a problem with alcohol. As well as looking at the amount of drinking, the effect of alcohol on a person's major life areas such as; home, friends, social, school, job, legal, leisure, medical, and financial need to be considered. If sonemone's drinking affects even one of these areas, the person should consider receiving help to keep it from causing more problems.

25. There are a wide variety of services available worldwide people with dependency problems, as well as their families. Self-Help groups (Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, Alateen, Adult Children of Alcoholics), detoxification units for males and females, outpatient counselling services, and inpatient counselling services are all available to those who will only seek the help they require.

26. A little drinking doesn't affect driving ability.

How many of these can you guess? How many are true, how many are false or myth?

I'll come back and post the differences soon.

Just for today beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee HAPPY!!

:)

Off Topic - Code Amber Alert Tickers

Code Amber was created in 1996 after an Arlington Texas child, Amber Hagerman was kidnapped while riding her bicycle. Amber was brutally murdered, and Arlington Texas residents were outraged, calling for more exposure, appealing to Dallas Texas radio stations - to start broadcasting these 'special alerts' more promptly and massively so that situations like the murder of Amber Hagerman could be avoided in the future.

Response to this appeal occurred immediately as Texas Radio stations partnered up with local law-enforcement groups in Northern Texas. A massive system of 'alert' went 'live' on August 23, 2002 - after the TX Region had been pushing this idea and broadcasting alerts whenever possible since '96. After less than a year of the 'live' widespread launch, in April of 2003 President Bush adjusted the alert program to make it a National program.

An Amber Alert organization and system has also been developed to cover Canadian regions - for obvious reasons of 'proximity' of the two countries to each other.

I witnessed a successful Amber Alert in the area of Calgary, Alberta, Canada - about 1 year ago. I am not positive in remembering the exact time, but I vividly remember the details about the success of the Alert issued. I was actually shocked (because the Alert System is relatively new) by how effective it turned out to be at the time!

In this instance, an infant had been removed from a home, from her mother who required intensive treatment for Addiction and Lifestyle problems and also treatment for Psychological/Behavioral issues. The mother was granted visitation rights and bolted with the baby. The Amber Alert went out within an hour or two of the occurrence, and within 36 hours, the mother, herself, heeded the messages from the Amber Alerts. Realizing that the entire region from British Columbia to Nova Scotia (particularly in the Calgary--Red-Deer--Edmonton area) was receiving constant Amber Alerts on TV-station tickers and billboards - not to mention constant Radio-broadcast messages, sometimes at every 15 minute mark, the mother made arrangements very quickly to return her baby into care facilities. , so the child was recovered unharmed!

What does the Code Amber Alert program have to do with this blog?

Not much...

And - A LOT!

As displayed in the Amber Alert account just mentioned, the kidnapper was the child's own mother. And - an Addict.

Sometimes, under duress, and under the multi-faceted chaos that addiction brings, people don't behave in ways that are acceptable. To my knowledge, the mother took her child back for the same reason any GOOD MOTHER would want to retrieve their child from someone else's care (because it is the child they love, whose life - along with theirs, they dream of the future about - regardless that they aren't managing to take care of the child well). The baby was removed from the woman's household due to her addiction lifestyle issues, in part, and also - she likely acted on impulse as most addicts WILL while they are contemplating or are in the first stages of Addiction Recovery.

Life isn't easy in the beginning stages of recovery. The main issue is that people in the first stages of recovery are plainly PANICKY! They have got a million and a half things about life, habits, morals, and behaviors to re-learn! Often, this is a simply OVERWHELMING TIME - a time that some addicts don't endure in order to become 'healthy.'

Most Addicts aren't bad people. Their behaviors and lifestyle are very awful and bad. The woman who kidnapped her baby, in her mind, only 'took back' her child. In the minds of the authorities, she 'committed a crime.' Either way, it was not safe for that infant to be with her mother at a certain time. Hopefully now, the mother has gained a better lifestyle - she probably wasn't an inherently 'bad person' at all. The fact that she was overwhelmed and 'took back' her child is more of an indication of her overwhelmed state (overwhelmed that the child she loved was taken from her) rather than a sign that she was an evil type of criminal. Regardless, the Amber Alert helped in the return of the infant so that the woman's 'lifestyle' and 'addict habits' did not put the child in further and continued jeopardy.

I recall, once I heard the original Alert - and that the woman in question was an addict who had just recently been ordered to turn her child over to protective services - I wasn't worried that the woman in question was some kind of awful criminal. I was only worried that she would be using drugs while the child was with her and that she might be negligent with the child and cause harm in that way.

I just prayed for her to realize the seriousness of the Amber Alert and come to grips with the fact that her child needed to be 'out of her care' for a while until she could get herself straightened out. I never became 'outraged' like some of my peers did when they heard details of the Code Amber Alert...probably because I have experience with turning over a child to a better home while I dealt with Addiction issues, myself.

(Well *gasp* that last sentence was more than I was GOING TO disclose lol but I'll leave it in! 'Cos it's 'on-topic' with this particular post!)

Thankfully - in this instance, the effects of this Code Amber Alert turned out positive!

I think the decision to place the Alert system tickers on this blog is altogether relevant and you will see them in the column to the right from now on.

Please interact with me freely if you should ever see the Alert ticker blacked out and not operational. It may take a moment to load but should then display, basically, it's 'purpose' in the message area - unless there is a current 'Code Amber Alert' in progress - in which case, the details of the message will have a YELLOW/Amber background with details about the Alert in progress.

Thank you, ahead of time for your co-operation!

About SMART Recovery

SMART Recovery is a program that concentrates on 4 main areas of Recovery
(S.mart M.anagement A.nd R.ecovery T.raining - SMART!)

1. Enhancing and Maintaining Motivation to Abstain

2. Coping with Urges

3. Problem Solving (the management of thoughts, feelings and behaviors)

4. Lifestyle Balance (Balancing short and long term satisfaction) Smart Recovery facilitators teach how to deal with the above four points.

The assumptions that SMART RECOVERY folk have concerning why a person becomes an addict have to do with both substance use as well as engaging in certain activities. All people experience degrees of addictive/addiction behaviors, however, those who find that their lives are facing too great a degree of negative consequence according to these behaviors of addiction, may benefit from accessing SMART RECOVERY principles and help.

Smart Recovery attempts to help individuals 'gain libertation from' addictive behaviors.
In simpler terms, Smart Recovery deals with

1-maintaining motivation, 2-coping with craving,
3-thinking rationally, and 4-leading a balanced lifestyle.

Smart Recovery draws much of its information from the psychology field, in the area of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).

In this, out of control behaviors surrounding addiction are less a disease - and more like 'complex maladaptive behaviors.'

Though these concepts of 'addiction' differ from 12 Step principles, Smart Recovery doesn't
EXCLUDE the use of 12-Step principles in anybody's recovery.

Many 'Treatment' and 'Rehab' centres utilize 12 Step methods - but there are some who advocate use of Smart Recovery methods. As well, some places utilize an array of other principles, programs, methods and theories. There are all kinds of addicts, all kinds of personal reasons why people are addicted to drugs, substances, and activities. Whichever methods work to combat addictive behaviors in anyone's life should be used as fully and beneficially as possible.


On the SMART Recovery website there is a 'Tool Chest' if you're interested in checking it out:

The SMART Recovery Tool Chest Page

You'll need a PDF Reader to use the free downloadable documents on the SMART Recovery website's Tool Chest page.

If you don't have a PDF Reader, you can grab Adobe products:

ADOBE READER and Other ADOBE PRODUCTS

You should be able to download a free trial/evaluation copy of the Adobe software, however, if you find you can't use the Adobe Reader software - for whatever reasons - here are some other PDF Readers that will work:

VisageSoft eXPert PDF and Other Products

and

Foxit Reader/Software

Now, just to warn you - I've never used the eXPert PDF product, so I can't recommend it highly. I have used the Foxit software and it's really good software, nicely navigable and easy to use. You can get both the latter products for free.

Anyhow - check out the SMART Recovery tools. Even if you're dead-set on 12-Step programs, there are some awesome downloadable 'checklists' and things at the SMART RECOVERY website that are really effective for keeping track of behaviors. 12-Step methods are also about changing behaviors, so it can't hurt to go grab some extra tools!

Let me know how you liked the Smart Recovery site! (It's easy to navigate!)

Spiders On Drugs Video

This ROX!



Watch Very Closely.

Someone needs to help these poor Arachnids. (Alcoholic and Crack Addict Spiders OHNO!)

Biological Elements of Addiction - Example

I found a site called "Addiction Science Network" that has graphics showing what happens in the brain when someone uses Heroin or Cocaine.

Addiction Science Network - A Biological Basis of Addiction

The first animation shows an example of 'normal' dopamine activity in the brain. A second example is given afterward to show - again with animations - how dopamine activity is changed when drugs are present in the brain.

The rest of the page explains 'the role of dopamine in motivation and reward.'

To switch emphasis about 'Motivation' back to being motivated about 'Recovery,' here are some comments about staying clean and dealing with addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Set realistic goals.
Love yourself enough to believe you deserve to accomplish change in your life.
Visualize successful change.
Reinforce self success, not matter how small.
Be committed to personal health and self-satisfaction to attain and sustain change.
Realize that changing for the better is a life-long process, not a single, important event.
Devote energy, effort, sustained vigilance, and personal sacrifice.
Meditate often - if you don't make this time for yourself, nobody else will.
Accept personal responsibility for problem behavior and circumstances.
Believe that only through personal efforts can a problem behavior be changed.
Break big goals into small parts that can be reasonably attained.
Make goals that are quantifiable - measure-able - and KEEP TRACK of them.
If your goals are complicated, make sub-goals, to ensure that you can keep on track.
Accept that change of old habits is a lifelong process.
Replace old habits with new, healthy habits so that old habits have no nest to return to.
Remember that failure is not an end result of all things - failure provides a lesson.
Realize that the efforts to change do not end once initial cessation of old behaviors is attained.
Believe that a work-oriented recovery lifestyle model is a lifelong process.
Sustain the change in problem behaviors.
Transform failures into knowledge of things you've already done that didn't work.
Stop repeating things that don't put out healthy results.
Commit to a lifelong contract of behavior change.

The 'Anti'-12 Steps (for active addicts)

1. I declared that I had complete and total control over my drug use and that I can completely manage my life and still use drugs.

2. Came to know that I needed no one and that drugs would help me maintain my happiness and sanity

3. Made a decision to harness the benefits (as I understand them) of any substance I chose to use.

4.Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of all others.

5.Admitted to no one, including myself, any of my wrongs, no matter how evident.

6. I became entirely ready to defend, excuse, and justify my actions, using personal attacks on others (if necessary), and to minimize any mistake I may make.

7. Boldly declare that I have no shortcomings (while secretly believing that anything bad I ever did could not be forgiven).

8. Made a list of all persons that had (or that I thought had) harmed me and searched for opportunities to "collect" on those debts.

9. Collected whatever I felt that I am "owed", whenever possible regardless of the fact that doing so may cause injury or pain to someone else.

10. Continued to take an inventory of others "wrongs" against me and promptly collected on them whenever possible.

11. Sought through experimentation, "expert opinions", partying, and the advice of my using friends, a better, stronger, and longer high. I search only for more knowledge of how and what to use, and the means to do so without consequences.

12. Having an enjoyable experience from the use of drugs, I tried to carry this message to other suffering sober people to lead them to practice these principals in all their affairs with me.