by Sally Rosa | Apr 26, 2013 | Addiction Treatment, Drug Addiction
Are Addicts Bad People? I Don’t Think So
I found myself part of a pretty interesting conversation tonight. My friends and I were discussing addiction and discrimination. The American War on Drugs isn’t a new one. It’s been going on for decades. There’s been little reform in the grand scope of things. Particularly, there’s been little reform in public policy and the idea of who an addict is.
Most people believe addicts have a choice over whether to get high or not. This isn’t the case. Yes, addicts have a choice about whether they pick up the substance in the first place. That’s where choice ends. Us addicts don’t have any choice about whether to keep on using or not. Our brains and bodies are different. Don’t believe me? Ask a doctor, they’ll tell you. Once we start using, we can’t stop. Simple as that.
If addiction is a disease (and just about everyone agrees it is!), than aren’t addicts being discriminated against? Would society at large say a diabetic should just make their body produce insulin? Then why do they tell addicts to stop using? As for addicts themselves, are we divided into separate classes based on socio-economic status? Are more and more people being jailed and imprisoned? Are we wasting more and more taxpayer money? Is this fair?
Are the conceptions that society holds about addiction realistic? If everyone just took a deep breath, we’d see that we ALL know someone dealing with addiction. It could be a friend, a family member, or a business associate. It could even be you.
The idea that us addicts are bad people and deserve the punishment we receive? That’s just a tad bit harsh, don’t you think? Especially considering how much society now knows about addiction. How long should we be punished for suffering from a mental illness? How long should the stigma of being an addict be a bad one?
The questions are here and they ain’t going anywhere. It’s time to look at the War on Drugs from a different perspective, from the eyes of an addict.
by Sally Rosa | Apr 24, 2013 | Addiction Treatment, Drug Addiction
One Woman’s Story of Quitting Alcohol
I’ve wanted to quit alcohol for awhile now. It’s been years since I could control and enjoy my drinking. I’ve tried to regulate and cut down with little success. Whenever I do, it isn’t fun. I don’t have a good time and I ALWAYS go back to out of control drinking.
So, I went looking for a successful way to quit drinking. I listened to meditations while I slept. I drank non-alcoholic beer. I took up exercise and other activities. Nothing worked! After a ton of research, I found something that did.
How I Quit Drinking
I wrote down the pro’s and con’s of drinking. I put them on paper to see, right in front of me, the truth about what happens when I drink. Some of the pro’s included: drinking helps me unwind, it helps me have fun, and it helps me be more outgoing.
Okay, those are all good things. Still, I had a ton more con’s. These included: strained relationships, lack of energy, lack of accountability, depression, and guilt. There were about 500 more!
So, my con’s far outweigh my pro’s. I made up my mind for good. I was done drinking. Here’s what I did next –
I decided on a quit date. On this specific date, I quit drinking and started to implement constructive goals to work towards.
I began getting rid of temptation. I removed all alcohol from my home and office. I also removed all reminders of alcohol and my drinking days (things like shot glasses, pictures, etc.).
I announced my decision to quit. I told my friends and family that I was done. I gave myself accountability. I’d never done this before because I never really wanted accountability. Now I had it. I was upfront about what I could, and couldn’t, handle and how I needed to stay away from bars and certain events.
I kept a diary of my thoughts and behavior. I wrote down anything and everything that happened to me. I wrote if I wanted to drink. I wrote if I did drink. I began to learn from the past. I began to use the past as a tool to help my future.
Before You Quit
Depending on how much you drink, you should check with your physician before quitting. Scratch that, check with your physician no matter how much you drink. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Besides, alcohol withdrawals can be deadly! If you need help, get help.
by A Women in Sobriety | Mar 31, 2013 | Addiction Treatment, Sobriety For Women
Don’t be Average, Be Phenomenal
My best friend, Tim S., owner and creator of SoberNation.com, introduced me to this series of motivational videos. These videos are more than just the typical “you can do anything if you set your mind to it” speeches (I know you’re imagining those in your head right now!).
We recently watched one where the subject was “Being Phenomenal.”
Now, of course, everyone wants to be phenomenal. Being phenomenal is, well, phenomenal! However, most of us settle for being average because it’s easier. Being average is safer. It’s quicker. It takes less work. Except, being average may just end up suffocating the life out of you.
My Story
I found myself twenty-three years old, four years sober, and pondering if the sky really was the limit. I decided to be my own guinea pig.
I went back to school and got a Bachelor’s Degree. Check.
I quit smoking cigarettes and haven’t inhaled in two years. Check.
I started a company called Sobriety for Women: South Florida Recovery to change the way women in recovery are treated. Check.
My friend and I opened a women’s halfway house in Delray Beach. Check.
I opened a Comprehensive Addiction Treatment facility for women. Today, we house over twenty women. Check.
These women have become family, helping each other stay sober. It’s a beautiful thing to be involved with and witness.
The Future Looks Phenomenal
Today, I’m in the works of expanding South Florida’s premiere woman’s treatment center. The process is nothing short of amazing.
I didn’t write this article as some sort of cheesy way to get our name out (though no publicity is bad publicity, right?). I wrote this to say we can be our own phenomenon.
We can, all of us, reinvent our lives and change directions. One thing most motivational videos don’t tell you? You’re a person alive in this world – you can achieve anything. Surround yourself with people who want to go further and you’ll do the same. Figure out what makes you happy and go do it!
Much Love,
Brittany Ringerson
by Fiona Stockard | Mar 21, 2013 | Addiction Treatment, Drug Addiction
CASE NUMBER: 07-1414
TO: My Mother and Father
Everyone makes mistakes in their life. There are two ways to handle those mistakes, you can turn the experience into a positive, or make it define your lifestyle. I chose to go with option A.
In my case, I have screwed up a lot over the years. Always thinking I was unbeatable, but with time, consequences do arise. You begin to realize that you are above nothing. Even at my lowest point, my parents have stood by me. Originally, this was supposed to be an apology letter, but I have decided to twist it into a thank you letter.
I am not sorry for my addictions, they were not by choice. They helped me become the strong person I am today. They made me realize that life is too short to screw it up for something that benefits me in not one single way.
I choose to look at everything the world has to offer and how I am able to overcome and conquer all. Being a strong person does not get you very far without support from the family.
I just want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to grow into the person I truly am.
Thank you for your support, trust, confidence, and love- it is all appreciated.
Sincerely,
The Best Bull-Sh**ter Ever
________________________________________________________________________________________
Yeah, this was a letter I wrote two years before I got sober. It was part of my probation. I was a great manipulator my entire life. I mean turning an apology letter into a thank you letter? Come on! Give me a break. I kept my family up countless nights. I made them bail me out of jail in the middle of the night and I still had the audacity to withhold an apology?
Addiction is a disease. I know this NOW. I didn’t know it when I wrote my letter (between bong hits and Natural Ice beer sips, or course). I thought if I promised to stop getting high, I’d be a good kid.
I wasn’t ready to get sober, plain and simple. I wasn’t ready to get sober until I had a habit I couldn’t break. When I made amends to my parents, I had over a year sober. I wasn’t simply saying sorry, that I’d be a better daughter, or that I wanted a relationship with them. I already put these things in motion.
See, in sobriety, I learned that actions speak louder than words. I learned how to stop being the best bull-s**tter ever. I learned how to be an honest and genuine person who really could learn from their past.
Sometimes, you just need to reflect and thank God you’re smarter than you used to be!
