Recently, I had a discussion with a new friend. Upon hearing that I was sober, he asked, “Isn’t the whole AA thing a bit ridiculous? I mean, why bother?” It became clear as he continued that he thought that attending meetings on a regular basis, often for years on end, was unnecessary. “Go, do those … Read More
We all know that excessive consumption of alcohol is unhealthy, but what we may not know much about is how to counteract the effects of alcoholism to enjoy a healthy life in recovery. We recently talked with Maxime Zara Stadlen, MSHN, a celebrated local holistic nutritionist here in Northern California to learn more about how … Read More
“Admitting that he is somewhat at fault, he is sure that other people are more to blame.” —Alcoholics Anonymous, The Big Book, page 61 My addiction was absolutely everyone else’s fault. If my parents had been more attentive to my emotional needs, if my husband had been more loving and if my friends weren’t so self-centered, … Read More
“Yes, there is a long period of reconstruction ahead…” –Alcoholics Anonymous, Big Book, page 83 I often find myself baffled by all that I have accomplished in my sobriety. Now, I’m not talking about wealth or fame—I’m referring to a quality of life, peaceful days, if you will. I use the word ‘baffled’ because I was … Read More
Recently, I asked my adult son to tell me which time in his childhood was the best and which was the worst. First, he animatedly described a favorite, gleeful story. Then his persona changed. Feeling the Guilt of the Past For the worst memory, he recalled my period of alcoholism and drug addiction as he … Read More
According to the AA glossary, the phrase “Stinking Thinking” refers to an alcoholic’s reversion to old thought patterns and attitudes. Stinking thinking may include, blaming others, alcoholic grandiosity, fault-finding, self-centeredness, and skipping meetings. Stinking thinking should act as a warning sign that one is getting precariously close to their next drink.” Lately, I’ve had to work … Read More
“There can be as many wrong reasons to do the right thing as there are stars in the sky. There might even be more than one legitimate right reason. But there is never a right reason to do the wrong thing. Not ever.” ― Domita K. Paul Values—right from wrong. How incredibly twisted these get when … Read More
Addiction is serious business. So serious in fact, that it’s often a matter of life and death. Part of the beauty of recovery is that, after the darkness of addiction, there’s hope and joy in the life. And because we’ve tasted despair, the hope seems that much sweeter. ENJOYING THE GIFT OF LIFE I think … Read More
If you’re reeling from the effects of addiction, it’s important to know that there’s help available. In fact, there are many different kinds of help to choose from. Some choose to get plugged into the A.A. program and get sober by attending meetings. For those who have been in their addiction for quite a while, … Read More
Leaving an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting about an hour ago, I feel so out of sorts. A Destiny of Despair A woman who is about my age, (59) had gone back to the bottle. In the meeting, she unabashedly shared “I don’t care if I am drunk. It was my destiny to be an alcoholic … Read More
