Recovery is a Journey

"We make a living by what we get.  But we make a life by what we give."  Winston Churchill

One of the basic psychological needs of all human beings is the need to feel acceptance from others. It feels good to believe we have a place to belong, a place to fit in and be productive. At times, fear gets in the way of our getting this basic need met in a healthy manner. It is the fear of rejection that makes us afraid to give of ourselves. The person who is reluctant to share at a meeting or really open up with their counselor may be holding back because of this fear. When we share, we reveal who we are and what we have done, and where we want to go next. This kind of opening up and being vulnerable to others is scary. We think we are inadequate and if others knew the truth, there is no way they would have anything to do with us. So, we clam up. Or, we can actually be a bit arrogant and have such a grand and inflated self-image that we cannot possibly live up to it in reality. Deep down, we know that others know the truth, so we clam up or we just talk and talk without really saying anything or sharing the truth.

Smoking May Hinder Recovery

A new study suggests that smoking may interfere with the brain's ability to recover from the effects of chronic alcohol abuse. Researchers found that after one month of sobriety, recovering alcoholics who smoked showed much less improvement in brain function and brain health than those who did not smoke. Comparing the brains of alcoholics who smoke with those who do not, the researchers used a form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), called spectroscopic imaging, to measure two markers of brain cell function and health. The scans showed that after one month of abstinence from alcohol, significant positive increases were found in both the markers of brain function and health. However, the researchers did not find the same pattern or magnitude of recovery in recovering alcoholics who smoked. In fact, they found a decrease in some of these indicators of brain cell health and function in areas of the brain that deal with sensory processing and manipulating objects. Tests of the participants' brain function, including learning and memory, attention and concentration, and overall processing speed also revealed that nonsmokers' increases in these markers were associated with improvement in function. Researchers say these results are preliminary and further study is needed to confirm these results. If those results are confirmed, smoking cessation may need to be added to the treatment plan for recovering alcoholics.

With humility and acceptance comes the willingness to give what we have of ourselves right now, without waiting until we are more eloquent or more accomplished, or more of anything. What we have to share is what someone else may need to receive. By focusing more on the needs of others and less on our fears and games, and ego, we learn to give without reluctance or hidden agendas.

Meth Linked to Increase in Risky Sex, Disease

Crystal meth abuse and Internet "hook-ups" are fueling risky sexual behavior, contributing to an increase in syphilis cases in Atlanta and other cities, according to federal officials. While gonorrhea has fallen to record lows, syphilis and chlamydia are on the rise, posing serious health threats to men and women. In 2004, Atlanta had the second-highest rate of syphilis, after San Francisco. Atlanta reported 283 cases of syphilis or a rate of 34.6 cases per 100,000 people. The national rate is 2.7 cases per 100,000. While progress has been made in preventing, diagnosing, and treating sexually transmitted infections in recent years, health officials said several factors could explain the upward spiral of both infections, after declining. Reported increases of chlamydia, which can cause ectopic pregnancies and infertility in women, may be a result of better detection and awareness. Rate of sexually transmitted infections have historically been highest in the Southeast. Mississippi, Louisiana, and South Carolina have the highest gonorrhea rates in the new report. The states with the highest rates of chlamydia are Mississippi, Alaska, and Louisiana. Among cities, Detroit and St. Louis lead in both categories. The Center for Disease Control research shows that methamphetamine abuse and meeting sexual partners on the Internet are contributing to the rise in the rate

of both syphilis and chlamydia. Both behaviors lead to risky sex. Many STI's have silent symptoms and remain undiagnosed. That, in addition to the lack of adequate testing, leads researchers to estimate there are about 19 million STI infections each year, almost half of them among people ages 15-24. It is estimated that 75% of those who are currently infected with a sexually transmitted infection or disease do not know they are infected.

Guilt and Shame

If guilt had a voice, it would say, You made a mistake! If shame had a voice, it would say, You are a mistake! Which voice are you hearing? Why not make an appointment with your counselor to talk about what ever is on your mind and how your recovery can be better?

How many times can you hit a 700 pound gorilla in the head with a bat? Once!…said the gorilla.