Recovery is really more than making changes, it
is a healing process. Some folks take longer to heal from physical
wounds than others. The same is true of mental, emotional, and
spiritual wounds. Patience, diligence, and new insights to old problems
are assets to this healing process. The following are some challenges
to the process of recovery.
Resistance to change. I routinely hear this excuse: "Rick,
you know us addicts don't like change." Oh please! Most people I know
don't like change. So what if you don't like change. There are a lot of
things we may not like that we do anyway to pay the bills. Maybe its
not the liking of changes that's the problem anyway. Maybe we resist
change because we become uncomfortable with doing things differently.
Maybe we resist change because the new behavior requires that we accept
some responsibility for our actions. Maybe we are just a bit lazy. At
any rate, refusing to look at things differently will only lead you
back to the dope, the heartache, and the shame.
Grief is an expected response to any loss, even the loss of
a destructive relationship. And again, the problem is that grief feels
pretty bad. It hurts to hurt. Just like the loss of someone close to
you, changing those people, places, and things creates a sense of loss,
which initially leads to all kinds of uncomfortable feelings and
thoughts. There are several stages of grief to go through. The grieving
process alone over the loss of the relationship we have with the
addiction can take a while. Without going through this valley, recovery
will not be sustained.
Accepting powerlessness over the addiction and giving up
the self-centered delusion that you can control the addiction if you
just had more time, more money, more health, more luck, more
opportunity, more, more, more, and more, is one of the biggest
challenges to recovery. For some of us, we have decided that
powerlessness is the same as being stupid or weak… period. It doesn't
mean that at all. It simply means that when it comes to the addiction,
we are not in control, even when we convince ourselves that we are. The
new life is to humbly assume the responsibility for your actions, your
limitations, and your abilities. And most important is the sharing of
this realization and struggle with a group of fellow searchers. Please
learn and use the "Serenity Prayer." Really, this is all about learning
new ways to cope with pain, all kinds of pain, from not reaching for
the pill bottle to self-medicate a headache to not reaching for the
bottle or the joint to soften the edges on a really rough day.
Clinic hours on Saturday are
OA - Overeaters Anonymous
6:00 am to 9:00 am
512-327-2802
Closed on Sunday
Problem Gamblers Help-Line
800-742-0443
Please remember to bring
SA - Sex/Love Addicts Annon.
your lock boxes.
800-477-8191
Finding new ways to enjoy life maybe the biggest challenge
for some folks. Why? Well, maybe we have forgotten how to have fun
without being impaired. Maybe we have just plain forgotten some of the
things we used to like to do for fun and relaxation. It takes time to
feel good naturally again. The substance abuse has messed with those
natural chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are responsible for
just about everything we feel and experience. Simply put, our bodies
quit manufacturing those neurotransmitters while we were abusing. After
we stop abusing, it can take a long while for our bodies to readjust.
So hang in there! We don't want euphoria any more. What we want is to
experience true joy, peace, and fulfillment. We want to live from the
inside out instead of from the outside in.
Rick B.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. It is caused by
not eating enough food, taking too much insulin, or diabetes
medication, or too much exercise. It usually comes on pretty quick and
can get worse if not treated. The symptoms are: shaking, fast
heartbeat, sweating, anxiety, dizziness, hunger, impaired vision,
weakness, fatigue, headache, and irritability. What you can do if you
start to experience all or part of the above symptoms is to drink half
a cup of orange juice or milk, or eat several had candies. If the
symptoms don't stop, call your doctor. If the symptoms do stop, then
eat a light snack (half a peanut butter sandwich or a meat sandwich and
a half glass of milk) within 30 minutes of the time you started feeling
better.
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is high blood sugar. It is caused
by too much food, too little insulin, illness or stress. It can come on
you gradually and may get worse, much worse. The symptoms are: extreme
thirst, frequent urination, dry skin, hunger, blurred vision,
drowsiness, and nausea. If you start experiencing these symptoms, check
your blood sugar. If it is over 250 for several tests, call your doctor.
************
"Keep in mind that the true measure of an
individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good."
Ann Landers
"Anyone can be polite to a king, it takes a
civilized person to be polite to a beggar."
Unknown
"Never measure the height of a mountain
until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was."
Dag Hammarskjold
Recovery Screen Savers are Here!
Get a CD with inspirational words and images. Call us, email us, or
come by to get one today.
We are Meeting Every
Saturday from
8:30 AM to 9:15 AM
HERE NOW
The procedure is called auricular acupuncture. It is helpful for a
variety of issues that affect those with addictions.
Please see your counselor.
The Dallas
County Health Department is offering screening for sexually transmitted
diseases. The fee is $25. If you can't afford to pay the full
amount, a payment plan can be arranged. Please call before 7:45 AM
to schedule an appointment. 214-819-2000
HIV Testing Offered
Almost every Friday, a member of the HEI department from the Greater
Dallas Counsel on Alcohol and Drug Abuse are here to offer free
HIV testing. The test is called "OraQuick Advance." The test is based
on saliva and you get your results in 20 minutes. The test is 99%
accurate. All you do is come in and asked to be tested.
Detox Spa
Cleanses your body of toxins.
A 30 minute treatment is thirty dollars.
Dr. Candace McDaniel
8021 East R.L. Thornton Fwy, Suite A
Dallas, Texas 75228