Insights for your mind, body &amp; soul

Am I different?

Here is a dilemma, a question often asked and pondered upon: If AA is such a wonderful way of recovering from alcoholism why is it that so few actually recover and live sober lives? I myself have often wondered about this. So many times, I have seen people come into AA, stay for a few […]

Learn to Listen & Listen to Learn

Listening: this is a really useful tool for progress, whether in recovery from addiction or growth in other areas of our lives! Twelve Step recovery is based on the idea that healing from addiction begins when you become willing to share your story with another person. Our personal stories help us m

Top 10 Myths of Addiction

Think you know about addiction? Then these common myths may sound familiar: Myth 1: Drug addiction is voluntary behaviour. You start out occasionally using alcohol or other drugs, and that is a voluntary decision. But as times passes, something happens, and you become a compulsive drug user. Why? B

Why do alcoholics and addicts deny their problems?

Leading medical authorities such as WHO and the American Medical Association now recognize alcoholism as a disease, with definite and predictable symptoms. Alcoholics Anonymous defines alcoholism as “cunning, baffling and powerful”. What makes the disease so baffling is the typical symptom of denial

Addiction – How the Family Suffers and What It Can Do

The members of a family are interdependent on each other. Therefore, when there is stress, the whole family readjusts itself to bring stability and balance into their lives. With an addict in the family, the rest of the family members begin to react in predictable ways. When one member of the family

Let Go, Let God…is it practical?

In recovery, we often hear the slogan “Let Go, Let God”. That’s easier said than done! How exactly do we practice this principle in our daily lives? How exactly do we let go and let God in recovery? The process of doing so successfully always starts with awareness. We need to stay

Addiction and Bipolar: check out the risks

The risks of alcohol and drug use for those with bipolar disorder One of the more common themes in addicts/ alcoholic’s bipolar stories is the role that substance use has had in the course of their disorder. Sometimes it’s simply part of the stormy adolescence that precedes their diagnos

Getting to the Root of Addiction

Importance of Understanding the Root of Addiction Those people who enjoy gardening will know that if they don’t remove the root of a weed it will just keep coming back. This same logic applies to many other areas of life. If a person is having problems in life they need to get to the underlying [&he

Danger of Strong Opinions in Recovery

Opinions in Addiction: Addicts can be highly opinionated people. It is a characteristic of the addictive personality and may be due to feelings of low self esteem. These opinions can help the addict make sense of the world and their place in it. Many of the beliefs that such individuals hold can be

Drug Induced Spiritual Experience

Searching for Higher Meaning with Drugs In 1967 Timothy Leary advised the human race to turn on, tune in, drop out. This was at the peak of the hippie era and he was advocating that people use psychedelic drugs to transcend normal existence. Many followed his advice and the common belief among these

Zen and Addiction Recovery

When people first become sober, their lives can lack meaning. This is a dangerous situation because if life does not have any real purpose, the individual may not believe there is any point in staying sober. People can use this lack of meaning in life to justify a relapse. When people are addicted,

The Downward Spiral of Addiction

When people first begin using alcohol or drugs, they may experience pleasure and relaxation. It can even seem to some of these individuals like they have found the perfect solution to all of life’s problems. These substances can make life easier in the beginning. They give shy people the coura