| Understanding alcoholism recovery often starts with | | | | seven years. It was very difficult for her, but by sheer |
| understanding the cycle of addiction. Everyone wants | | | | determination and personal strength, and with a little |
| to feel good. Everyone wants to be free from physical | | | | help and encouragement from friends, she did it for |
| or emotional pain. Everyone wants to enjoy life. Our | | | | seven years. God bless her. |
| "pursuit of happiness" is what starts the Cycle of | | | | But something happened in her life. There was an |
| Addiction. | | | | event, and as she described it, she just used again for |
| It begins with an event, our introduction to drugs and | | | | no particular reason. She did not necessarily |
| alcohol for a variety of reasons. We want to have a | | | | understand her own decision to use, but the cycle |
| good time, we want to fit in with our friends, or we | | | | started all over again for her; she had to start |
| want to numb the pain. It starts as an experiment, to | | | | alcoholism recovery all over again. |
| see what the drug will do. It starts as a medically | | | | You hear alcoholics tell people that they cannot have |
| prescribed treatment for an injury. It starts innocently | | | | as little as one drink. No matter how long they have |
| enough. No thoughts of alcoholism recovery or | | | | been sober, they can't have one little drink. It's too |
| addiction. | | | | much. They will also tell you that once they start, no |
| 12:00 AM | | | | amount is enough. The alcoholic understands the cycle |
| Let's use a clock as an example. At 12:00 we begin | | | | of addiction. |
| with an event. "Joe" uses prescription medication to | | | | 9:00 AM |
| get relief from the pain of his knee injury. The doctor | | | | Joe tries to stay clean, but as the time on the clock |
| prescribes the drug, the amount to be taken and the | | | | approaches 9:00, for some reason, Joe uses. Why? |
| frequency of use. But as time goes on, Joe's pain level | | | | We're human. I am not offering our being human as an |
| is not under control, so he takes a couple more pills. | | | | excuse for bad decision making, but I am suggesting |
| That doesn't work for him, so he takes his medication | | | | that human nature leans toward rebellion and |
| more often. He may receive pain relief, but as time | | | | disobedience. The addiction might have been managed |
| goes on, he needs more and more drug just to feel | | | | for a season, but it was not defeated, nor will it ever |
| normal. Joe also uses alcohol to mask his pain. | | | | be defeated. Give Joe credit for trying, but the cycle |
| 1:00 AM | | | | of addiction was not broken. Joe found himself back at |
| From the 12:00 event, through 1:00 and 2:00, his use of | | | | "high noon" and began using again, which started the |
| the drug increases to the point where he is beginning | | | | cycle all over again. |
| to think more and more about getting his prescription | | | | The cycle has to be broken, and I firmly believe that |
| filled sooner than the recommended time. The drugs | | | | people will not break that cycle by their own effort. |
| have appeared to be the answer to his pain. They | | | | We are made for relationship and made to receive |
| help him get through the day, but more and more is | | | | help. A person can succeed by trying and ALLOWING |
| needed just to get by. The drug is necessary, vital to | | | | outside help. When it comes to managing addiction or |
| his feeling good or normal. His knee injury is now | | | | overcoming major events, the "I did it my way" |
| secondary, as the use of the drug is necessary with | | | | mentality is nothing more than arrogance. Alcoholics |
| or without the injury pain. | | | | Anonymous says in its second step that "we came to |
| When Joe goes beyond the limits of the prescribed | | | | believe that a power greater than ourselves could |
| amount of drug and the frequency of use, and this | | | | restore us to sanity." The wisdom in that confession is |
| pattern of behavior is left unchecked, it results in | | | | the acknowledgment that our "trying harder" isn't going |
| addiction, because the drug seems to help him not only | | | | to cut it. |
| with pain, but help him get through life. He feels better. | | | | If you or someone you love or someone you know is |
| The problem is Joe has lost his ability to control the | | | | experiencing what Joe has experienced, you need |
| drug. It now controls him. | | | | help to break the cycle. Seek professional help. |
| Alcohol works very much the same way. Joe starts | | | | Descending into ADDICTION as a Spiritual Disease |
| drinking in college and then without knowing it alcohol | | | | Below is a description of how a person descends into |
| begins to control him. Joe does not think he has a | | | | alcoholism. |
| problem, he thinks he can stop anytime he wants to, | | | | 1. Drug/Alcohol sedates value system, which gets |
| but like any other drug, Joe has an addiction called | | | | indifferent, confused |
| alcoholism. | | | | 2. Grandiosity, perfectionism, pride |
| Let's take a moment to share an analogy. There is | | | | 3. Intolerance of others, suspicion, disgust, argues |
| nothing inherently wrong with enjoying a piece of | | | | 4. Religion getting sick, rigid, arrogant, unrealistic, |
| chocolate. If that enjoyment results in weight gain, | | | | disenchantment with childish idea of God |
| diabetes or any number of other medical calamities, | | | | 5. Loses interest in life, "Blues" |
| then chocolate is not a good idea. There's nothing | | | | 6. Guilt feelings, not "at ease" with God |
| wrong with taking a drink either, only for some of us it | | | | 7. Stops daily prayer, attends church out of habit or |
| results in two, three, four drinks and more. When we | | | | pretense |
| no longer control the substance, but the substance | | | | 8. "Nobodiness" -- feels estranged, alienated, lonely |
| controls us, it means trouble. We are looking for the | | | | 9. Immaturity, some irresponsibility |
| effect the substance gives us. Without it, we are left | | | | 10. Life has no meaning |
| craving. | | | | 11. Anxiety, indefinable fears |
| 3:00 AM | | | | 12. Resentments: Angry with God, hostile to mention of |
| Let's continue with our cycle of addiction and | | | | religion, projects fear into concept of God as a tyrant |
| understanding alcoholism recovery. The addiction has | | | | 13. Moral deterioration: Dishonest, selfish |
| set in because of prolonged use of the drug and | | | | 14. Loss of faith: Consciously rejects God, |
| alcohol, as more drugs more often is necessary for | | | | unconsciously longs for Him, a "sick love" relation |
| Joe to achieve the result the addict is looking for. The | | | | 15. Remorse: Depression, suicidal thoughts, impaired |
| drug is psychologically habit forming, as we are led to | | | | thinking |
| believe that the drug is necessary for our happiness, or | | | | 16. Vague spiritual desires |
| we will be in pain without it. | | | | 17. Gropes for spiritual meaning |
| Let's say we have arrived at 3:00. The person is in the | | | | HITS BOTTOM (USES DRUGS/ALCOHOL TO |
| throws of addiction, or close to it. There is an obvious | | | | COPE WITH PROBLEMS OF USING |
| problem. Perhaps family members and friends have | | | | Ascending Aspects of Alcoholism Recovery |
| tried to encourage Joe to get help. Joe may or may | | | | ADMISSION THAT HELP IS NEEDED (ALLOWS |
| not realize that the drug has caused problems; he isn't | | | | TREATMENT TO MOVE FORWARD |
| thinking about alcoholism recovery. | | | | This is a list of how a person can ASCEND into |
| He has turned his life over to the drug. He makes sure | | | | alcoholism recovery. |
| he has enough. He thinks about getting enough. He | | | | 1. In spiritual fog |
| craves using the drugs to relieve the pain. When he | | | | 2. Honest desire for help |
| doesn't have the drug, Joe may experience terrible | | | | 3. Vague notion of Higher Power |
| withdrawal symptoms, live sweats, the shakes, | | | | 4. New faith: "Came to believe" |
| hallucinations or a variety of physical ailments. He may | | | | 5. Hope dawns: Can be restored to sanity |
| not sleep, or may have digestive problems, he may not | | | | 6. Thirst for God examined (hard struggle for some) |
| eat, or he may not have any interest in anything other | | | | 7. Second BOTTOM: Existential crisis |
| than the drug. | | | | 8. Acceptance (surrender, turnabout) |
| Joe's level of addiction at this point just means that he | | | | 9. Conversion: "Let go and let God" |
| is on a downward spiral. He is descending into | | | | 10. Trust: "Thy will be done" |
| addiction. | | | | 11. Appreciates possibility of new way of life |
| 6:00 AM | | | | 12. Patience: "One day at a time" |
| Let's say that Joe's friends are now actively | | | | 13. Forgiveness: Not "Why did I?" but "forgive me" |
| encouraging him to get help. Let's say that Joe agrees | | | | 14. Reconciliation: personal relationship "at ease" with |
| that he'll try. The process of addiction taking hold, the | | | | God just |
| friends trying to help and Joe agreeing to get help | | | | 15. Humbly asks God to remove shortcomings |
| takes us to the 6:00 position. Joe has admitted that the | | | | 16. False ego deflated |
| drugs are getting in the way. He says he'll try harder to | | | | 17. Return of self-esteem (God not a rescuer) |
| not use the drug. He may say he'll "cut back" or he | | | | 18. Honesty: Makes amends |
| may say he'll accept some outpatient treatment. | | | | 19. Promptly admits when wrong |
| People have strong spirits. It's the American way to pull | | | | 20. Courage. Optimism, new freedom |
| yourself up by your own bootstraps. "I did it my way," | | | | 21. Rebirth of ideals |
| was a popular Frank Sinatra song years ago, and we | | | | 22. Appreciation of spiritual values |
| still hear it today because it embodies the free spirited, | | | | 23. Gratitude |
| rugged individual personality. Don't tell me what to do or | | | | 24. Increased tolerance of others |
| how to do it. Joe is going to try, but it has to be his | | | | 25. Serenity, peace of soul, joy |
| way or the highway. | | | | 26. Prayer and meditation |
| Let's pause for a moment. I respect effort. Do not | | | | 27. Growth in proper concept of God |
| misunderstand this important point. Joe says he'll try | | | | 28. Deeper relation to God as a loving God |
| and for a time he succeeds. I respect the effort. There | | | | 29. Unselfish: Goes to others because God loves them |
| was a lovely woman in one of my spirituality group | | | | 30. |
| sessions who shared that she had been clean for | | | | |