Daily Spiritual Disciplines

I will suggest here some tools that you can use on a daily basis to be drug and alcohol free that can become a part of your own personal recovery program. Consider setting aside a quiet time every morning to focus on the fact that you are in recovery and to make a conscious commitment to yourself each morning to be abstinent from drug or alcohol use for that day. This daily discipline can become a basic recovery tool for you.

At night before retiring for the day, take a few minutes for some quiet time to review the day. If you have not picked up an alcoholic drink or a drug, you can be grateful for that miracle regardless of whatever negative or positive events that have ocurred. It is indeed a miracle for an addict or alcoholic to get through a day without using. Again, this daily discipline of reviewing the day before sleeping and being thankful for another day of recovery can become a basic recovery tool for you.

Daily Recovery Tips

Check these to sites for daily recovery tips for recovering alcoholics and addicts, and for persons in recovery from problems associated with a loved one who is an alcoholic or addict:
http://www.alcoholdrugsos.com/alcoholicsaddictscounseling.html
http://www.alcoholdrugsos.com/FamilyAddictionsCounselingonline.html

More About Step Seven of the Twelve Steps of Recovery

Continuing discussion of Step Seven of the Twelve Steps of recovery: "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.", here is what the AA Big Book says about asking for removal of our shortcomings:

"...we find a place where we can be quiet for an hour, carefully reviewing what we have done. We thank God from the bottom of our heart that we know Him better. Taking this book down from our shelf we turn to the page which contains the twelve steps. Carefully reading the first five proposals we ask if we have omitted anything, for we are building an arch through which we shall walk a free man at last. Is our work solid so far? Are the stones properly in place? Have we skimped on the cement put into the foundation? Have we tried to make mortar without sand? If we can answer to our satisfaction, we then look at Step Six. We have emphasized willingness as being indispensable. Are we now ready to let God remove from us all the things which we have admitted are objectionable? Can He now take them all, everyone? If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing. When ready, we say something like this: 'My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.' We have then completed Step Seven."

In my experience with this Step, the defects are rarely all removed at once, rarely forever, and rarely completely. As with most of recovery, working of Steps Six and Seven is a process in which we make progress over time. I can say that over time, comparing the way I am now with the way I was in early recovery, my Higher Power has removed many of my defects almost completely. Recovery is hard work, with daily application of spiritual principles, but it DOES work. See my web site: http://www.alcoholdrugsos.com

More on Step Seven of the 12 Steps of Recovery

Continuing discussion of Step Seven of the Twelve Steps of recovery: "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.", here is what AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions says about humility:

"...the attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.'s Twelve Steps. For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all......For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible...As long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing."

Some may find this language difficult to accept because we are all taught that self-reliance is a sterling attribute. The point here is this: the addict and alcoholic, according to the Twelve Step approach, which I agree with, must come to understand at a gut level that left to his/her own efforts and will, he/she cannot control use of drugs or alcohol, i.e., that he/she is powerless. Once having internalized this uderstanding the person is in a position to seek spiritual help to abstain from use and begin the recovery journey. Humility does NOT mean a lack of self-reliance and will power and strength, but an acknowledgement of the need for spiritual strength to access that self-reliance and will power and strength.

Step Seven of the Twelve Steps of Recovery

Let's begin discussion of Step Seven of the Twelve Steps of recovery: "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings." What does humility mean? Let's start with what humility does NOT mean. Sometimes people confuse humility with "humiliation" and then focus on all the degrading, shaming situations drug and alcohol use have caused them. Humiliation or pain from drug and alcohol use can certainly motivate a person to be humble enough to ask for help, but being humble means more that that. Here is what the NA Basic Text says: "Having decided we want God, as we understand Him, to relieve us of the useless or destructive aspects of our personalities, we have arrived at the Seventh Step. We couldn't handle the ordeal of life all by ourselves. It wasn't until we made a real mess of our lives that we realized we couldn't do it alone. By admitting this, we achieved a glimpse of humility. This is the main ingredient of Step Seven. Humility has a lot to do with getting honest with ourselves, which is something we have practiced from Step One. We accepted our addiction and powerlessness. We found a strength beyond ourselves and learned to rely on it. We examined our lives and discovered who we really are. To be truly humble is to accept and honestly try to be who we are. None of us are [sic] perfectly good or perfectly bad. We are people who have assets and liabilities and most important of all, we are human."
http://www.alcoholdrugsos.com

More about Step Six of Twelve Steps of Recovery

Continuing our discussion of Step Six of the Twelve Steps of recovery: "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.", can anyone in recovery become entirely ready to have his/her Higher Power remove all of the defects of character identified in Steps Four and Five? As is said in AA's Big Book, the goal is progress, not perfection. The only Step that a recovering person expects perfection in working is Step One; without abstinence from drugs or alcohol, an addict or alcoholic will not have the strength that comes from a relationship with a Higher Power, or the mental clarity, needed to work the rest of the Steps, including Step Six.

Where does the motivation come from to be willing to do Steps Four, Five, and Six, that is, to look honestly at our defects and seek to have them removed or at least reduced in strength? The answer is three-fold: 1) the motivation to change almost always stems from the pain of acting in ways that cause our lives to continue to be unmanageable even though we are not using alcohol or other drugs; 2) the motivation can stem from witnessing the spiritual strength of others in recovery who clearly now live balanced lives, but in the past had the same behavioral problems and negative personality traits that we have; 3) the motivation and strength to change can come from use of daily prayer and meditation focusing on areas in ourselves that need to be changed and asking for help.

See my site:http://www.alcoholdrugsos.com

Step 6 of the Twelve steps of Recovery

Let's begin discussion of Step Six of the Twelve Steps of recovery: "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character." As with other Steps, willingness is a basic ingredient in doing this Step. See the following excerpts from the NA Basic Text: "Why ask for something that we are not ready for? This would be asking for trouble. So many times we addicts have sought the rewards of hard work without the labor. Willingness is what we strive for in Step Six. How sincerely we work this step will be proportionate to our desire for change...We examine the Fourth Step inventory and get a good look at what these defects are doing to our lives. We begin to long for freedom from these defects. We pray or otherwise become willing, ready and able to let God remove these destructive traits. We need a personality change if we are to stay clean. We want to change...When we are working Step Six, it is important to remember that we are human and should not place unrealistic expectations on ourselves. This is a step of willingness. That is the spiritual principle of Step Six."

Continuing our discussion of Step Six of the Twelve Steps of recovery: "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.", can anyone in recovery become entirely ready to have his/her Higher Power remove all of the defects of character identified in Steps Four and Five? As is said in AA's Big Book, the goal is progress, not perfection. The only Step that a recovering person expects perfection in working is Step One; without abstinence from drugs or alcohol, an addict or alcoholic will not have the strength that comes from a relationship with a Higher Power, or the mental clarity, needed to work the rest of the Steps, including Step Six.

Continuing our discussion of Step Six of the Twelve Steps of recovery: "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.", where does the motivation come from to be willing to do Steps Four, Five, and Six, that is, to look honestly at our defects and seek to have them removed or at least reduced in strength? The answer is three-fold: 1) the motivation to change almost always stems from the pain of acting in ways that cause our lives to continue to be unmanageable even though we are not using alcohol or other drugs; 2) the motivation can stem from witnessing the spiritual strength of others in recovery who clearly now live balanced lives, but in the past had the same behavioral problems and negative personality traits that we have; 3) the motivation and strength to change can come from use of daily prayer and meditation focusing on areas in ourselves that need to be changed and asking for help.

Step Five of the Twelve Steps of Recovery

Let's begin looking at Step Five of the Twelve Steps: "Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs." Here is some of what AA's Big Book says about Step Five:

"Having made our personal inventory, what shall we do about it? We have been trying to get a new attitude, a new relationship with our Creator, and to discover the obstacles in our path. We have admitted certain defects; we have ascertained in a rough way what the trouble is; we have put our finger on the weak times in our personal inventory. Now these are about to be cast out. This requires action on our part, which, when completed, will mean that we have admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our defects. This brings us to the Fifth Step in the program of recovery...This is perhaps difficult, especially discussing our defects with another person. We think we have done well enough in admitting these things to ourselves. There is doubt about that. In actual practice, we usually find a solitary self-appraisal insufficient. Many of us thought it necessary to go much further.

We will be more reconciled to discussing ourselves with another person when we see good reasons why we should do so. The best reason first: If we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking. Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives. Trying to avoid this humbling experience, they have turned to easier methods. Almost invariably they got drunk."

Humility is a key concept in recovery, one that is an inherent part of many of the Twelve Steps of recovery, including Step Five. For more discussion of Step Five, see my site: http://www.alcoholdrugsos.com, and the Addiction Recovery Tip for the Day.

The "Powerlessness" Concept of Twelve Step Recovery

Here are some thoughts about opponents of the Twelve Step Programs' approach to recovery from addiction, namely, the requirement that the individual admit "powerlessness" over addiction as the threshold condition for successful recovery (Step One of AA and NA).

There are researchers who do not accept the Twelve Step approach; they do not support the concept that a person must internalize a complete lack of efficacy over the ability to control alcohol or drugs. These researchers maintain this absolute powerlessness (or lack of self-efficacy) approach dooms the addict or alcoholic who relapses to take the relapse to a point as severe as the point at which the person began recovery. These researchers distingush between a "lapse" and a "relapse", the former being a minor slip that does not progress to a full, severe relapse.

In my view, these researchers are mistaken and do not understand the power of addiction or the alcoholic or addict mind set. To suggest to a recovering person that one can have a lapse and quickly return to abstinence though development of self-efficacy skills, as these researchers propose, would be to open the door to use. Every alcoholic and addict would dearly love to find a way to use with just a minor degree of problems (a lapse) and then return to abstinence. In my experience it would be dangerous to recovery for a person to "lapse" and NOT experience serious consequences; the addicted mind would then conclude, "they (those people in AA and NA) were wrong; I CAN use without serious problems", and then plan the next "lapse." So, for me, it IS an all or nothing proposition for the addicted person: he/she must internalize that he/she has no control over the use of any amount of drugs or alcohol.

Spirituality in Recovery from Addiction

I will suggest in this post some tools that you can use on a daily basis to be drug and alcohol free that can become a part of your own personal recovery program. Consider setting aside a quiet time every morning to focus on the fact that you are in recovery and to make a conscious commitment to yourself each morning to be abstinent from drug or alcohol use for that day. This daily discipline can become a basic recovery tool for you.At night before retiring for the day, take a few minutes for some quiet time to review the day. If you have not picked up an alcoholic drink or a drug, you can be grateful for that miracle regardless of whatever negative or positive events that have occurred. It is indeed a miracle for an addict or alcoholic to get through a day without using. Again, this daily discipline of reviewing the day before sleeping and being thankful for another day of recovery can become a basic recovery tool for you.

I am now going to suggest that you consider adding a spiritual component to your daily disciplines. I will begin the discussion of spirituality by just making a few observations and asking that the reader of this post try to have an open mind to the concept of spirituality. I use the term spirituality to include any source of strength that you are open to tapping into. Spirituality can be found in organized religions and can be based upon a relationship an individual develops with God. But, spirituality can be developed apart from organized religion and can be based on one's own concept of a source of spiritual strength. So, for now, I suggest that the reader just have an open mind about finding a source of spiritual strength.

Willingness to seek a source of spiritual strength, regardless of how that source is defined, is the key to developing a relationship with such a spiritual source. The willingness often is the result of finding that one's own efforts to resolve the drug or alcohol problem have failed. In my experience, all an individual need do is to adopt daily spiritual disciplines through which the individual reaches out to a source of spiritual strength by prayer, by meditation, by journaling, or in some other way by methodically seeking help, support, and strength from a source outside of, or within, self. It is in the seeking of spiritual strength that one builds an experience based faith in the process and a relationship with a source of spiritual strength. Of course, it is essential that the alcoholic or addict surrender to the fact that use of alcohol or other drugs is no longer a viable option.

Returning to the concept I mentioned in the first paragraph, I will describe now a simple daily program of spiritual disciplines that I have used for 29 years in support of my own recovery. I often guarantee to individuals I counsel that if they commit to such a program and abstain from drug or alcohol use, they will come to experience a serenity and strength that will sustain them no matter what happens in their lives, positive or negative. Set aside a time for quiet reflection on arising at the start of the day and on retiring at the end of the day to focus on your recovery, as follows: on arising, read something positive (for example, a daily meditation book), or perhaps meditate on aspects of your life for which you can be grateful, recommit yourself to abstinence and recovery for that day, and ask for help from whatever your source of spiritual strength may be to stay clean and sober and to strive for a loving response to whatever occurs during the day. At night before retiring, review your day, reflect gratefully that you have not used drugs or alcohol that day, and ask for help in any way that works for you to improve in your reactions that day that may not have been as loving or positive as you would have liked. In my view, any individual in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction who can get through the day without using can claim a spiritual victory regardless of other calamities or negatives that might have occurred.

Performing these spiritual disciplines in the morning and evening, not picking up a drink or a drug, and if at all possible attending a 12 Step meeting, will over a period of time result in your coming to believe in a spiritual source of strength and the process, and can form the foundation of a solid, enduring recovery.

Definition of Alcoholism

Here is the most comprehensive definition of alcoholism that I know:

"Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. Each of these symptoms may be continuous or periodic." *

"Primary” refers to the nature of alcoholism as a disease entity in addition to and separate from other pathophysiologic states which may be associated with it. "Primary" suggests that alcoholism, as an addiction, is not a symptom of an underlying disease state.

"Disease" means an involuntary disability. It represents the sum of the abnormal phenomena displayed by a group of individuals. These phenomena are associated with a specified common set of characteristics by which these individuals differ from the norm, and which places them at a disadvantage.

"Often progressive and fatal" means that the disease persists over time and that physical, emotional, and social changes are often cumulative and may progress as drinking continues. Alcoholism causes premature death through overdose, organic complications involving the brain, liver, heart, and many other organs, and by contributing to suicide, homicide, motor vehicle crashes, and other traumatic events.

"Impaired control" means the inability to limit alcohol use or to consistently limit on any drinking occasion the duration of the episode, the quantity consumed, and/or the behavioral consequences of drinking.

"Preoccupation" in association with alcohol use indicates excessive, focused attention given to the drug alcohol, its effects, and/or its use. The relative value thus assigned to alcohol by the individual often leads to a diversion of energies away from important life concerns.

"Adverse consequences" are alcohol-related problems or impairments in such areas as: physical health (e.g., alcohol withdrawal syndromes, liver disease, gastritis, anemia, neurological disorders); psychological functioning (e.g., impairments in cognition, changes in mood and behavior); interpersonal functioning (e.g., marital problems and child abuse, impaired social relationships); occupational functioning (e.g., scholastic or job problems); and legal, financial, or spiritual problems.

"Denial" is used here not only in the psychoanalytic sense of a single psychological defense mechanism disavowing the significance of events, but also more broadly to include a range of psychological maneuvers designed to reduce awareness of the fact that alcohol use is the cause of an individual's problems rather than a solution to those problems. Denial becomes an integral part of the disease and a major obstacle to recovery. Denial in alcoholism is a complex phenomenon determined by multiple psychological and physiological mechanisms. These include the pharmacological effects of alcohol on memory, the influence of euphoric recall on perception and insight, the role of suppression and repression as psychological defense mechanisms, and the impact of social and cultural enabling behavior.
_________________________________________________________________________________* Approved by the Boards of Directors of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (February 3, 1990) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (February 25, 1990). See Journal of the American Medical association, Vol. 268, 1012-1014 (August 26, 1992).

What Is Denial in Addictions?

"Denial" in the alcohol or other drug (AOD) dependent person includes the following factors which operate, except for Item 1), in major part unconsciously, or, at times, semi-consciously:

1) Deliberate Lies.Addicted persons, be they alcoholic or addicted to other drugs, lie and manipulate to protect their ability to satisfy the need to use their DOC (drug of choice). They also lie to themselves and come to believe their own distortions. Addicts who must buy their drugs from illegal sources and use illegal means to finance purchases, will be particularly adept at deliberate falsification and skillful manipulation.

2) Alcohol/drug-induced amnesia (blackouts).Present inability to recall events occurring while under the influence adds to the "denial" problem. The AOD dependent person in truth cannot remember many of the negative events he/she may be accused of, which adds to the confusion, frustration and delusion of the user (and to the frustration of those close to him/her).

3) Euphoric recall.Recall of events while AOD impaired tends to be distorted. The AOD dependent person also tends to recall only the good times, not the bad, a selective memory.

4) Denial in significant others.Those in intimate relationships with the AOD dependent person (usually living with the user) may develop, without conscious awareness of the negative impact on the user, a denial system in forms similar to that of the addict or alcoholic, and tend to enable, that is, protect the user from experiencing the natural consequences of his/her inappropriate behaviors.

5) Lack of feedback or ability to reality test.Because of the dysfunction which develops in intimate relationships, the AOD dependent person has no way of reality testing, that is, he/she is given no useful feedback about the reality of AOD use and its real impact on significant others. The usual rule in such families is to avoid intimacy and not talk about the problem.

6) Ignorance of the definition of alcoholism or addiction.Stereotypes of the “typical” alcoholic or addict, myths, even one’s own experience with an alcoholic or addict, can lead to excluding one's own behavior from the definition. E.g., an individual can say: I don't drink every day or in the morning (not physically addicted) I've never had a DWl or legal problem from use I go to work every day I can stop for Lent I don’t crave, or need to, drink or use.

7) Toxic effects of AOD on the brain.Alcohol and other drugs seriously disrupt the normal functioning of the brain, not only causing dysfunction in the action of “feel good” chemicals (neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin) thereby producing craving and withdrawal problems, but also cause dysfunction in the brain’s ability to process, store, and use information.

8) Inconsistency in patterns of AOD use, ability to control use, and consequences from use. The individual may not get drunk every time, may not suffer negatives every time, may be able to quit for a time, etc.

9) Influence of Media and Culture. Society, commercials, ads all depict alcohol as an integral part of life's activities---sports, good times, bad times, sex, etc. For much of society, not drinking is abnormal.

10) Sneaky disease. The loss of control over, and dependence on, drugs and alcohol are insidious in their onset and development.

11) Stigma.Alcoholics and drug addicts are considered by much of society to be weak willed, immoral, irresponsible, and perhaps criminal. Persons who have the disease also tend to have internalized this stigmatized notion of the alcoholic or addict.

12) Professional enablers. Even today, when persons with AOD dependence seek help, they often encounter caregivers (mental health professionals) with little expertise in diagnosing and treating AOD disorders, who address issues causing the AOD use, without seeking abstinence from use as a goal. The addict or alcoholic, therefore, is enabled to continue destructive use while at the same time perhaps believing that he/she is working on the roots of the AOD problem.

This information is taken from http://www.alcoholdrugsos.com where professional addictions services are available. It takes professional help to aid the addicted person to be able to break through denial and see the problem.

Role of Fear of Withdrawal in Addiction

The Role of Fear of Withdrawal in the Power of Addictive Disease
Jan Edward Williams, MS, JD, LCADC

Persons with addictive disease continue to use their substances in the face of a long history of adverse consequences in significant areas of their lives, including medical problems, legal problems, relational problems, and employment problems. The drive to use often is stronger than one's love for a significant other or a child; stronger than loyalty to an employer or a friend; and stronger than one's values or even spiritual tenets. Persons with addictive disease continue to use long after any rational individual would choose to do so. This article provides a brief summary of one factor, among many, involved in the power of addictive disease: the role of fear of withdrawal.

Fear of withdrawal is one of the fundamental forces at play in the power of addictive disease, be it alcoholism or drug addiction. Withdrawal in this context is defined to include the physical signs and symptoms of withdrawal usually associated with abrupt cessation of use of a substance, after chronic use to the point of development of tolerance and tissue dependence. For example, here are some of the signs and symptoms associated with withdrawal after physical dependence on alcohol: cravings for alcohol, tremors, sleeplessness, diarrhea, anxiety, sweating, loss of appetite, up to hallucinations and seizures in severe cases.

The withdrawal referred to here also embraces the symptoms of a more subjective nature associated with psychological dependence upon a substance, with obsessive thoughts and preoccupation with the substance. Also included within the withdrawal definition is the apprehension felt by the recovering person that he/she will now have to face all of the pain and vicissitudes of life without the drug used as a primary coping mechanism for years. The individual will be acutely aware of the fact that recovery will require facing the pain and consequences of active addiction (e.g., harm caused to loved ones), again without his/her drug. Often the pain, guilt, remorse, and self-hatred emotionally overwhelm the individual, triggering the coping response of the addict or alcoholic, namely, use of his/her drug of choice.

Withdrawal from physical dependence on opiate drugs such as Vicodin (hydrocodone) or OxyContin (oxycodone)is usually NOT a life threatening experience (absent medical complications), with symptoms similar to a bad case of the flu. Withdrawal from physical dependence on stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine, or Ritalin or Adderall, can be serious especially in the presence of medical complications, and the depression that can accompany cessation of use can be severe; a person with thoughts of self harm should seek immediate help from a mental health professional. Withdrawal from dependence on alcohol or sedatives such as the benzodiazepines (for example, Xanax, Ativan, Valium) can be life threatening and the person should seek help from qualified medical professionals.

Fear of withdrawal as defined here is an imposing obstacle to the development of willingness on the part of an addict or alcoholic to choose abstinence and recovery. The cumulative effect of chronic pain and consequences, if properly presented to the addicted individual by a skilled mental health professional with expertise in addictions, with a healthy dose of hope for a way out of the morass of addiction, can help the individual to face these fears though treatment.