Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery

[roygrip]

Hi! Jake!!!

[roygrip]

Why Do People Drink Alcohol?

No matter where you go, you are likely to notice there is always alcohol around in a social setting. This is common place. Many homes today have bars, others have at least a couple of bottles on hand for their own use or to make sure they can put together drinks when company shows up. Our culture has fast become a real ‘drinking culture’.

But, For What Reasons Do People Drink Alcohol?

Research has shown that the number one answer to this question is what you probably would expect, socialization. Many people drink as their way to fit in with others. It often boosts their confidence and helps reduce stresses they may usually have in a social setting.

The next highest reason many people drink is because they like the taste. Be it someone with a love for beer or the many mixed drinks available, people do simply enjoy the taste of these beverages.

Next, people drink to relax, or feel at ease. One of the problems with this is that many people get used to feeling at ease and relaxed and start to rely on alcohol to make them feel that way on a daily basis. At this point, the reliance on alcohol can eventually turn into an addiction which can lead to destructive behaviours and health problems.

To get a buzz or to simply to “get drunk” are the next reasons many people like to drink, followed by drinking out of peer pressure. The occurrence of peer pressure to drink can be common place in today’s youth society.

If you are worried about someone you know, or maybe even yourself, having a problem with alcohol – be sure to read as much information as you can on the general signs of alcohol addiction and how to best deal with them. Read more information at our Alcohol Information resources

[roygrip]

The word ALLOW is a very powerful yet peaceful word. What YOU
ALLOW into your body, mind & spirit will determine the level of
your happiness. Who YOU ALLOW into your world will determine
the level of energy from which you create. Un-attach from
materialistic things and watch the mystery of your life unfold. It's
that simple. It's us human DOINGS that want to make this thing
called LIFE so complicated! It's a New Day! May you live IT well

[kimber45]

Good Morning Everyone, TGIF. Let's see if we can make it another "dry" weekend. If so, it will be the 3rd one in a row. We have a ton of projects that need to be finished in the shop, so that should keep us occupied

[kent]

Oct 21, 2011 8:49:28 GMT -5 kimber45 said:

Good Morning Everyone, TGIF. Let's see if we can make it another "dry" weekend. If so, it will be the 3rd one in a row. We have a ton of projects that need to be finished in the shop, so that should keep us occupied

Good morning Kimber. The weekend will go just as hoped for because you're "dialed in" on the issue. Congratulations!

[kimber45]

Thanks Kent

[roygrip]

Oct 21, 2011 8:49:28 GMT -5 kimber45 said:

Good Morning Everyone, TGIF. Let's see if we can make it another "dry" weekend. If so, it will be the 3rd one in a row. We have a ton of projects that need to be finished in the shop, so that should keep us occupied

The more "aware" the easier it is Kimber. Good luck. Good job!

[kent]

Update from post 121. So my ex-BIL spent about 10 days in the hospital as they tried to rid his system of toxins and get the level of ammonia down in his blood. He came home and was sort of OK for a few days. He went to see the doctor again last week and they told him his potassium levels were way too high and that he needed to be hospitalized again.

He said he didn't want to go back in and they told him if he elected to check himself out of their care he would be no longer be eligible for a transplant. After some lengthy discussions, which included her striking a deal whereby she would stay with him at the hospital all day, he agreed to stay.

Well, as I've read, high levels of potassium are a sign the kidneys are in trouble due to his cirrhosis so now he's got even more problems. All he has said to his wife is that he wants to go to "sleep."

She's obviously not handling this well even though she's a really strong person.

It "looks" like he's at the point (doctor agrees) where about the only option left is a transplant. That's the really bad news. The good news is that he might be able to get a "partial" implant from a living donor and it doesn't necessarily have to be a relative. This whole option has yet to be discussed with the lover doctor.

From the Mayo clinic: www.mayoclinic.org/liver-transplant/livingdonorlivertransplant.html

I'm not trying to scare anyone, just trying to.....wait, yes I am trying to scare those that haven't made the decision to cease and desist - If you don't, this could be your life story and I don't want that to be the case for any of you. Make the decision to cease and desist - effect a personal lifestyle change!

You (including those that are only lurking and afraid to join in) have many friends here to help you through this......

[roygrip]

WOW KENT! The stark reality of alcohol/drug addictions. What 12 step literature tells us, is what we have to look foward toif we continue to drink/use is "Jails, Institutions and death!" It rings true. My continuied prayers for him and the rest of the family. What a horrible thing to happen by his own actions. A reminder to us all. I will always suffer from acid reflux directly related to burning my own stomach walls with alcohol. Almost 11 yrs since I had a drink, but my stomach will forever be painful.

[Jake 48]

Hello everyone, staying the course

[roygrip]

CLARITY ~

I know better than to not trust God. But sometimes, I forget that.

When we are in the midst of an experience, it is easy to forget that there is a Plan. Sometimes, all we can see is today.

If we were to watch a weaver sewing a tapestry for only a few moments, and focused on only a small piece of the work, it would not look beautiful. It would look like a few peculiar threads randomly placed. How often we use that same, limited perspective to look at our life - especially when we are going through a difficult time.

We can learn to have perspective when we are going through those confusing, difficult learning times. When we are being pelted by events that make us feel, think, and question, we are in the midst of learning something important.

We can trust that something valuable is being worked out in us - even when things are difficult, even when we cannot get our bearings. Insight and clarity do not come until we have mastered our lesson.

Faith is like a muscle. It must be exercised to grow strong. Repeated experiences of having to trust what we can't see and repeated experiences of learning to trust that things will work out, are what makes our faith muscles grow strong.

Today, I will trust that the events in my life are not random. My experiences are not a mistake. The Universe, my Higher Power, and life are not picking on me. I am going through what I need to go through to learn something valuable, something that will prepare me for the joy and love I am seeking.

~from The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

Hi Daphne!!

[roygrip]

Good Morning, we as addicts/alcoholics repeat the same thing over and over.......


Maturity

I can keep myself in perspective. I have been around the block with myself many times. I know where I get snagged up, I know where certain relationships or circumstances will lead me. I am familiar with how I react to various circumstances. Just for today, I will avoid going down a street that I know is filled with potholes and will take a street that runs some other way. Why should I deliberately set myself up for disappointment when I can just as easily avoid it? Why should I do what I know will not yield high returns? If I know and understand myself, then it is my responsibility to put that knowledge to good use, to allow it to steer me through my life in positive and pleasant ways. My life works better when I am able to witness myself in action, knowing that I can enter in by choice rather than compulsion, feeling free to act as I choose, to tailor my life to suit me.

I act with maturity.

Maturity consists in no longer being taken in by onerelf.
Kajetan von Schlaggenberg

[roygrip]

Honor True Self
Forgive with Compassion
Receive ALL of life with Thanksgiving
CHOOSE with Thoughtful Consideration
Dream with Powerful Vision
Act with Bold Courage
Dance with a Light Heart
Relax in the Arms of Spirit
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

[hamsterwheel]

Oct 22, 2011 12:22:47 GMT -5 kent said:

Update from post 121. So my ex-BIL spent about 10 days in the hospital as they tried to rid his system of toxins and get the level of ammonia down in his blood. He came home and was sort of OK for a few days. He went to see the doctor again last week and they told him his potassium levels were way too high and that he needed to be hospitalized again.

He said he didn't want to go back in and they told him if he elected to check himself out of their care he would be no longer be eligible for a transplant. After some lengthy discussions, which included her striking a deal whereby she would stay with him at the hospital all day, he agreed to stay.

Well, as I've read, high levels of potassium are a sign the kidneys are in trouble due to his cirrhosis so now he's got even more problems. All he has said to his wife is that he wants to go to "sleep."

She's obviously not handling this well even though she's a really strong person.

It "looks" like he's at the point (doctor agrees) where about the only option left is a transplant. That's the really bad news. The good news is that he might be able to get a "partial" implant from a living donor and it doesn't necessarily have to be a relative. This whole option has yet to be discussed with the lover doctor.

From the Mayo clinic: www.mayoclinic.org/liver-transplant/livingdonorlivertransplant.html

I'm not trying to scare anyone, just trying to.....wait, yes I am trying to scare those that haven't made the decision to cease and desist - If you don't, this could be your life story and I don't want that to be the case for any of you. Make the decision to cease and desist - effect a personal lifestyle change!

You (including those that are only lurking and afraid to join in) have many friends here to help you through this......

Kent, looking at what is going on, it seems he has hepatorenal syndrome which is when cirrhosis is so severe, it starts impairing kidney function.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001519/

Makes sense since from what I've read, he already has hepatic encephalopathy. I hope he is being adequately treated for both at this time.
However, the hyperkalemia seems to indicate acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease and it can be managed by several different drugs (polystyrene sulfonate, albuterol). If it is not managed soon, he will likely die due to an arryhthmia (abnormal heart rhythm). Any kind of kidney failure is serious. Are they looking at a liver/kidney co-transplant? I think anything else at this point wouldn't do any good. Additionally, if he does receive a transplant, he's going to have to be on a lot of medications and the transplants at best last from 7-10 years. Many times they will not give an alcoholic a liver transplant since it's felt they will just continue to use alcohol versus doing what's best for the transplant or their health to where they usually opt for somone else to receive the transplant. At the same point, people receiving a transplant have to be relatively well matched in terms of antigens (major histocompatibility complexes). If not, rejection is a high likelihood, to where they screen for this. Even if the wife wants to give part of her liver or a kidney, she's going to have to fit a certain profile or acute rejection or even hyperacute rejection can occur.

[kimber45]

Good Morning Everyone. Had a great and very productive weekend. Last night we gave away ALL the alcoholic beverages left in the house. DS and some friends got a haul. I didn't realize how much there was until I started pulling it all out. Now I got some room in my fridge and cupboards

[roygrip]

Wisdom of the Rooms ~ Quote of the Week

"Problems are solutions in training."

This was definitely not the way I used to look at problems before recovery. My problems used to overwhelm me; they had no solutions, and there was a long list of them. I would bounce from one to the other, and as I tried to solve them, I just seemed to create more and more.

When I entered the program, I surrendered both my problems and my solutions. My sponsor kept pounding into my head that my best thinking had gotten me here, and with his help I was able to turn my will and my life over to a power greater than myself. And that's when the real solution started to appear.

As I stayed sober and worked the steps, my problems began to solve themselves. As I became more experienced in turning them over, working the steps on them, and using more of the tools in my spiritual tool kit, I found that my problems were actually opportunities for me to grow and change. Today my problems have become my teachers, leading me to spiritual solutions when I become willing to look for them.

Today, my problems truly are solutions in training.

[roygrip]

Oct 24, 2011 4:51:33 GMT -5 @daphne87 said:

Morning Roy! And Hamster! And everyone else!

We had family in town visiting yesterday and boy did that feel good. I think I've been too cooped up in my own life lately and I need to "get out there" a bit more. Including my meetings. It's been quite a while since I've been to one and I need to start making it a priority!

This Friday night, I will go to my meeting. (Posting it here for accountability).

Your being held accountable! I want to see a signed slip!!! ;D

[roygrip]

Oct 24, 2011 8:57:14 GMT -5 kimber45 said:

Good Morning Everyone. Had a great and very productive weekend. Last night we gave away ALL the alcoholic beverages left in the house. DS and some friends got a haul. I didn't realize how much there was until I started pulling it all out. Now I got some room in my fridge and cupboards

LoL someone is gonna have a headache! Good for you Kimber! ;D

[roygrip]

Hamster is VERY good with her medical stuff!

THANK YOU for all the help she's given me!

[Jake 48]

Kimber and Daph,

[roygrip]

There is a solution. There is. But you must keep
going to find it. You cannot stop, you cannot give up.

This is about more than just patience. This is about
more than just persistence. This is about absolute
knowing that God is on your side.

When you know this, you never give up...and the
sense of struggle goes away. You simply keep moving
forward, knowing that in the end all will work out.
And that along the way there will be great insights
and wonderful remembering. -Neale Donald Walsh

[kent]

Oct 23, 2011 20:58:47 GMT -5 hamsterwheel said:

Oct 22, 2011 12:22:47 GMT -5 kent said:

Kent, looking at what is going on, it seems he has hepatorenal syndrome which is when cirrhosis is so severe, it starts impairing kidney function.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001519/

Makes sense since from what I've read, he already has hepatic encephalopathy. I hope he is being adequately treated for both at this time.
However, the hyperkalemia seems to indicate acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease and it can be managed by several different drugs (polystyrene sulfonate, albuterol). If it is not managed soon, he will likely die due to an arryhthmia (abnormal heart rhythm). Any kind of kidney failure is serious. Are they looking at a liver/kidney co-transplant? I think anything else at this point wouldn't do any good. Additionally, if he does receive a transplant, he's going to have to be on a lot of medications and the transplants at best last from 7-10 years. Many times they will not give an alcoholic a liver transplant since it's felt they will just continue to use alcohol versus doing what's best for the transplant or their health to where they usually opt for somone else to receive the transplant. At the same point, people receiving a transplant have to be relatively well matched in terms of antigens (major histocompatibility complexes). If not, rejection is a high likelihood, to where they screen for this. Even if the wife wants to give part of her liver or a kidney, she's going to have to fit a certain profile or acute rejection or even hyperacute rejection can occur.

Thanks Hamster! Very informative info on the link you provided. He seems to "fit" just about every symptom.......

[hamsterwheel]

Oct 25, 2011 14:34:42 GMT -5 kent said:

Oct 23, 2011 20:58:47 GMT -5 hamsterwheel said:

Oct 22, 2011 12:22:47 GMT -5 kent said:

Thanks Hamster! Very informative info on the link you provided. He seems to "fit" just about every symptom.......

Good afternoon everyone! I am happy to hear about all your progress.
I was good for awhile and slipped up, so I'm getting back on the horse again.
Roy, much love to you too in terms of all your support and encouragement.
Kent, That's not good that he's fitting all those symptoms as his organs are shutting down. I'm glad I can help. If you need more information on something, just ask and I'll do the best I can to help.

[Jake 48]

Giddy up Hamster and karma

[kent]

Oct 25, 2011 17:13:34 GMT -5 hamsterwheel said:

Oct 25, 2011 14:34:42 GMT -5 kent said:

Thanks Hamster! Very informative info on the link you provided. He seems to "fit" just about every symptom.......

Kent, That's not good that he's fitting all those symptoms as his organs are shutting down. I'm glad I can help. If you need more information on something, just ask and I'll do the best I can to help.

His wife just called to let me know they've put him in hospice. The doctors are saying he's too far gone for a liver transplant and all the other medical/mental issues support that decision.

Of course they don't know exactly how long he's got but they are telling her it could be a month, a week, a couple of days or maybe only a few hours. God, this stinks!

I told her that when this takes place, I'm here for her but what the hell can you say? I've been through the death of friends before and it doesn't get any easier and this situation is exacerbated by significant financial complications........

[chiver78]

kent

[roygrip]

Courage to Never Feel Sorry For Yourself Again

Defeating Your Dark Emotions

One thing that makes it so difficult to stop feeling sorry for ourselves is how real it feels when we are full of self-regret.

Negative states, in general, are part of an interior conspiracy to produce the illusion that no choice exists for us other than to cave in to their punishing presence. But, in truth, it is not we who are without choice in such moments; it is the negative state that has no choice but to disappear as soon as we remember that no darkness is greater than the Light that reveals it.

The key to dismissing the parts of us that love pity parties is to blow out the match that lights the candles of bitterness before they become inflamed. Here are ten truths about self-pity to help strengthen your wish to be free of all dark, self-compromising states.


It Makes Things Worse
The only thing feeling sorry for yourself changes about your life is that it makes it worse.

It Fosters Persistent Resistance to Healing
No matter how you look at it, you involve yourself with whatever you resist!

It Repels New Opportunities
Being wrapped up in self-pity completely spoils any chance of being able to see new possibilities as they appear; besides, no one likes sour milk!

It Nurtures Bitterness
The only thing that grows from cultivating any dark seed of sorrow is more bitter fruit.

It Enables the Negative in Everyone
Feeling sorry for those who want you to feel sorry for them is like giving an alcoholic a gift certificate to a liquor store.

It Steals Your Possibilities
Your thoughts can no more tell you what is true about your possibilities than can a set of stream-side boulders know the nature of the waters that rush by them.

It is a Poison in the System
Feeling sorry for yourself is a slow acting poison; it first corrupts, and then consumes the heart...choking it with dark and useless emotions.

It Overwhelms You
You cannot separate the reasons you have for feeling sorry for yourself from the sorry way you feel.

It Depletes You of Compassion
The heart watered by tears of self-pity soon turns to stone; it is incapable of compassion.

It Dooms You To a Future of Sadness
Agreeing to live with sad regrets only ensures they’ll still be with you tomorrow.

Moving Past Self-Pity
It is important to realize there lives nothing real in our past – regardless of how disappointing or painful it may have been – that can grab us and make us its captive anymore than dark shadows have the power to keep us from walking into the sunlight. Now, add to this fact the realization that there is never a good reason to go along with feeling bad about yourself, and you’re on your way to living in a world without self-pity.

[roygrip]

Oct 25, 2011 20:22:30 GMT -5 kent said:

Oct 25, 2011 17:13:34 GMT -5 hamsterwheel said:

Kent, That's not good that he's fitting all those symptoms as his organs are shutting down. I'm glad I can help. If you need more information on something, just ask and I'll do the best I can to help.

His wife just called to let me know they've put him in hospice. The doctors are saying he's too far gone for a liver transplant and all the other medical/mental issues support that decision.

Of course they don't know exactly how long he's got but they are telling her it could be a month, a week, a couple of days or maybe only a few hours. God, this stinks!

I told her that when this takes place, I'm here for her but what the hell can you say? I've been through the death of friends before and it doesn't get any easier and this situation is exacerbated by significant financial complications........

So sad Kent. And true, all you can do is be there. There is no "correct' thing to say. Your presence and support is what's remembered. My continuied prayers. There but for the grace of God go I. It could just as easyily be me or anyone of us that continuies to drink in excess.
I pray for him.

[kimber45]

So sorry to hear that Kent (((Hugs)))) to you and prayers

[hamsterwheel]

I'm so sorry Kent. That is a really tough situation. Sending hugs, thoughts, and good karma your way.