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New Year's
Well, it is time to reflect on 2002 and celebrate 2003. As a group of counselors 2001 and 2002 has been a time of transition in many of our practices. We have seen many more adults seeking help for their drug or alcohol use problem, and we have been seeing more adults who are seeking recovery from co-dependency.
While New Year's Eve is often a time of celebration and happiness, it can also be a time of relapse for people in recovery from addiction. As a matter of fact, New Year's for the drug-user is not about reflection and commitment to a new year. It is just a time to get intoxicated.
In addition to this belief about New Year's Eve, there realy is an alarming number of people using alcohol and other drugs at this time. For many people without a problem with alcohol, drinking champagne at midnight is tradition. For the person in recovery, it can be difficult watching so many people drink.
Watching other people drinking
and having fun can be quite tempting. Certainly, people will
be offering them drinks and asking them to celebrate too. We
have even worked with client's whose parents have given them
champagne on New Year's Eve. (contd.)
The parents thought that their child should be able to have one
glass of champagne and enjoy the New Year. For a person with
substance abuse and especially addiction, that one glass of champagne
will trigger them to have a strong desire to experience intoxication.
After that first drink, that person's mind becomes centered on
one thing, " how will I get more of this stuff?"
While we hope that you celebrate and have a great New Year's Eve, we want to remind you to be mindful of your own use. By drinking, you might be sending the message to the person in recovery that it is "okay to drink on New Year's Eve". Finally, continue to have the expectation that the person in recovery remain abstinent on New Year's Eve. Be safe and have fun !!
Addiction is a Biological Disease:
In the past, alcoholism/chemical dependency/ addiction was considered
a moral problem. Addicts and alcoholics were looked upon as weak
willed people who did not care about themselves or their family
and friends. Fortunately, in contemporary society, increasingly
more medical doctors, clergy and other professionals realize
that chemical dependency is a disease. The recognition of alcoholism
and other drug addictions as an illness implies several things:
1.The illness can be described.
2. The course of the illness is predictable and progressive.
3. The disease is primary : It is not just a symptom of some
other underlying disorder. It is not a result of low self-esteem,
divorces or depression.
4. It is permanent.
5. It is terminal. If left untreated, it results in mental illness
or premature death.
Current research shows genetics plays a key role in addiction. Studies have been conducted on mice, monkeys, twins, and adopted children to support the notion that genetics can be used as a predictor when determining who will become addicted to drugs. In fact, it is the current number one predictor of addiction. This is why we want you to know, if you have a family history of this disease, that you/your child is at increased risk.
This is very similar to families who have a history of heart disease, breast cancer, strokes, manic-depression, and other biochemical and genetic disorders. If your child has addiction, it is not because of the way you raised him, or the influence of the church he attended or didn't attend. It has nothing to do with intelligence. Addiction is biological. For those without the family history, it is still biological.. It is a function of the way the users brain chemistry was changed as a result of use at an early age…
How is Your Recovery from Enabling?
When you attended the Parent Program, we talked about parental "denial & enabling." From time to time it is good to evaluate your progress. The following are examples of enabling:
Do you "Rescue" by:
" Clearing absences at school
" Doing your child's chores
Do you "Bargin" by:
" Keeping secrets from the other parent
" Promising gifts for sobriety
Do you still "tolerate intolerable behaviors:"
" Cursing in your home
" Disrespectful behavior to family members
If you are presently engaging in any of these behaviors or similar ones, please refer to the book, Co-dependent No More, or speak with your counselor. Next month, look for an article on enabling an adult family member…