From Addiction To Recovery–by the Spirit of the Overcomer
- Teresita "Angela" Terga
- Sep 17, 2022
- 21 min read
Updated: Nov 17
Generational Substance abuse disorder (SUD) affects 1 out of 4 families in the US, according to a 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health by SAMHSA.gov/data.
I have learned that the measure in which our loved ones and ourselves overcome the pressures of life depends on one thing: How fully we embody the Spirit of the Overcomer.
"The Spirit of the Overcomer" was the first Christian CD lesson I listened to back in the day, when I made my first attempt at being a Christian. Although I was baptized catholic at birth, I never really experienced spirituality consciously until much later in life, at middle age.
I used to get teary-eyed whenever I went to church; something tugged at my heart, and I didn't know that it was the Spirit of the overcomer calling to me. I listen now more than ever. But the messages are not always clear. My ego and life experiences get in the way.
Learning to listen is a life-long task to be taken on behalf of our future self and humanity, especially those closest to us.
Although I do not remember the recording's details, the term, 'overcomer' stayed with me. I believe I have overcome a few things in my life, like smoking cigarettes, being infatuated, picking my cuticles, gorging on bread, and other 'bad habits.'
More bad habits are on the way to being overcome through conscious will and determination. It's a day-to-day conscious decision. I recently rejoined the gym and started going to a local Christian curch where the message becomes clearer. The pastor does a great job. Living in faith is not only Christian, it is new age, it is metaphysical, it is based on the natural laws of the universe. Because all is One.
I overcame the most important thing in life which was to find out who I am. Today I know, I am that I am. To Be is an action verb, I am what my conscious intention overcomes day by day. I am the unswerving writer, the loving mother and grandmother, the over spender, the dreamer, a friend to all, a reource to loved ones. I am not perfect. Yet I am in Spirit. Spirit is consciousness. The higher my consciousness, the more I embody Spirit and overcome the challenges of my life.
Seeking for a way out, we postpone our liberation. The perfect path is the determination to surrender, any path you take is going to be fraught with pitfals. Your ability to surrender will determine success.
From Treatment to Recovery - The journey from drug addiction to recovery begins with awareness of the need for change. It requires determination, faith, and support.
Whether it is Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) or any other type of SUD (substance use disorder), recovery is possible. You must learn what it means to live in hope instead of hopelessness by surrendering.
So... how does healing from addiction happen and what does "help" look like?
Many have found their way out of the entrails of addiction, so why can it not happen to you, your friend, or relative? That person in your life who is ensnared by the false promises of euphoria, deserves to learn how to overcome their own self destructiveness.
The top 5 drugs people overdose on are fentanyl, prescription pain relievers, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Although the number of deaths by opioid overdose surmounts the total number of deaths at a rate second only to heart attacks, hope is not only possible but real.
The 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are as follows:
We admitted we were powerless over our addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable.
We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Admit to yourself and others that there is need for change in your life. requires Self reflection, and meditation. Praying mirrors our soul. Once you have owned your situation from a third perspective, that of your hifher self, you can start to Make amends with yourself and others. Ask yourself and others for forgiveness. Forgive your self and others.
Choose a pathway for change. Follow the course you have chosen with total surrender. Keep trying. Get back on it. Change course or repeat the same, if needed. All attempts promote your spiritual awakening as healing becomes the focus of your life.
There are several 12 step program books and more methods than that to chose from. Here is a link to some.
The one thing I did to liberate myself from serial relationships or monogamy (jumping from one relationship to another) was to spend enough time single and become sufficiently self-sufficient. Relying on others for emotional support is not healthy. Addiction may stem from early childhood trauma, but the consequences affect more than our present; they also affect our future's future.
The second thing I did to free myself from codependent relationships was to write. I wrote poetry, short stories, and even a novel. Even a screenplay, even a movie was made. In the end, I was free. But not until I had both hips replaced. After I ran myself aground for the upteenth time, I made myself rigid and unable to walk straight, to lift or open my legs, to crouch or even sit on the john. I gave up my career and a great deal of my retirement, but I gained freedom to be who I was meant to be.
God received me in the arms of love and delivered me to health again, to dream and create. Now, what I do next is the most important thing I will do in my life. And that is to write it all down and make the stories shine and travel far. I'm done. Solved my puzzle of life. Have you?
More than suggest, I urge you, commend you, and support you in your process of telling the turth, to the world, to yourself, about who you are, and what your dreams and hopes are, what your failures and mishaps. Tell it all. And you will be free. Write your memoirs, I can help you, I will listen. Send an email to info@angelaterga.com. Turn your story into a book, a screenplay, or a book of poetry.
This is a bestselling memoir about a journey of the overcomer.
"Readers will cheer for Poses in this potent addition to the literature on drug addiction and recovery."—Kirkus Reviews
Here's a true story that can be an inspiration to all those who believe that there is no cure for addiction and give in and give up. Yes, we ARE capable of healing from addiction—with the right training and inspiration.
Once the brain depends on external substances, it must be slowly adapted to less and less until it reaches a homeostatic state on its own. As it keeps getting saturated and depleted by external stimulants, the brain realizes the consequences and wants change. Loved ones and the medical industry help those afflicted with the disorder find the key to their success story.
What is a spiritual awakening?
Many people triumph over the flesh. They are not born spiritually stronger; they are made so by the encounter with their true self. As you evolve, you will no longer be game for the enemy who calls you to succumb. To beat it, stare it in the face. Say, I will be greater than the flesh. To help you achieve a higher degree of ascension in consciousness, you can read books, engage in spiritual practices, and meet with individuals on the same path who have overcome but continue to lift others and thus help themselves stay on track.
Reach for the light. It will find you. That's faith. Simply put, it is an action we take to move in the direction of yes, I can instead of no, I can't. There to help you on the way is the spiritual connection to Spirit. Salvation is in the making, not the receiving. You receive the blessing to create. You offer the salvation that operated in you.
review - substance abuse disorder part 1
In Part 1 of this series on recovery from addiction, we looked at the n way the brain works and how it is affected by SUDs. https://www.angelaterga.com/post/addiction-recovery-therapies
If you or your loved ones are facing addiction to drugs, you are probably looking for the best option for treatment. Although there are many options available, finding the best one for you may take some research.
In order to maximize your chance of recovery, we’ve compiled a list of the most effective treatments for opioid addiction.
The opioid epidemic is responsible for the longest sustained decline in US life expectancy since the time of World War I and the Great Influenza. By 2017, nearly 50,000 Americans had died from an opioid overdose, with an estimated two million more living with opioid addiction every day.
The book "The Opioid Epidemic: What Everyone Needs to Know" is an accessible, nonpartisan overview of the causes, politics, and treatments tied to the most devastating health crisis of our time. Its comprehensive approach and Q&A format offer listeners a practical path to understanding the epidemic from all sides: the basic science of opioids; the nature of addiction; the underlying reasons for the opioid epidemic; effective approaches to helping individuals, families, communities, and national policy; and common myths related to opioid addiction.
If you or your loved one is facing OUD, and you're looking for more than just Google to show you the best options for treatment, join support groups that may share their success story or have a personal account. Although there are many options available, finding the best one for you may take some research to maximize your chances of recovery.
The estimated cost of the OPIOID EPIDEMIC was $504 BILLION in 2015. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) may be a disease with underlying causes, and science doesn't have a magic pill or vaccine to stop the cravings, anguish, and instability.
ADDICTION RECOVERY IS A REALITY
ADDICTION can be reversed, OVERCOME, and ended. It may take more than medication, more than talk therapy, whether individual or group therapy. It will take Faith, and continuing to hope after failed attempts, as many attempts as necessary, for an individual's total recovery.
And just like it takes a village to raise a child, the support from friends, family, and the health system's willingness to include wholesome remedies in the health insurance equation, help those suffering from substance use disorder overcome addiction and be free.
Such natural, homeopathic, holistic, and oriental therapies, and IV treatments, as well as one-on-one and group talk therapy, are the best remedies for those recovering from SUD.
affordability for holistic remedies may be a deterrent, but it is not final
Here is where we need to close the gap between the rich and the poor. Therapy in the form of supplements and nutrition, massage therapy, spiritual therapies such as yoga and meditation, IV treatments, acupuncture, Ayurveda, and herbal remedies prescribed by holistic health practitioners need to be thrown into the equation when choosing what is covered by health insurance for Americans.
Is our health making a few lab coats over rich while holistic modalities, which may have greater positive effects and a higher probability of success, are not covered by insurance? Why not let the holistic industry for SUD treatments be covered by insurance?
For example, IV treatments have proven to be wise allies when it comes to the recovery of athletes and movie stars who've overindulged in recreational drugs. These treatments should be covered by insurance.
treatments that help bring the brain to homeostasis include nutrition, meditation, and psychological and occupational therapies. But we are just starting to implement THESE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TREATMENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH MEDICATION - And that's where medicine will gain healed patients. We must have a balance. Our brain needs more amounts of amino acids and supplements WHEN WE ARE USING SUBSTANCES THAT ALTER our brain FUNCTIONALITY.
Yes, it's a lot of work, and it takes a village. But it matters! We can be a conduit of compassion that helps to save one patient at a time, making addiction and death by overdose less prevalent in our society.
Why is it (our) society's responsibility, you may ask? We are the product of our environment. If the war on drugs had been effective, we'd have far fewer drugs distributed among users and pushers. Fewer gadgets, but more community resources and an emphasis on psychological and emotional community wellness are where the best outlook for the future lies.
Finally, I want to say that the answer is Art. When we create art, the brain is in a state of homeostasis.
HOW DOES ADDICTION AFFECT THE BRAIN?
How do we train our children's brain? How are our brains kidnapped by the media which encourages us to always want more more more. Never Enough is a memoir by an addiction survivor who eventually studies our brains as a neurologist.
From a renowned behavioral neuroscientist and recovering addict, a rare pause-resisting work of science that draws on personal insights to reveal how drugs work, the dangerous hold they can take on the brain, and the surprising way to combat today's epidemic of addiction.
The 12 Step program has been around since 1935 The first 12-step program was published in 1935 when the founders of AA, Bill Wilson and Dr. Robert Smith, released the group’s guiding document, Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism, better known as “The Big Book”.
Wilson's promising Wall Street career was damaged by his alcohol SUD, which affected his health and for which he sought treatment. His desire to heal from alcoholism initiated him in a local fellowship called the Oxford Group. The group was a Christian organization that was founded as a way to help men overcome bad habits, moral shortcomings, and particular sins. The core tenets of the Oxford Group were honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love, virtues that would later be emphasized in AA.
There are many organizations that have been created in the image of AA which also include the family. As a matter of knowing where to turn, who to contact, where to go, there may enless people you can get advice from who have had a loved in recovery for addictive behavior or substance abuse. It is helpful to have a place to turn to for support.
How do medications for OUD (Opioid Use Disorder) work, and what are their side effects and terms of use?
The percentage of methadone overdose deaths declined between January 2019 and August 2021.
Methadone is a long-acting opioid agonist taken by mouth as a liquid or pill. It is a Schedule II drug, which means it has a high potential for abuse, and its dispensing is closely monitored and regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Like all opioids, it can cause respiratory depression and death if blood levels get high enough. This is especially concerning since it stays in the blood for almost three days.
Concurrent benzodiazepine use increases the risk of overdose even further in patients taking methadone for opioid use disorder treatment or for chronic pain.
*Methadone's peak respiratory depressant effects typically occur later, and persist longer than its peak analgesic effects. (Methadone Dosing oasas.ny.gov), and this may be the cause of many overdose deaths. For the treatment of
SUD patients in Methadone treatment reduce illicit opioid use more effectively than placebo, medically supervised withdrawal, or no treatment.
Reduced risk of overdose-related deaths.
Reduced risk of HIV and hepatitis C infection.
Lower rates of cellulitis.
Lower rates of HIV risk behavior.
Reduced criminal behavior
Fatal side effects can occur if you use opioid medicine with alcohol, or with other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow your breathing.
Methadone may cause a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder. Call your doctor at once if you have a headache with chest pain and severe dizziness, and fast or pounding heartbeats. Your heart function may need to be checked during treatment.
Your doctor may recommend you get naloxone (a medicine to reverse an opioid overdose) and keep it with you at all times. A person caring for you can give the naloxone if you stop breathing or don't wake up. Your caregiver must still get emergency medical help and may need to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on you while waiting for help to arrive.
weak or shallow breathing, breathing that stops during sleep;
severe constipation;
a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath;
low cortisol levels--nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness; or
serotonin syndrome - agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, diarrhea.
In a two-group random assignment study of adults who were opioid dependent and involved in the justice system, all participants received brief counseling and community treatment referrals. One group received no medication, and the other group received XR-NTX. During the 6-month follow-up period, compared with the no-medication group, the group that received the medication demonstrated:
Longer time to return to substance use (10.5 weeks versus 5.0 weeks).
A lower rate of return to use (43 percent versus 64 percent).
Treatment with naltrexone is a short-term MSR intervention designed to assist the individual during the early stages of recovery in avoiding relapse. The drug works by blocking the pleasurable sensations of opioids or alcohol, which eventually reduces cravings.
Naltrexone belongs to a class of drugs known as opioid antagonists and works by blocking the mu opioid receptor. It blocks the effects of alcohol and opioid medications, preventing the intoxication these substances cause. Naltrexone also modifies how the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal gland (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, HPA axis) interact to suppress the amount of alcohol consumed.
Naltrexone comes as an extended-release intramuscular injection and as oral tablets. The branded versions of naltrexone tablets (Revia, Depade) have been discontinued, but generic versions are available.
Naltrexone can cause serious side effects, including:
1. Risk of opioid overdose.
You can accidentally overdose in two ways.
Naltrexone blocks the effects of opioid drugs. Do not take large amounts of opioids, including opioid-containing medicines, such as heroin or prescription pain pills, to try to overcome the opioid-blocking effects of this medication. This can lead to serious injury, coma, or death.
After you receive a dose of the extended-release injection form of this medication, its blocking effect slowly decreases and completely goes away over time. If you have used opioid street drugs or opioid-containing medicines in the past, using opioids in amounts that you used before treatment can lead to overdose and death. You may also be more sensitive to the effects of lower amounts of opioids:
after you have gone through detoxification
when your next naltrexone injection is due
if you miss a dose of this medication
after you stop naltrexone treatment It is important that you tell your family and the people closest to you of this increased sensitivity to opioids and the risk of overdose.
There is no data specifically addressing switching from buprenorphine or methadone to naltrexone, however some patients have reported severe manifestations of precipitated withdrawal when switched from an opioid agonist to opioid antagonist therapy.
Patients switching from buprenorphine or methadone may be vulnerable to precipitated withdrawal for up to 2 weeks.
Be prepared to manage withdrawal symptomatically with non-opioid medications.
To achieve best possible results, implement compliance-enhancing techniques, especially medication compliance
Commonly reported side effects of naltrexone include: streptococcal pharyngitis, syncope, anxiety, arthralgia, arthritis, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, frequent headaches, headache, joint stiffness, nasopharyngitis, nausea, nervousness, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic attack, pharyngitis, posttraumatic stress disorder, sedated state, sinus headache, vomiting, induration at injection site, malaise, pain at injection site, and tenderness at injection site. Other side effects include: muscle cramps, muscle rigidity, muscle spasm, stiffness, depression, and twitching. See below for a comprehensive list of adverse effects.Usual Adult Dose for Opiate Dependence
Oral: IN TABLET FORM
Initial dose: 25 orally once a day
Maintenance dose: 50 mg orally once a day (if no withdrawals on 25 mg/day)
Naloxone
Naloxone blocks or reverses the effects of opioid medication, including extreme drowsiness, slowed breathing, or loss of consciousness. An opioid is sometimes called a narcotic.
Naloxone is used in an emergency situation to treat a possible opioid overdose in an adult or child.
Naloxone should not be used in place of emergency medical care for an overdose.
Naloxone is also used to help diagnose whether a person has used an overdose of an opioid.
Because naloxone reverses opioid effects, administration may cause sudden withdrawal symptoms such as:
fever, sweating, body aches, weakness;
tremors or shivering, fast heart rate, pounding heartbeats, increased blood pressure;
goose bumps, shivering;
runny nose, yawning; or
feeling nervous, restless, or irritable.
Naloxone is a centrally acting opioid receptor antagonist. Naloxone binds with the highest affinity to the mu-opioid receptor subtype in the central nervous system (CNS). Naloxone
BUPRENORPHINE
Buprenorphine is an opioid medication. Buprenorphine sublingual tablets (given under the tongue) are a prescription medicine used to treat opioid addiction (either prescription or illegal drugs), as part of a complete treatment program that also includes counseling and behavioral therapy.
Buprenorphine sublingual tablets are most often used for the first 1 or 2 days to help you start with treatment.
Other forms of buprenorphine are used to treat moderate to severe pain.
Warnings
Buprenorphine sublingual tablets are not for use as a pain medication.
MISUSE OF OPIOID MEDICINE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Keep buprenorphine in a place where others cannot get to it.
Fatal side effects can occur if you use buprenorphine with alcohol, or with other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow your breathing.
Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur. A person caring for you should give naloxone and/or seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
opioid withdrawal symptoms - shivering, goose bumps, increased sweating, feeling hot or cold, runny nose, watery eyes, diarrhea, muscle pain;
noisy breathing, sighing, shallow breathing, breathing that stops during sleep;
slow heartbeat or weak pulse;
a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
chest pain, trouble breathing;
low cortisol levels - nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness; orOpioid withdrawal symptoms - shivering, goose bumps, increased sweating, feeling hot or cold, runny nose, watery eyes, diarrhea, muscle pain;
noisy breathing, sighing, shallow breathing, breathing that stops during sleep;
slow heartbeat or weak pulse;
a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
chest pain, trouble breathing;
low cortisol levels - nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness; or
liver problems - nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
constipation, nausea, vomiting;
increased sweating;
sleep problems (insomnia); or
pain anywhere in your body.
Generic name: buprenorphine and naloxone (oral/sublingual) [ BUE-pre-NOR-feen-and-nal-OX-one ] Dosage form: buccal film, sublingual film, sublingual tablet. Drug class: Narcotic analgesic combinations
Suboxone contains a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is an opioid medication, sometimes called a narcotic. Naloxone blocks the effects of opioid medication, including pain relief or feelings of well-being that can lead to opioid abuse.
Suboxone is used to treat narcotic (opiate) addiction.
Suboxone is not for use as a pain medication.
here are alternative drugs in different forms available to treat opioid use disorder.
Talk with your healthcare provider which option would be best suited to you.
Buprenorphine
Subcutaneous injection (Sublocade), Implant (Probuphine), Sublingual (Subutex)
Buprenorphine and naloxone
Sublingual (Bunavail, Zubsolv)
Lofexidine
Tablets (Lucemyra)
Methadone
Tablets (Dolophine)
Common side effects of Suboxone include headache, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea. In addition, some people become attached to the relaxation Suboxone can cause, and that can lead to addiction and/or drug relapse.
Insomnia and restlessness.
Decreased ability to concentrate.
Damage to the heart and circulatory system.
Damage to the respiratory system.
Suboxone can slow or stop your breathing, and may be habit-forming. MISUSE OF THIS MEDICINE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH.
The potential for paranoia and hallucinations - Increased aggression and restlessness - Increased heart rate and blood pressure - Increased potential for heart attack or stroke - The potential for seizures.
HOW LONG SHOULD TREATMENT FOR OUD, OPIATE USE DISORDER, LAST?
Less is better, of course, to avoid side effects. What are the steps in the treatment for OUD?
More users have had success using Suboxone to overcome their opioid addiction than with Methadone or placebo pills.
Taking this to overcome addiction has been found to be more effective than quitting without anything at all.
Some studies have found that long-term use may be related to everything from low testosterone to tooth decay.
Quitting opiates is possible when using this as long as it's provided by a medical professional.
Medical withdrawal dosage will vary based on each individual and what their past addiction was. Each person needs to be under medical supervision at this time to avoid feeling severe withdrawal symptoms or craving opiates.
Generally this is going to be used for a year or longer in order to gradually get a patient off of opioids all together. Quitting cold turkey can be extremely difficult and often results in the user abusing the drugs more than they were in the past. This can easily lead to overdose, which may be fatal with some individuals.
Suboxone helps to overcome opiate addiction by attaching to receptors inside the bran that were once overcome by opiates. After the Suboxone takes these over, the body will start to register that the drugs are in the system and it won't feel the symptoms it would when going cold turkey.
This allows the user to stop taking opiates all together without having to feel severely ill all the time. Going to a rehab center is generally recommended because addiction alone can be extremely difficult. Doctors know how much and when to administer Suboxone to each individual patient in order to ensure it's working how it should be.
However, Suboxone is not intended for long-term, indefinite use. As this Psychology Today article attests, Suboxone not only possesses addictive qualities itself, but it also does not fully address why people get addicted to opioids.
THE OPIOID TREATMENT PROCESS
How do you help a patient recover BEST? Just with more DRUGS (pills)? What about nutrition supplements such as vitamins and amino acids? And holistic practices like meditation, martial arts and psychoanalysis?
Maybe psychoanalysis doesn't sound so holistic but combined with behavioral and cognitive psychotherapy WHICH IS WHAT MEDITATION AND MARTIAL ARTS OFFER, AMONG OTHER MORE SPIRITUALLY INCLINED BENFITS, these activities can do a lot to help us rewire our brain by changing our thought patterns which in turn trigger our feelings of anxiety and depression. Self-talk, self awareness, minfulness, intentional living, compassion.
These are not just words but practices, not just beliefs but actions. The Arts are also a integral part of rehabilitation, wheter it is music, visual, or performing arts, as an enthusiast of the arts, I can attest that art is the pathway to recovery for many of us wheter addicted to drugs or to failure altogether.
Did you know IV TREATMENTS were a thing in the past before making their entrance in mainstream?
Do infusion shots of alkalides counteract SUD damage? Of course, but why is this not in practice along with medication assIsted treatment?
The support we give our friends and family members who struggle with addiction can be enhanced by our understanding and knowledge of how to influence a good attitude, by providing opportunities for open discussion and directing conversation to the matter. I know it is easier to avoid, but at least courage is free. Judge not and extend a hand; be the light you want to see in the world!
The entire brain just about is affected by opiates. But the reward mechanism of the brain is altered beyond self regulation. Intervention is required.
The twelve steps have a proven record of helping people achieve freedom from addiction. The program was started by a successful businessman whose drug addiction was his ruin until he surrendered to a greater power and made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves - Step 4 - What that means is that we must get to the bottom of the cause of addiction in us. Whether it was childhood trauma, genes, environmental factors, or PTSD, depression, anxiety, or a combination, addiction lurks behind every one of these psychological and emotional disorders,
Finally, a daily reflection book for everyone from Rebellion Dogs Publishing. Beyond Belief is the first secular daily reflection book written in a contemporary language for today's addicts and alcoholics in recovery.
The book is aimed at a general 12-Step readership for unbelievers, freethinkers, and the unconventionally spiritual. Given that the latest Pew Research survey found that twenty percent of the American people list their religious affiliation as 'None,' it is certainly time that the Recovery world took into consideration this population's needs.
Drawing from the classic and contemporary 12-Step wisdom, Beyond Belief explores philosophy, psychology, entertainment, art, spiritual musings, and skeptical inquiry.
Addiction recovery should not have to depend on belief but on science, awareness of the problem, and the need to seek help. The opioid epidemic affects families. young and old, and its treatment options are not many. The 12-step program, although started by the Oxford Group, a Lutheran group in the 1800s, has a worldwide reach regardless of religious creed. It actually manifests the soul's recovery process. Admit, Submit, Apply, Heal, and Give Back.
Author's Note:
Hardly a family is spared the pain of losing a loved one to the modern predators: the psychoactive drug use disorder and its consequential social dysfunction effects, such as death by overdose, which has surmounted epidemic status. The root of drug addiction lies deep within the soul, for it is only the soul that can heal the body by knowing that the self is not addicted.
But the ego makes us feel so chained! To liberate ourselves from that specter, we must detox and submit to reality. Once we arrive, we learn to smell the grass, the roses, and drink tea instead of coffee. BREATHE your life into joy and contentment. Know that you are God's unique creation in his/Her image. So, be the God in you, earl, merchant, seaman, or brick-layer, and you will find your inner guide to heaven on earth. (My poem goes something like that: "The conspiracy of life") Sandcastles by Teresita Angela Terga
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