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12 Steps and Self Improvement

Difference between Self-help books and Self-improvement books The earliest stages of recovery are solely about taking the withdrawals from abstention on the chin – and avoiding relapse. This is a selfish exercise. Pamper yourself as much as possible. Do anything you need to do, not to relapse, bar substituting one serious addiction for another. If you’re already a smoker, smoke a few more cigarettes temporarily. Eat biscuits. Over-exercise temporarily. This is the time when you need self help and so: self-help books. Self improvement comes later on and self-improvement books help in the process of turning yourself into a better person – and then [...]

12 Steps and Self Improvement2022-03-21T05:40:41+00:00

Recovery – 12 Steps Programs

12 step programs deliver recovery from addiction to their members, either taking on the job from start to finish or as a maintenance program after the member has completed a course at a rehab. Recovery as a human being But they deliver so much more as well. Once the member has gone through withdrawals from the addiction and acquired the tools to remain abstinent in spite of any cravings (which diminish), over one to two years, then the program becomes one of self-improvement – recovery as a human being. Let’s assume a member was a moral pillar of society before they hit the bottle [...]

Recovery – 12 Steps Programs2018-07-11T12:17:35+01:00

Addicted – The Big 5

Addicted… to one or more of the Big Five? The Big Five addictions refer to people with alcoholism; plus those addicted to drugs; and gambling, those with eating disorders, and also people addicted to sex. Addicted to alcohol? Of the 12 step programs dealing with the five major addictions, AA is the big daddy at aa.org. Because it was founded first in 1936, the literature and organization of Alcoholics Anonymous stretches its tentacles into all the other 12 step fellowships. Because they all derive some tradition from the AA set-up there is more about AA in Everyone’s an Addict than any other fellowship. That [...]

Addicted – The Big 52018-06-02T11:12:34+01:00

Am I an addict? – What sort of addict am I?

When I consider the question am I an addict? I know that I am past asking that question so instead I ask: what sort of addict am I? My hypothesis is that everyone’s an addict, so if you ask yourself Am I an addict? and come up with the answer: “no” then it follows that you are an addict in denial. I had alcoholism from birth and was an alcoholic in denial for 34 years from age 14 to age 48 when I joined AA. Even at that stage, whether I had a drinking problem was up for grabs for at least six months until my [...]

Am I an addict? – What sort of addict am I?2018-06-02T10:22:50+01:00
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