Author Archives: Brian Berry

Happy New Year!!

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Since my column is titled, Dr. Dawn’s Rx.  I thought I would write something at least tangentially medical on occasion. Now that 2013 is arriving, typical topics in meetings include new beginnings, resolutions, Step One, etc. Let’s have fun in this column starting the New Year by looking at and learning a bit more about how addiction specialists look at our disease. Below is the official short Definition of Addiction used by The American Society of Addiction Medicine

 The long definition covers about nine pages and can be found at the back of my book, From the Edge of the Cliff.

Short Definition of Addiction: “Addiction Continue reading →

Elk Hunting Part 1

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As a follow up to the early elk visit, I must tell you about the most successful hunting season ever. To be honest, we have had several years, most recently two years ago, when the harvest included up to seven animals…not the case this year, but what does success mean, anyhow? On one occasion the northwest Colorado deer population was so big that the DOW issued permission to shoot two deer for each license. That year Continue reading →

Control Freak, Part Two, the Spouse

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In part one of this three part series, Control Freak, the Family, we discussed parents attempting to overly control children. Part Two of Control Freak deals with how we may inflict our old issues on other adults, specifically on our spouses. We are all products of everything that has happened to us, how we were treated by parents and others when we were children, and how we have been helped (or not) to grow through both the minor and major traumas of life.

If we were made to feel bad about ourselves as children, often by a critical or overly controlling parent, we may grow up to try to handle the fear of not being good enough, that self-doubt, even self-hatred, by attempts to make our spouses and children, be a certain way. Controlling behavior is an endeavor to quiet some fear and gain a sense of well being, (happiness?) by putting ourselves… well… in control! Continue reading →

More on Holidays….aghhhh!!!

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Author’s Note: I use the words alcoholic and addict almost interchangeably. An alcoholic is an alcohol addict and most likely capable of abusing more than just alcohol. The Narcotics Anonymous first Step tells us we are “Powerless over our addiction…”, which applies to every alcoholic and addict I know. I have not met any alcoholics who are powerless only over alcohol. I pray you will not take offense at the language I use in this column. If you do, please let me know your concerns… after you write a fourth Step and do a fifth Step with your sponsor on whatever is bothering you. Smile!  The Steps work on everything!

Small wonder many alcoholics and addicts mark their recovery date on or around January first. Many of us finally have had enough after going through yet another holiday season drunk, loaded, puking and/or passed out. Bad enough to not remember the parties and family time, but often we do huge damage. For compulsive overeaters, this is an especially difficult time and enormous weight gain is common. Continue reading →