Recovery Step 3

“We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” This is step three of Narcotics Anonymous, adapted, with permission, from Alcoholics Anonymous.

There are approximately 125 twelve-step groups in this country, most of them world-wide, all adapted from A.A., the original and “gold standard.” Hmmm, maybe twelve-step groups work. In reviewing Recovery, Step Two we learn that for recovery to be successful and ongoing, we need a Higher Power. Addicts who find themselves in trouble, the drugs not working any more, their lives not working so well, have gotten there by trying to do life “on my own.” Continue reading

Recovery Step 2

Dear Dr. Dawn,
I am one month into my commitment to not use drugs. I feel like I’ve been hanging on for 28 of the 30 days…only the first two days were tolerable; the rest have sucked! I read your article where Vicki wrote about Step One and I think I’ve got that. I know I am powerless over my addiction; and talk about unmanageable…boy, my life is a f—in’ mess! I’d thought about stopping the drugs, and tried to stop for years. I could always stop; I just couldn’t stop starting up again. Now, thanks to other addicts who aren’t using – those in the support meetings I go to – I have stayed clean for a month! This is a first for me, after years of knowing I needed to stop. Now I am having trouble with Step Two. I just don’t believe anything out there can help me. I feel like I have to do it myself, but I don’t know how much longer I can hang on. Help!
John E.

Dear John,

Congrats on 30 days! Step Two, “We Came to Believe that a Power Greater Than Ourselves Could Restore Us to Sanity,” is a tough one. Continue reading

Xanax or Spiritual Recovery? You Chose

This article, like most of mine, is directed specifically at those wanting recovery from drug addiction, including alcoholism (addiction to alcohol). I am honored that you, the general public also read and comment on my articles and pray you continue to get something useful with each one, even if it provokes discomfort.

Xanax, like alcohol, heroin, cocaine, oxycontin and countless others is a mind altering drug. Those in honest and serious recovery from alcoholism call it, “eating your alcohol,” or “alcohol in pill form”, as the two drugs, alcohol and Xanax, have similar effects on brain chemistry. If you are claiming to be alcohol free, clearly if you say you are drug free, get honest with yourself. If you are popping pills when you experience an uncomfortable feeling such as fear, anxiety, anger, frustration etc. why not just have a drink? Yup, it’s the same thing. Continue reading

Recovery Step 1

This begins a series of posts about the 12 step recovery program used by Narcotics Anonymous as adapted from  Alcoholics Anonymous.

 Author: Vicki L.
Comments: Dr. Dawn
June 8, 2008
Letter from anonymous writer and comments from Dr. Dawn

“Hi, I’m Vicki. I’m an addict. I’m in recovery now. I don’t use drugs, even alcohol, any more. I never thought I could stop; sh–, I never WANTED to stop. Why would I? I wasn’t hurting anyone.”

Addicts don’t realize they DO hurt other people, those who love them, by not being emotionally present, and with the poor judgment and risky behavior they often participate in. Continue reading

The Need For Speed!

Wonder why your friend, family member or significant other is behaving erratically? Why are they so angry so much of the time these days? They’re either not around, sleeping, wired or paranoid. Hmmm. Could be drugs. Maybe not; maybe just, “going through a phase.” Or, repeat, could be drugs. Methamphetamine. Speed. Tough to live with, very tough to kick and almost impossible to do occasionally, meth has been around since the late 1800’s, used openly during World War II (airmen’s or tank chocolate), and was around in various forms in the sixties. Wasn’t Everything around then? Out here in the wild west, meth has made a recent resurgence. It is the third most used and abused drug, right after alcohol and marijuana, a bigger and more serious abuse problem than cocaine and heroin. Relatively easy to acquire, either to buy or to make with readily available ingredients, methamphetamine (crystal, ice, crank etc.) is a cheap drug. Continue reading