What Do I Need To Be A Member of AA?

“The first edition of the book of Alcoholics Anonymous makes this brief statement about membership: “the only requirement for membership is an honest desire to stop drinking. We are not allied with any particular faith, sect, or denomination nor do we oppose anyone. We simply wish to be helpful to those who are afflicted.” This expressed our feeling as of 1939, the year our book was published. Since that day all kinds of experiments with membership have been tried…In some cases we would have been too discouraged by the demands made upon us. Most of the early members of AA would have been thrown out because they slipped too much, because their morals were too bad, because they had mental as well as alcoholic difficulties.”-pg.37 from The Language Of The Heart.

Over the next few days were going to take a look at what it means to be an alcoholic as well as some other issues surrounding this subject. Basically we are members of AA as soon as we seek alcohol addiction help and say we are. All we need is a desire to stop drinking. The word “honest” was later taken out of our statement on membership because while many of us want to stop drinking, get help at a drug addiction detox, Go to AA, go to some sort of 30 day rehab program, and make positive decisions that support our sobriety at the end of the day who has an honest desire to stop when we would still be drinking if it still worked for us? Furthermore an “honest desire” could mean so many things to so many people.so for clarity and to ensure everyone had a fair shot at achieving sobriety they took it out. Today as it stands nobody has a right to declare you alcoholic or non-alcoholic that is completely up to you to decide.

The Ins and Outs of Drug Rehab

As the premier drug rehab in California, Above It All treatment center’s commitment to education, comfort, and support is virtually unmatched. In this entry, we will seek to provide our readers with an in-depth look at the process by which our recovery process is run.

Referral

Patients come to Above It All through for an array of reasons. Because of the progressive nature of addiction, it is not uncommon for individuals who have experienced the continued negative consequences of the associated behaviors to seek help on their own. Other factors may include exterior pressures, such as legal issues, employers, or loved ones. Once a commitment to seek help has been made, the real recovery can begin.

Intake

Intake assessments are the initial step of the recovery process. During this period, facility counselors will ask an assortment of questions to better determine a care plan, which will ultimately dictate the type of treatment the patient will receive. Common questions typically revolve around the types of drugs being used, abuse histories, and the reasons for seeking help in the first place. Patients who are experiencing both substance abuse and mental health issues simultaneously are quite common. As such, staff members will generally request information pertaining to a patient’s mental health history, including current medications and symptoms.

This assessment also serves to help determine just how motivated a patient is to make chances, alongside any stressors that may inhibit the rehabilitation process.

Detox

Various types of substance addictions, such as heroin and alcohol will typically call for a medically monitored detox to help patients through the initial transition into sobriety. Without proper care, the risks of serious complications and physical harm are drastically heightened. The detoxification process can last anywhere from 3 to 10 days, and will include 24/7 staff monitoring. Patients in detox will be offered various medications throughout the process to ensure a comfortable and safe experience.

Short Term Treatment

In cases where detox is of no concern, patients may be offered short team rehab at varying intensity levels. This type of outpatient care is typically only offered to patients who are able to function sufficiently at home while still attending treatment. Patients will often be forced to submit to random urine screenings to help ensure that care is at the adequate level. Group and individual therapy is common, alongside a variety of therapeutic activities to help patients acquire the skills needed to enjoy a sober and happy lifestyle.

Long Term Care

Where more intensive measures are required, counselors may recommend residential long term care. The length of stay will vary from patient to patient, but generally averages around the 3-month mark. Within a long term care program, patients are afforded the opportunity to earn freedoms and responsibilities over time. Long term care provides patients with the ability to obtain the care they require without the distractions and stressors o

Sobriety Maintenance & Relapse Prevention

Whether you’re in recovery due to alcohol or drug addiction, the road to enjoying a sober and healthy lifestyle is one that requires a fair share of commitment and discipline. Old behaviors will often tempt you, offering the potential for relapse and the negative connotations associated with its presence. In order to lower the risk of relapse, recovering addicts must employ a variety of strategies and techniques.

The Reward System

Brushing off old habits is easier said than done, especially in cases where the long-term benefits are far from view. In an effort to keep themselves from going astray, many recovering addicts adhere to a rewards system comprised of short-term goals. Example: For each week sober, reward yourself with a trip to your favorite eating establishment.

Support

Studies suggest that roughly 90% of recovering addicts who attend weekly post-care sessions, like AA, during their first year of recovery were successfully able to avoid relapse. 12 step recovery programs such as these place individuals in touch with a community of people who share the same goals and struggles. Not only will participation in these types of organizations keep you focused and determined to succeed, but gaining a sense of community outside the bar or drug scene will work to ward off regular temptations.

Avoiding Temptation

Keep away from people, areas and items that may trigger your temptations. Example: If you are recovering from alcoholism, it’s likely a good idea to avoid bars and the acquaintances who linger around them. Rather than pretend that you’re content to simply “tag along”, try seeking out other types of activities and gatherings that support your sobriety goals. Consider this an opportunity to seek out new relationships and activities while reinventing your own self-image.

Stress Maintenance

The road to relapse is often paved with a solid helping of stress. Due to the fact that most people utilize drugs and alcohol as a stress-relief tactic, it’s crucial that recovering addicts find new ways to cope. Example: Smokers who use cigarettes to relax following a rough work day often look to tobacco as a form of stress-management. As tensions will often escalate once the coping mechanism is removed, experts suggest that recovering addicts engage in routine exercise and proper diet to compensate. Additional options include yoga, the arts, and meditation. Try experimenting with some new activities and dive in to something that really gets your motor revving.

Keep in Mind:

–          Just because you’re tempted to use again, does not mean you have to

–          Avoid self-criticism – Stay optimistic!

–          If you do relapse, don’t let it consume you. Get. That. Dirt off your shoulder – focus – and get back in the game.

Responsibility and AA

“I am responsible when anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help I want the hand of AA always to be there and for that: I am responsible.”

When it comes to AA it is important that once we get sober we behave responsibly and are good examples of Alcoholics Anonymous. Because the tools in sobriety were so freely given to us it is important that alcohol addiction help remain available to others through us. It is important that we give back. There are many ways we can do that such as through sponsorship, a drug addiction detox, AA, or perhaps even through volunteering at a 30 day rehab program. It’s imperative that we carry the message to others because if we didn’t and Alcoholics Anonymous wasn’t available to us then we would surely drink and to drink means to die for us. For most of us who are sober we can recall a time when we needed the help of others as well as AA and it was always there. It was there when we didn’t know how to stop drinking, when we needed a solution to this seemingly hopeless state of mind and body, and it has continued to be there for us throughout the years as we encountered rough patches in our sobriety. It is only right that we pay it forward. After all, where would we be without the people that came before us in Alcoholics Anonymous? We would probably still be lost and we definitely would have missed out on this amazing life that we come to find through sobriety; it is a life full of peace, happiness, joy, and love. It is a way of life worth passing on!

Admitting A Minor To Drug Rehabilitation

In the United States, children under the age of 18 are considered minors. According to a recent survey performed by the National Survey on Drug Use & Health, a total of 11.6% of adolescents 12-17 are admitted drug users. In some instances this drug use can be attributed to underlying mental disorders. In other cases, use is based on simple experimentation or a lack of supervision on the part of the parents. In this entry, we will discuss some tips and tricks to help get your teen the help they deserve.

1 – Communicate your concerns. In many cases, opening the dialogue between parent and teen can offer results not seen with more immediate and drastic measures. Not only will your teen appreciate the effort; they will be more likely to discuss their own thoughts and concerns regarding the topic. In an effort to avoid consequences, teens will often hide feelings from their parents. By eliminating the parental barrier of authority, your teen may feel more inclined to work with you, rather than against you.

2 – Do your research. Before diving into professional help, it’s important to educate yourself regarding the type and degree of drug use you are dealing with. The more knowledgeable you are on the topic, the better equipped you will be to address it. Once you’ve properly assessed the situation, you will be better able to determine whether professional treatment is the right road to take.

3 – Ask your teen to attend treatment. Some teens may agree without much persistence. Others may choose to attend following an intervention. Be sure to communicate that your teen’s “loose ends” (work, school, pets, etc.) will be attended to so they feel comfortable choosing treatment without fear of consequence.

4 – If your teen is unwilling to accept help for their addiction, they can be committed by parental consent, or a court order. Parents and guardians have the option to enroll minors into rehabilitation without patient consent. Teens who have found themselves in legal trouble may find themselves with a court ordered ticket to treatment as part of the sentencing.

5 – Support your teen throughout the recovery process. Rehabilitation is a difficult period for people of all ages. By supporting and involving yourself in your teen’s recovery, you will be creating a solid base from which to help them succeed both within and outside the rehabilitation environment.

Need Help?

If you have a teen struggling with drug use, our Above It All addiction specialists are on-hand to help! Give us a call today and let our certified rehabilitation team help your teen back on the path to the happy, productive, fulfilling, and sober lifestyle they deserve.

A Life of Sobriety, Acceptance, and Peace

“One way to get at the meaning of the principle of acceptance is to meditate upon it in the context of AA’s much used prayer ‘God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’ Essentially this is to ask for the resources of grace by which we may make spiritual progress under all conditions. Greatly emphasized in this wonderful prayer is a need for the kind of wisdom that discriminates between the possible and the impossible. We shall also see that life’s formidable array of pains and problems will require many different degrees of acceptance as we try to apply this valued principle.-pg. 269 from The Language Of The Heart

Acceptance is defined as the act of taking or receiving something offered, as well as the act of believing. It sounds good in theory but it is one of those things that are easier said than done. On one hand we might feel as alcoholics that acceptance is something we aren’t very good at but if we look back at the time when we had asked for alcohol addiction help were we not somewhat living in acceptance? Did we not accept that we had a problem and that we needed help? Were we not beaten down enough to accept that we might need to go to a 30 day rehab program, AA, or a drug addiction detox? If you are sober the answer to these questions are most likely yes. On the other hand there have most likely been times when we have found some person place or thing completely unacceptable to us. In those situations we ask for our higher powers guidance on what his/her will for us is and the power to carry that out. Through this kind of prayer and meditation not only are we relying on our higher power to carry us through but we are getting closer to living a life full of acceptance and peace.

Fear and Seeking Alcohol Addiction Help

As the AA book says “Fear is an evil, corroding thread; the fabric of our lives is shot through with it.” Fear is obviously a bar to reason, and to love, and of course it invariably powers anger, vainglory, and aggression. It underlies maudlin guilt and paralyzing depression. President Roosevelt once made the significant remark that “we have nothing to fear but fear itself.”- pg. 265 from The Language of the Heart

When we are first getting sober or even before we receive alcohol addiction help we are often times full of fear surrounding many different aspects of sobriety. Some of us may be fearful of the idea of getting sober while others may be afraid of the process whether it involves a 30 day rehab program, AA, or a drug addiction detox. The thing about fear is that while it may protect us from potentially dangerous positions it can also keep us from positive things and situations in our life as well. Fear can be healthy if it aids in keeping you out of harm’s way. For example when we first get sober some of us may decide not to go into bars for a while…this is an example of a healthy fear of alcohol. However If our fears keep us from doing things like getting sober then it is an unhealthy and destructive fear. The fact is that we didn’t get sober to live in fear. Sure it’s going to crop up from time to time and that’s fine. What matters most aren’t so much the feelings surrounding the situations in your life but rather what you do with those feelings.

Seeking Alcohol Addiction Help and Personal Growth

It’s amazing the amount of growth we get to see after receiving alcohol addiction help and getting sober. The difference is night and day. Before we come in we are usually broken, beaten down, and desperate. We have very little sense of self. We didn’t know how to show up for others, ourselves, or life in general. As it says in the big book of alcoholics anonymous “We were having trouble with personal relationships, we couldn’t control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn’t make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, and we couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people.” It also goes on to say “once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.” These two quotes pretty much sum up our entire existence before we get sober. With that being said we have the opportunity to change things around. When we reach out for help whether it is to a drug addiction detox, AA, or a 30 day rehab program we almost immediately begin see results. At first we may not recognize this change or growth but it is there. Many of us may have fear as well as many other emotions cropping up and because were in the middle of it we are unable to see at first how quickly our lives are changing for the good. While others are usually the first to see this change in us eventually we will be able to see it for ourselves. We will be able how we have regained control, repaired broken relationships, and repaired our entire moral structure. We will begin to experience peace, love, happiness, joy, and finally be able to start feeling comfortable in our own skin again.

Trust God, Clean House, Work With Others: A Formula for Sobriety, Part 3

Trust in god, clean house, and work with others.

That is the basic formula for sobriety. Over the next few days we are going to break down each part and see what there is to look forward to after receiving alcohol addiction help starting with trusting in God…

This may seem like a difficult thing to do as many of us might have a skewed concept of a higher power. We may find ourselves having thoughts such as If God did exist why was I alone when I needed him, or her the most?, Why do I have a disease that makes it so I can’t stay sober and need to go to a drug addiction detox? Why didn’t God answer my prayers if he exists? , or I don’t need god when I have a 30 day rehab program or another 12 step program I attend. While these are valid feelings, and thoughts to have the fact is that God answers prayers in many ways and not always by saying yes. We get to come up with our own concept of a higher power. Each one uniquely different and hopefully a source of light and love versus any negative concept we might have had previously. If we do the work we can begin to see hopefully that our higher power has our lives planned out for us, nothing is really an accident, we are taken care of, and nobody knows our path better than our higher power. It says in the big book of alcoholics anonymous that “faith without works is dead. “That means this is a process and we need to continue working not only on our faith but on our ever changing and growing concept of a higher power as well.

Trust God, Clean House, Work With Others: A Formula for Sobriety, Part 2

Cleaning house goes hand in hand with trusting God. Faith is an invaluable asset when it comes to cleaning house…what does that mean? Well prior to receiving alcohol addiction help we most likely caused a large amount of damage as well as acquired a huge amount of resentment towards ourselves and others. When we get to a drug addiction detox, AA, or a 30 day rehab program we get the opportunity to right what was once wrong by “cleaning house”. We do this by taking a thorough inventory of ourselves. We write down on paper the people we feel have harmed or wronged us, what happened, what it affected, and most importantly our part in it. We then get to make a list of people we had harmed and make amends for our behavior. We do this because not only do we want to be rid of the guilt that had plagued many of us before getting sober but also it holds us accountable. As mentioned before we get self esteem by estimable acts. It also states clearly in the big book of alcoholics anonymous that if our actions continue to harm others, we are not remorseful, and continue that behavior then we will surely drink. For us drinking is a death sentence. So cleaning up our side of the street isn’t just about the people we have harmed but it is directly related to us being able to achieve sobriety and the quality of our sobriety as well. When we clean house we are opening ourselves up to long lasting sobriety, peace, love, surrender, and many other amazing possibilities.