RECOVERY SOLUTION

Bill Wilson is on record for having found a solution in 1960 for treating anxiety and depression

2013-04-10T11:40:00.001+01:00

Bill Wilson is on record for having found a solution in 1960 for treating anxiety and depression using vitamin B-3 therapy and worked tirelessly for eleven years begging for its inclusion into A.A. recovery circles. His desire was to help alcoholics stay recovered. This means he would have immediately brought this mineral replacement therapy that eliminates alcohol cravings forth without exception. Master of ceremonies, Andrew W. Saul, includes Bill Wilson as an inductee of the Orthomolecular Medicine Hall of Fame at the Hotel Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, April 29, 2006 in his induction speech, “…To this day, selective history records A.A.’s 12-Step Program, but has forgotten, or deliberately purged, what Bill wanted to be A.A.’s 13th step – orthomolecular therapy with vitamin B3.”[Lee Brack1] In February 2009, Orthomolecular Medicine’s founder, Abram Hoffer and Bill Wilson’s good friend, clarified to me over the phone, “..yes, Lee, he wanted to share this information as an added step and talked about it all the time because he felt so strongly about nutrition…” Abram Hoffer passed away a few months later in May having lived healthy and happily for ninety one and a half years.

6 April 2013 Tuned-In Centre, Majuba Road, Redcar, TS10 5BJ

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Event	North-West District of Cocaine Anonymous welcomes you to... Reaching Out in Redcar UNITY Day
Time	Saturday 11:30am Start
Address	Tuned-In Centre, Majuba Road, Redcar, TS10 5BJ
Additional Notes	Speakers; Cameron F (Canada) Will B (Spain) Danielle (Cheshire)
Information	TICKETS £5 (or donation). Refreshments provided. Click here to download flyer & contact info.

Understand the inherently peaceful presence of Awareness the art of Living in the NOW

2013-03-31T16:14:00.001+01:00

Understand the inherently peaceful presence of Awareness the art of Living in the NOW, and see that this peace is not dependent upon the condition of the mind, body or world, just as a screen is not dependent on the quality of the words or images that appear on it.

The addicted brain is distinctly different from the nonaddicted brain, as manifested by changes in brain metabolic activity, receptor availability, gene expression, and responsiveness to environmental cues

2013-03-29T07:00:00.001Z

There are many biological factors that are involved with the addicted brain. "The addicted brain is distinctly different from the nonaddicted brain, as manifested by changes in brain metabolic activity, receptor availability, gene expression, and responsiveness to environmental cues" (2) In the brain, there are many changes that take place when drugs enter a person's blood stream. The pathway in the brain that the drugs take is first to the ventral tegmentum to the nucleus accumbens, and the drugs also go to the limbic system and the orbitofrontal cortex, which is called the mesolimbic reward system. The activation of this reward system seems to be the common element in what hooks drug users on drugs (2).

Drugs seem to cause surges in dopamine neurotransmitters and other pleasure brain messengers. However, the brain quickly adapts and these circuits desensitize, which allows for withdrawal symptoms to occur (3). Drug addiction works on some of the same neurobiological mechanisms that aid in learning and memories (3). "This new view of dopamine as an aid to learning rather than a pleasure mediator may help explain why many addictive drugs, which unleash massive surges of the neurotransmitter in the brain, can drive continued use without producing pleasure-as when cocaine addicts continue to take hits long after the euphoric effects of the drug have worn off or when smokers smoke after cigarettes become distasteful." (4)

Since memory and pleasure zones are intertwined in the brain, many researchers have been using psychological approaches to stop drug use. Many rehabilitation centers have used classical conditioning to rehabilitate drug addicts. They combine exposure to drugs combined with cognitive scripts, like statements how drugs have destroyed a person's life or what can be accomplished without using drugs, according to DeLetis (5). By using classical conditioning, the drugs addicts pair the drugs with negative connotations and properties. "Adverse withdrawal symptoms can function as an instrumental negative reinforcer and can be linked to the opponent process theory of motivation." (6) However, drug addicts may relapse and start using again because of many environmental "cues", which are external forces that are associated with drug use in their lives. When the drugs addicts see these cues, their brain circuitry, especially the orbitofrontal cortex become hyperactive and causes these people to start craving drugs again (2). No matter how successful the rehabilitation treatment is, once those "cues" are around, the drug addicts remember how pleasurable the drugs felt and relapse into drug abuse again.

Through all of the research done about drug addiction and its affects on the brain, one can see how drug addiction is considered a brain disease. Drug addiction is a disabling disease and can ruin a person's life. By taking drugs, a person's brain becomes "rewired" to tolerate high amounts of dopamine neurotransmitters, but once those high amounts of dopamine cease to exist, the person experiences withdrawal symptoms. However, there are ways drug addicts can control their drug intake by using classical conditioning techniques, which allows them to associate drugs with negative attributes.

Bill Wilson is on record for having found a solution in 1960 for treating anxiety and depression using vitamin B-3 therapy and worked tirelessly for eleven years begging for its inclusion into A.A. recovery circles.

2013-03-27T22:42:00.001Z

The Serotonin Support Group (SSG)

Is a mutual support group for people who suffer from low Serotonin levels, wishing to participate in a support group that uses as one method a vitamin supplement as a method of replacement or addition to a diet to help the sufferer.The historical basis of this form of nutritional treatment was discovered and researched by Bill Wilson of Alcoholics Anonymous and it is to promote this Legacy to persons who suffer from low serotonin uptake and depression that the Group was formed.Bill Wilson wished to add a step to the 12 he had produced for AA. We struggle to make that possible and fulfill his promise. Without detracting from the message of recovery in the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. If alcoholics and addictive abusers of other drugs have specific chemical imbalances in the brain, and if these imbalances turn out to be reliable enough and measurable enough in sufficiently large numbers of human addicts, it is natural to wonder whether, eventually, science can find a way to correct them.

Some sort of neurotransmitter cocktail, maybe.

Or just possibly... a pill?

Bill Wilson is on record for having found a solution in 1960 for treating anxiety and depression using vitamin B-3 therapy and worked tirelessly for eleven years begging for its inclusion into A.A. recovery circles. His desire was to help alcoholics stay recovered. This means he would have immediately brought this mineral replacement therapy that eliminates alcohol cravings forth without exception. Andrew W. Saul, includes Bill Wilson as an inductee of the Orthomolecular Medicine Hall of Fame at the Hotel Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, April 29, 2006 in his induction speech, “…To this day, selective history records A.A.’s 12-Step Program, but has forgotten, or deliberately purged, what Bill wanted to be A.A.’s 13th step – orthomolecular therapy with vitamin B3.”[Lee Brack1] In February 2009, Orthomolecular Medicine’s founder, Abram Hoffer and Bill Wilson’s good friend, clarified to me over the phone, “..yes, Lee, he wanted to share this information as an added step and talked about it all the time because he felt so strongly about nutrition…” Abram Hoffer passed away a few months later in May having lived healthy and happily for ninety one and a half years.

The results strongly suggest that the mechanism of depression after alcohol drinking may be related to serotonin.

2013-03-27T22:39:00.001Z

We examined tryptophan and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) levels in the blood after consumption of alcohol. Forty-five minutes after drinking, whole blood serotonin concentration was significantly reduced, whereas no changes were observed in tryptophan level. The diurnal rhythm of 5-HT in subjects who the day before had drunk alcohol was quite different from the control group, but very similar to that of patients with depression. The results strongly suggest that the mechanism of depression after alcohol drinking may be related to serotonin.

The important thing with serotonin, is to keep it at steady levels.

2013-03-27T22:36:00.001Z

The important thing with serotonin, is to keep it at steady levels. The medicines that raise the level of serotonin in the brain do so by slowing the reabsorbtion of serotonin. The alcohol increases the availible serotonin for a bit and then it drops off quickly, leaving the depressed person feeling worse, and they tend to not take the medicine correctly when they feel badly or are drunk. High serotonin levels do not mean somebody will feel happy or good, It makes it more likely that they won't feel realy bad.

THE FOURTH DIMENSION CHAPTER EIGHT : PUERTO BANUS

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Puerto Banús (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Metallic sounds coupled with harsh Spanish calls of the early morning cleaning lorry echoed across the water. Splashing oars had become the days awakening call. Gently the boats stern nudged the white harbour berthing number. The gangplank was always kept just above the harbour wall, so when anyone decided to embark we instantly would become aware of an intruder.

Puerto Banus in the 80s had become a hedonistic playground for the world’s jetsetters. This was not an ordinary playground this was a playground with a touch of the old wild west. The smells that wafted on the morning breeze were worldlier. The acrid vomit, stale urine and tourist detritus assaulted the nostrils with their pungent odours as the morning sun gained in ferocity over the garish shop fronted Marina.

“Permission to come on board.” The disjointed voice called. The plank crashed on to the dock the vibrations shooting threw the structure of the boat.

Craning around the cabin door I strove to identify the voice. The incongorus sight of the bright red bandana wound round the top of his head quickly identified my friend Ronald. The old paint stained pots containing arrays of brushes plonked onto the veneered deck. With an inward sigh of relief I remembered asking him to repaint the flying bridge.

“Have you a brew on yet Mate” he said the sun wrinkled face splitting into a crooked grin.

“Heard the news.”

“What news”

He paused for dramatic effect for Ronald had become the sage of Banus. A reputation as the mouth of Banus probably the first English Spanish information superhighway .For in the early 80s there was a lack of English television a dearth of real news Bringing information gleaned from a nightime of foraging Banuses many bars and nightclubs had a certain cache and opened doors. He was in the Know.

“ Well “ I asked again

“Spain’s just signed the extradition treaty with England”

Stopping I mused for a minute.

“Interesting.” I rejoined

“Everyone’s Leaving.”

I pretended as if this nugget of information had been of little interest to me, realising that I would have to spend the day on supervising Ronald’s painting. The last thing I needed was to become another item of news on his ever-increasing news information highway of which no one new the next recipient of his largess?? This left me with difficult decisions. The whistle of the kettle awakened me from these daydreams.

“Milk and Sugar.”

“Yes to both” he sounded nonplussed by my casual question

“What are you going to do.” The smile had left his face and a look of intense concentration replaced it.

“ Well “ I said what do you advice.

Throwing the ball neatly back into his court, hoping that he would engage in advice giving another one of Ronald’s foibles forgetting quiet conveniently about me.

Disclaimer. Our materials are intended for entertainment purposes only. We are not doctors or professionals. This website does not offer, and we do not purport to offer, any medical, psychological, therapeutic, religious, or other professional advice to users. Non Affiliation. We are not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous or any other so called “12 Step” program.

OUTLAW AA CHAPTER SEVEN:,THE FOURTH DIMENSION

2012-10-02T11:39:00.000+01:00

Driving back to Puerto Banus that night from the meeting in Fuengirola.I had time to muse on my last few months on the Costa del Sol. The purchase of a motor yacht in Puerto Banus Marina, had possibly not been my best decision. Newly found return to health posed it own problems.Whilst the body was healthy the mind was a completely different matter.The return to any form of sanity was to be a long way off. I had to live with the selfish behaviours of a chronic alcoholic and the mere fact that I was not drinking still left me in a quandary as to what I should be doing.Alone for the first time in my life with no outside judgement to rely upon made decision making difficult.I reacted spontaneously to outside conditions. Attempting to live one day at a time as it stressed in the fellowship caused ongoing problems.My relationship with recovery groups was that of a person suffering from a split personality disorder, very schizophrenic.I failed to realise the serious predicament I was in and the forces that had musterd against me.

Life in Banus the playground of the rich ,famous and infamous was hectic parties.Beach parties,nightclub parties,yacht parties,bar parties.Life in a party bubble.Yet I had stopped drinking.My knowledge of yacht and seamanship was nil and I was in good company. The boat moored alongside was another hedonistic pleasure cruiser.I had a nodding acquaintance with the owners wife a very attractive pregnant English lady. On returning one evening I saw a gaggle of people surrounding the gang plank.Smoke billowed from the open hatches.My captain a northern Englishman rushed past me asked them if he had permission to board and leapt onto the ship fire extinguisher in hand. The smoke receded and he appeared at the doorway.Its all right he said the fires out.

Cockney voices became perfuse with thanks. I asked what had been the trouble.It appears they had connected all the electrical appliances to one plug which had spectacularly overloaded the circuit causing sparks and flames. They invited us on board the damage had been superficial relating to the wires that now spread across the luxurious lounge like blackened snakes there coils discolouring the thick white pile carpets.The conversation was about Banus ,parties and people. It appeared that they owned a number of bars in the port and where well connected with nods and winks.I pretended to be in the know.There knowledge of me was more than mine of them and they where impressed by my tabliod press reports. I was invited to join them at Luggies Banus bar.

CHAPTER SIX DREAM WARRIOR CHRONICLES

2012-09-22T00:00:00.001+01:00

Fuengirola in the eighties was a transitional town moving from old Spanish to brash tourist town it never really made this transition. Ghosts of the civil war haunted the enclosed plazas.Independent corner shops remained, narrow streets violated by hurrying motor scooters and a vibrant Spanish infrastructure that had not been diluted by foreigners yet. Fuengirola at this time was still a working Spanish town.

This old town was to pose a problem the Bentley didn’t fit the narrow cobble strewn streets . I knew the meeting was in the centre of town.I left the car outside and prepared to explore the area. My Spanish at this time was non existent. I had to find a centre run by catholic nuns that was somewhere between the seafront and the towns main road in the old part of the resort.

I asked again and again where it was, no success.Stopping I gazed around totally lost each street blending into another.well I tried rationalising my failure to find the meeting I realised I needed a drink.

The street cafes chairs beckoned and as I slipped into one. I noticed a man staring in a friendly way.On the table was a Stetson hat.Hello I said..Hi came the American drawl. I was wondering do you know where the convent is.He grinned come for the meeting.Well yes how did you know.You stand out from the Spanish people foreigners only come here at this time for one reason it’s the meeting.A lady joined him her Stetson pink edged with shiny beads.Smiling she held out her hand going to the meeting.Yes I am. We exchanged the usual pleasantries, how long have you been in Spain and how are you feeling at present they asked.Let me get your coffee the American unravelled himself from the cafes metal chair.He was tall well built, the face burnt bonze with traces of old scars beneath the surface.

I accepted and on we chatted.Glancing at his watch he said it was time to leave.I joined grateful for the friendly company. We stopped outside an old wooden Spanish door with a brass plate.The door was opened by a nun.my companions ducked there heads and moved into a cool darkened room.The nun ushered us into a large library and then out into a beautiful walled garden chairs had been set out for the meeting. The area was beautiful with bogainvillas ,humming birds fluttered between then,geckos ran up the walls

The members started to arrive and they where a cross section of the world.All chatted easily and introduced themselves by there first name.Some I did not realise where to become lifetime friends others would betray me, a true cross section of society, but at this time I would trust everyone on the basis that we had a shared affliction of alcoholism.Which we had escaped from one day at a time.The American was a dominant force within the room and his patronage was influential within Alcoholic Anonymous his father had been a famous Hollywood film mogul and his villa was often used by film stars wishing to escape the claustrophobic life of stardom.

Influences where peddled and reputations by and for others was a powerful force on the Costa del Sol, opening and closing doors. I felt safe within this enclosed garden.As was the tradition a man had been invited to share about his life.He had gone from a wino in Malaga to become editor of the new york times.What he didn’t say but I found out latter that he also had been a leading war reporter, his story was warm and funny bringing laughter into the garden that echoed around the walls startling the humming birds who whirled and twirled above our heads.I felt the warmth of the people.

The doors where opened by late arrivals chairs were produced and they settled into the group. A tall dark haired lady smiled as if she knew me a note was passed from one member to another.MEET ME AFTER. It said I frowned, why would anyone want to meet me I thought. The chairs were pushed aside as everyone held hands and said a short prayer.We usually have coffee afterwards the lady with the pink Stetson said will you join us.I screwed up the note and put it into my pocket.Yes I said I would love to.

I noticed the dark haired lady joined the group, but I sat with my new friends I thought I detected some animosity towards me obviously the lady was not used to being ignored, she appeared to have her own group of friends who were all Brits.

Hello, the voice demanded attention,I carried on talking. We know who you are?

You're the man who is all over the british newspapers. You're a Wanted man an outlaw.Interested I turned round to see my picture on the front-page of a major british tabloid. Which was being waved in my direction.The hard glaswegian accent coming from a distinctive attractive Spanish face shocked me. Don’t worry the glassy smile cracked the perfect make up my friends here she motioned to the rest of the table have formed outlaw AA were from Marbella.You will need our friendship if you are to survive.

The American turned to me is this true, yes I acknowledged not wanting to believe this new reality but knowing that the invisible line of my dream world had been broken and I now had become an ill-equipped for survival alcoholic man on the run. Frightened, lonely and panicking I turned to my new found acquaintances.Looking at my outlaw group as they clustered round me, we drank coffee and I started to confide with them.The introduction into the costa del sol underworld was gentle and pleasant after the initial shock some of my drinking day bravado returned the British press had gone to town branding me some sort of criminal mastermind. Who had stashed millions abroad .Strangely I never got to read the stories, but they were now on television. I knew that I could never go back.

I reasoned that perhaps the fellowship was the place to hide out,go to ground all these clichés pounded threw my head. I had been told that I was not the only one in this predicament.Was this true.

CHAPTER FIVE DREAM WARRIOR CHRONICLES

2012-09-21T23:58:00.001+01:00

The light morning Spanish sun dappled onto the deserted rock strewn beach. laying transfixed by its welcoming glow. The thought came to me that I was Alone far from England in a strange country. The distant sounds of early morning traffic drifted down the beach as a crumpled newspaper gently was blown towards me it drifted aimlessly down the beach and blew into the water.Picked myself up the deep scar tissue around my middle twisted and contorted clutching my side walking down the shoreline. glancing at the shiny paper it was in English. Scooping all the pages up. I left them to dry under some stones spreading out the pages one by one like a gigantic sign.It was an expat newspaper. Interested I glanced at the newsprint.I read the uninteresting local news.The main story was that the British were complaining about the extradition laws with Spain and there inability to extradite a growing band of criminals that had moved to Costa del Sol or the Costa del Crime as some wag had christian-ed it.There was a letter in response from some members of the expat community that read layoff our criminals.

I became uneasy I still had the option to return to the United Kingdom. I had not crossed the line I was on a short holiday.The increasing realisation that this was a rationalisation and not a fact unsettled me further.My eyes alighted on the personal section ladies offering various mature entertainments. One advert stood out it was a small lineage advert for Alcoholics Anonymous it was in Fuenigirola.Walking up the beach, reaching into the back I took out the map. I was near Gibraltar, this was a long drive up the coast to Fuengirola but I needed a meeting. The last few weeks had been stress inducing the trip across the channel the journey threw France to meet up with my Mother. The spur of the minute decisions my head was just catching up.I glanced at the old Bentley what a faithful workhorse she had become, she had never missed a beat and relaxing into her warm cowhide seats had been a pure pleasure and a stress relaxant. It would be easy to say I had had a nervous breakdown that the constant unremitting pressure had finally blown my fuses, but that would be far from the truth.The twelve steps had changed my priorities. I had begun to see the futility of my life a small degree of sanity had started to move into a totally chaotic lifestyle. An accountant had once asked me how I ran a multimillion-pound business. I said on a case of scotch. He said up the dose its not working. I chose not to take his advice, but stopped the case of scotch my only manager. The result was this stretch of rocky beach in Spain. Alone, abandoned by myself but with a little hope in a program that nobody here new anything about. Yes this could be described as pure insanity. I resolved to make the meeting.

CHAPTER FOUR DREAM WARRIOR CHRONICLES

2012-09-21T23:56:00.001+01:00

The sight of my long suffering wife and the pain that showed her face.The shame and guilt I felt drove me into paroxysm of thoughts a committee sat down and debated all the excuses and denials blame people I had used to get me of the hook.Nothing, and yet there was a glimmer deep down in the recesses of my mind .Lurked one excuse I had never used one dark thought, one excuse not used.Now was the time yet there was another voice that told me not to use this one. I don’t really know but in the befuddled state I was in I thought more people had arrived. I had fears that I had acted inappropriately with them previously perhaps they were my wife's parents.I needed that one excuse for it to work I needed a commercial telephone book. I flicked threw the pages my confused brain addled at the inappropriate usage it needed sleep, another drink or a strangers bed.Yes there it said it something to do with alcoholics, a safe haven anywhere all I needed was another drink anything. When would someone answer it rang and rang. The phone was answered by a lady I explained cryptically that I might have a drinking problem.No , she explained you’ve rung ALANON you need AA please ring this number. In my minds eye I can see the sceptical looks from the group of people that surrounded my phone or perhaps they were never there my withdrawals often gave me illusions usually of shadows but who knows.To me they were real.I needed to get away escape link my wounds like the wounded beast I felt myself to be.I rang the new number it was answered and the person on the other end had a rich deep calming voice.Do you want to stop.I looked at my real or imagined audience.Yes I said.Right I will be with you shortly.What did he mean with me shortly.Ah well I thought someone else to hide behind that was an advantage the chance for another drink..My mind was completely warped around the obsession to drink it filled every waking minute.

CHAPTER THREE DREAM WARRIOR CHRONICLES

2012-09-21T23:53:00.001+01:00

Middlesbrough Bills kindness and friendship amazed me.This was a time of uncertainty and was my first tentative steps without alcohol. This was a strange different world that I didn’t fit into. My whole life had been built up around alcohol every minute of every day.The description of myself would always have drink associated to it.My business was alcohol consumption in all its varied forms. I nearly said friends but my associates were drinking partners.Long heavy drinking sessions were my norm, or had been. I longed for the old conviviality of the public house whose smoky atmosphere conjured up feelings of social acceptance, shared secrets and understanding winks. The alternative was meetings and drunkalogs. An acceptance that somehow I had crossed some invisible line. Social invitations started to reappear to drink inducing wine tasteings. New launches of exotic and not so exotic wines,spirits and beers.

The restoration of health the bleeding had stopped and yet the dry heaves returned at the slightest amount of stress. I buried myself into the meetings frightened by the new reality of my situation. I had taken on the disease concept of Alcoholics Anonymous and made my first attempts at the steps. My sponsor had had little experience but freely shared what he had. I understood very little my head was foggy and my reasoning suspect. I reacted with an alcoholic mind to fears,projections of impending g doom. I worked hard to produce the worst possible outcomes.The meetings were sparsely attended many people relapsed and the resulting deaths,incarcerations proved the adage that alcoholism was progressive.I kept attending meetings as my business life imploded, in my drunkenness I had confided in the wrong people. Thieves had seen the opportunity of a boss who was seldom sober and unresponsable. The unmanageability of a drunken life had spilled into a business life with catastrophic results. Explanations of my behaviour were asked for and then demanded.The blackouts I had so earnestly sort now became liabilities.People appeared to tell of some outrageous episode with someone I could not recollect.I became frightened and confused not understanding that try as I might I had little to no memory of events, the people or the circumstances.

Yet this was sometimes a lie.A brief Technicolor flash of a moment when I had come out of a blackout then returned.Flashing headlights angry shouts and then nothing. Flickering firelight in an derelict house. A pool table in an underground cavern.I shuddered at these brief insights into a sots life.Much of this I kept to myself as I tossed in sleepless nights. Tortured by fear and anxiety what would happen to me. What had I become.

The big book of alcoholics anonymous was my constant companion somewhere buried in its pages was an answer but where and how did it apply to me. It told me about the problem , but I was blind to the solution. Yet it gave me some consolation telling me threw its stories that I was not alone. I started to develop a belief in the book. All I could see around me was devastation. Each day brought with a new round of problems which I was ill equipped to deal with. Honesty was starting to glimmer into my life, but the reality of honesty frightened me. Bill had told me to find God.How and where do you find God?

CHAPTER TWO DREAM WARRIOR CHRONICLES

2012-09-21T23:50:00.000+01:00

The doorbell rang.Hello my names Bill and I am an alcoholic. My first recollections of Bill were, that his description was correct he had a big brandy nose, yet he was kind a smile that creased his face.I remember little of what we talked about except he asked me if I felt inferior.I said I did.He said right we are off to our first AA meeting.Just like that. I had been twelfth stepped.I remember little of our trip the the local asylum because that’s where AA held it meetings. I followed Bill along the pea green corridors.A welcoming fire blazed in the grate most people were smiling with cups of steaming hot tea clutched in hand.No one had smiled at me for a long time some I recognised from my Rugby club days.the rugby club had been a watering hole back when drinking had been fun. I listened to there stories and then talked telling them how different my story was and using my plethora of lies and rationalisations which I had come to believe was my truth to explain why my case was special and different.I explained that I didn’t drink like them I had occasional binges and could stop for long periods.A total lie I had found many months ago the morning drink cure and topped up daily.perhaps I chose to ignore this fact.I was told in fact I was already projecting my next drink.I accepted that . Then someone said something which was to change my life. It was simple profound. You need not have another drink again.This one simple fact was to be the rock on which my sobriety was to be built.You need never have another drink again from this date forwards.

CHAPTER ONE DREAM WARRIOR CHRONICLES

2012-09-21T23:47:00.000+01:00

Now try to cast your mind back over thirty years.A hopeless drunk is staggering our of a nightclub set in an area of dockland known colloquially as over the border in a North East English port town. The street lights shimmering off the cold tarmac rushed towards me as I crumpled into unconsciousness My semi-comotse head bouncing off the granite curb stones feeling like a gentle caress. Blackout, oblivion was where my advanced alcoholism always took me. The promise of a wondrous adventure filled illusions had long since disappeared.The idea that I could handle alcohol or drugs had seemed irrelevant the inevitability of my condition overcame me I dimly felt hands riffling threw my pockets. Hopelessly drunk I was incapable of doing anything even my bodily functions now took care of themselves. Death, whatever that was, would have been welcomed as yet another phase of insane bingeing ran its course. By know I was starting to understand that once I drank I had no control over the outcome.All the excuses had been used up and I was in utter bewilderment as to why my longtime friend alcohol had turned on me.Where had my carouseing friends disappeared to and the conviviality of there happy company.

The answer crashed into my befuddled brain I had used up all there excuses as well as mine and had become the unfunny court jester who continuously embarrassed them with drunken brawling heaping abuse onto those closest to me as the full reality of my condition became apparent to them all.The witty raconteur had become the stinking drunk,bloated vomiting and unfunny.In reality I sorted out dark places where people like me sort the company of like minded others.The illegal blues clubs and she-beans the drinking dens for prostitutes and criminals.I could not resist the call to visit once I had, had that first drink.It did not matter what it was for I had long since recognised that if it was a weak shandy or a double whisky the results would be exactly the same.It came as no surprise to be lying in the gutter blacked out.

What did come as a surprise was to be sitting in the back of a taxicab.What had happened had I met with a good Samaritan for they where a rarity in this area of dockland.I was over the years after this to try many times to attempt to rationalise this answer out. Had some golden lady of the night rescued me doubtful but possible or a kindly taxi driver even more improbable.Yet here I was being dropped off outside my front door in a small suburban village.My eyes fearfully scanned the street for what had become the inevitable results of my binges a police car.I thanked the taxi driver and searched for my keys.No police car but now the guilt and remorse the terrible psychical withdrawal from alcohol gripped my being. I must have another drink as my skin started crawling and the stomach wrenching vomit reflex took hold.

It was at this time I recognised that all the lights were on yet there was no one in the house.I stopped I glanced at the red flock wallpaper with the glistening remains of the whisky glass catching the evidential reflection of the lights.Yes this was the right house.There was the drinks cupboard it was open nothing remained. Panic,fear my head whirled a neon red sign shown in my head NO DRINK.No drink nothing.I heard a car drive up my car, my wife.I needed to get what was left of the brain into gear.I wracked my brain for a solution something that would work something that would give one more drink anything.She was on the path give me an idea any idea nothing. The withdrawals were kicking in the shaking was starting with the first tremors my fingers twitched as the withdrawals started.Its just a hangover.You used the magic word that would start the withdrawal HANGOVER. I didn’t do hangovers anymore I just got sick very sick very quickly.How the hell was I to get a drink I must have a drink.I needed a solution fast any solution.

Dream Warriors New Novel of Addiction and the Journey to Recovery

2012-09-20T00:15:00.001+01:00

Dream Warriors Testament: PART 1 ROCK BOTTOM Flash News best selling new addiction book

2012-09-02T19:29:00.001+01:00

Dream Warriors Testament:PART 1 ROCK BOTTOM

Dream Warriors testament, Arriving at a time in my life after thirty years of not drinking to leave an honest account of what it was like, my experience the good and the bad, the addictions of which alcohol was but one, the spiritual experiences and the formation of my personal program.The founding of Narcotics Anonymous in Spain.The trails and tribulations of the battles and failures with the ego.Many people need to remain anonymous within my journal and many may see there rolls differently.The writing is by a dyslexic this is not an excuse but a fact.Without the help of AA,NA,CA,ALANON,OA,SA and CODA this story would have not been possible.Many Angels have appeared in my life and I acknowledge you all.My sponsor and authentic founder of NA Spain remains my confident and long term friend.This person without any thought of reward spent endless time supporting me threw the early years of recovery and whom I will be eternally grateful.

PART 1 ROCK BOTTOM

Now cast your mind back thirty years.A hopeless drunk is staggering our of a nightclub set in an area known as over the border in a North East English town. The street lights shimmering off the tarmac rushed towards me as I crumpled into unconsciosness My semicomatse head bouncing off the granite curbstones feeling like a gentle caress. Blackout, oblivion was where my advanced alcoholism always took me. The promise of a wonderous adventure filled illusions had long since disappeared.The idea that I could handle alcohol or drugs had seemed irrelevant the inevitability of my condition overcame me I dimmely felt hands rifleing threw my pockets. Hopelessly drunk I was incapable of doing anything even my bodily functions now took care of themselves. Death, whatever that was, would have been welcomed as yet another phase of insane bingeing ran its course.By know I was starting to understand that once I drank I had no control over the outcome.All the excuses had been used up and I was in utter bewilderment as to why my longtime friend alcohol had turned on me.Where had my friends disappeared to and the conviviality of there happy company.

The answer crashed into my befuddled brain I had used up all there excuses as well as mine and had become the unfunny court jester who continuosly embarrassed them with drunken brawling heaping abuse onto those closest to me as the full reality of my condition became apparent to them all.The witty raconteaur had become the stinking drunk,bloated vomiting and unfunny.In reality I sorted out dark places where people like me sort the company of like minded others.The illegal blues clubs and shebeens the drinking dens for prostitutes and criminals.I could not resist the call to visit once I had, had that first drink.It did not matter what it was for I had long since recognised that if it was a weak shandy or a double whisky the results would be exactly the same.It came as no surprise to be lying in the gutter blacked out.

What did come as a surprise was to be sitting in the back of a taxicab.What had happened had I met with a good Samaritan for they where a rareity in this area of dockland.I was over the years after this to try many times to attempt to rationalise this answer out. Had some golden lady of the night rescued me doubtful but possible or a kindly taxi driver even more improbable.Yet here I was being dropped off outside my front door in a small suburban village.My eyes fearfully scanned the street for what had become the inevitable results of my binges a police car.I thanked the taxi driver and searched for my keys.No police car but now the guilt and remorse the terrible psychical withdrawal from alcohol gripped my being. I must have another drink as my skin started crawling and the stomach wrenching vomit reflex took hold.

It was at this time I recognised that all the lights were on yet there was no one in the house.I stopped I glanced at the red flock wallpaper with the glistening remains of the whisky glass catching the evidential reflection of the lights.Yes this was the right house.There was the drinks cupboard it was open nothing remained. Panic,fear my head whirled a neon red sign shown in my head NO DRINK.No drink nothing.I heard a car drive up my car, my wife.I needed to get what was left of the brain into gear.I wracked my brain for a solution something that would work something that would give one more drink anything.She was on the path give me an idea any idea nothing. The withdrawls were kicking in the shakeing was starting with the first tremors my fingers twitched as the withdrawls started.Its just a hangover.You used the magic word that would start the withdrawl HANGOVER. I didn’t do hangovers anymore I just got sick very sick very quickly.How the hell was I to get a drink I must have a drink.I needed a solution fast any solution.

WHEN YOUR HIGHER POWER FAILS YOU

2012-08-22T14:21:00.001+01:00

It happens every time. Without fail. Without exception. I bet it's happened to you also. Just think about it. How often has your god failed you? Every single time. Every single time I have turned a human being into a god, or turned something man-made into an idol, or placed my trust, expectation, hope, and confidence in anything else but the one true God, my god has failed me. Some people are slow learners. I am one of them. I have made the same mistake countless times. And every single time, that's right, you've got it. It happens every time. Maybe I should be more careful when I place my trust, expectation, hope, and confidence in a human being. Maybe I should be more choosy with the human I choose. Not so. No matter the human, the same outcome will arise. My god will fail me. I did it again recently. I made the same mistake. But my mistake wasn't the human I chose. My mistake was the choice I made to pick a human. And guess what happened? You guessed it. My god failed me. But how can this happen, time and again? Easily. First, it happens when I fail to remember when I need not to forget. Never, ever, place what belongs to God in heaven in the hands of a human. My love and trust, my loyalty and faithfulness, my belief and confidence, my hope and expectation, must be placed in the Lord first and foremost, above all and everyone else - whether it be someone or something else, or whether it be myself. Second, it happens not because I forget, but because I don't realize and recognize what I have done. Hard habits sometimes die slowly, don't they? And slow habits die hard. It has been a hard lesson for me, and I have to be vigilant to ensure I don't unconsciously do what I have so often done. So what is the outcome of this all? My gods fail me. Every human I have ever made into a god, every person or thing I have ever turned into an idol, the result has always been the same. My false gods have failed me, hurt me, let me down, forsaken me, abandoned me, rejected me, broken me, fallen short, messed up, and a zillion other things. Seriously? Yes. Will the real God please stand up?

Researchers completing a new study on alcohol consumption have discovered that college-age students who binge drink are happier than those who don't.

2012-08-21T01:11:00.001+01:00

Those who engaged in binge drinking tend to belong to so-called high-status groups: wealthy, white, male and active in fraternity life. And those who did not belong to the high-status groups could achieve similar levels of social acceptance through the act of binge drinking. In fact, the study results suggest that students engaged in the heavy drinking practice to elevate their social status amongst peers rather than to alleviate depression or anxiety.

"The present study offers another insight into the nature of a seemingly intractable social problem," the study released on Monday reads. "It is our hope that by drawing attention to the important social motivations underlying binge drinking, institutional administrators and public health professionals will be able to design and implement programs for students that take into account the full range of reasons that students binge drink."

The Washington Post reports that the study's co-author and Colgate University associate professor Carolyn Hsu presented some of the findings during the American Sociological Association gathering in Denver last week.

Interestingly, the study results compiled from surveying 1,600 college students also continues to support past evidence suggesting that binge drinking leads to a number of problems affecting the mind and body, including alcoholism, violence, poor grades and risky sexual behavior.

"I would guess it has to do with feeling like you belong and whether or not you're doing what a 'real' college student does," Hsu told LiveScience. "It seems to be more about certain groups getting to define what that looks like."

Binge drinking was defined as consuming more than four drinks in one occasion for women and more than five drinks for men. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they had engaged in the practice, compared with 36 percent who said they had not.

Those statistics differ from similar evidence gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC's statistics measure binge drinking in the same quantity but limit the consumption period to two hours or fewer. Its results also found that the majority of binge drinkers (70 percent) were over the age of 26. The CDC has also found that 90 percent of alcohol consumed by people under the age of 21 is done in the form of binge drinking, compared with 75 percent among all U.S. adults.

The Five Keys to Mindful Communication

2012-08-19T00:33:00.001+01:00

The first key of mindful communication, according to Chapman (2012), is having amindful presence. This means having an open mind, awake body and a tender heart. When you have a mindful presence, you give up expectations, stories about yourself and others, and acting on emotions.

You are fully in the present moment; your communication isn’t focused on the “me” and what the “me” needs, but the we.

Mindful listening is the second key to mindful communication. Mindful listening is about encouraging the other person. This means looking through the masks and pretense and seeing the value in the person and the strengths he or she possesses. It’s looking past the human frailties and flaws that we all have to see the authentic person and the truth in what that person is attempting to say.

Mindful speech, the third key, is about gentleness. Speaking gently means being effective in what you say. It’s about speaking in a way that you can be hard. To be gentle with our speech means being aware of when our own insecurities and fears are aroused to the point we are acting out of fear rather than acceptance.

Practicing self-compassion for our fear, envy, jealousy and self-doubts is more effective than focusing on others as being a threat or attempting to change them. When you use gentle speech, you are communicating acceptance to the other person and saying what is true, not an interpretation or an exaggeration or a minimization.

The key to mindful relationships is unconditional friendliness. Unconditional friendliness means accepting the ebb and flow of relationships. Sometimes you meet new friends, sometimes friends move on, sometimes there is joy and sometimes there is pain. Sometimes you’ll feel lonely, sometimes you’ll feel cherished and connected, and then you’ll feel lonely again.

Unconditional friendliness means that your acceptance of others is not dependent on them staying with you or agreeing with you. You don’t cling to relationships to avoid loss.

Mindful responsiveness is like playfulness. Playfulness is the openness that you can have when you let go of preconceived ideas and strategies. It’s like creating something new. Imagine two skilled dancers who alternatively lead each other in creating a new dance in every interaction, never doing the same complete dance over and over. They respond in the moment to the message sent by the other. There are no rules or expectations and yet they both bring skillful behavior.

Mindful communication requires practice. If you choose to practice the keys, you might choose to focus on one at a time. Being willing to regulate your emotions is a prerequisite to mindful communication and mindfulness of your emotions is necessary for emotion regulation.

Mindfulness is a core skill for the emotionally sensitive.

References

Chapman, Susan Gillis. The Five Keys to Mindful Communication: Using Deep Listening and Mindful Speech to Strengthen Relationships, Heal Conflicts and Acceomplish Your Goals. Boston: Shambhala, 2012.

ADDICTION charity Focus12 has received a huge financial boost after a codumentary about Russell Brand was shown last night.

2012-08-17T10:57:00.002+01:00

The documentary Russell Brand: Addiction to Recovery resulted in an immediate boost in donations and inspired the managing director of Bury St Edmunds based Chevington Finance and Leasing to offer the charity £106,000 over three years.

Russell Brand attended Focus12, the Bury St Edmunds abstinence-based alcohol and drug rehabilitation centre, in 2003 and is now a patron of the charity, describing it as ‘a really excellent example of a small cost effective rehab that can help people change in dramatic ways’.
Chip Somers, Focus12’s chief executive, said: “Russell’s documentary and his work this year to raise the profile of abstinence based recovery has got people talking about addiction in a different way, and made them realise that there is a viable alternative to simply giving up on addicts, or parking them on methadone.
“We are blown away by the generosity of Chevington — this financial support will make a huge difference to us as a charity and will certainly mean we can continue to stay open and help those who need us for longer. Raising funds for a recovery charity has never been harder than it is at present, every day is literally a struggle to keep afloat and we are very grateful.”
Clive Morris, Managing Director of Chevington Finance and Leasing said: “My wife and I were incredibly touched by last night’s documentary, which inspired us to endorse the local treatment centre Focus12, and we have today agreed funding assistance for the charity of £106,000 over the next 4 years.
“We believe that as a successful, responsible and reliable company we have a duty to help local charities survive this recession and the work that Chip Somers and his team do is fantastic and we fully endorse their abstinence based programme and have seen what a difference it makes to people’s lives.”

London's secret music venue and their livestream act

2012-08-14T00:26:00.001+01:00

With an invite-only door policy and super secret location, Boiler Room is London's most exclusive music venue. But elitism isn't the premise for its clandestine nature—in fact, anyone with an Internet connection can easily join in the fun. Using a simple webcam, the crew behind Boiler Room livestreams each set for the world to see free of charge, and each month more than a million viewers tune in to see performances by artists like James Blake, The xx, Roots Manuva, Neon Indian, Juan Maclean and more.

We recently chilled out to the smooth sounds of Brooklyn's How To Dress Well before rocking out to revered musician Matthew Dear, who brought down the house with an intense 40-minute DJ set. Keep an eye out for our interview with Dear, but for now you can get a little more insight into the underground music scene's most talked about livestream show by checking out our interview with assistant musical programmer and Boiler Room host Nic Tasker.

How important is it for Boiler Room to remain secret, at least in its location?

That is quite an important aspect of it, purely because it means when you do shows you don't get a lot of groupies, pretty much everyone in the room is either a friend of ours or one of the artist's. It helps to create a more relaxed atmosphere for the artist and I think they feel less pressure. They're also just able to chill out and be themselves more rather than having people being like, "Hi can I get your autograph?" If the artists are relaxed usually you get the best music.

It seems like there is more interaction among the crowd than at a typical venue, is that intentional?

It's definitely a social place. All the people that come down, most of them we know and they're all our friends. So they come down, hang, have a drink and just chill out, basically. From our very set-up, we do it with a webcam, we're not a highly professional organization but I think that's kind of the charm of it. The main thing is people come down with the right attitude.

How much of the show is prescribed?

I guess that depends on the artist. We never say anything. Literally, whatever they want to do—we're kind of the platform for them to do whatever they want, so if Matthew Dear wants to come and play an hour of noise with no beats, he can do that. That's fine with us, and I think that's why artists like coming to play for us. We're not like a club where you have to make people dance, we don't give a shit if people dance. It's nice if they do and it makes it more fun, but some nights you just get people appreciating the music, which is equally fun.

Is there a particular kind of artist you guys look for and ask to come perform?

No, not particularly, it's just whatever we're feeling. Thristian [Boiler Room's co-founder] has the main say on musical direction, but it's a massive team effort. In London there's five of us, New York there's two, LA there's one and Berlin there's two.

Tonight you had different set-ups for each artist, do you tailor their positioning in the room to their style?

It definitely depends on the act and what kind of music they do. With live bands we found what works nicely is having them opposite each other because it's like they're in rehearsal, like they're just jamming. Which is again trying to give them that chilled out feel that they're just at home jamming and there happens to be a camera there. For some of our shows we've had over 100,000 viewers. When you think of those numbers it's quite scary, but when you're in the room and it's all friends it creates that vibe that people don't mind. You can imagine if you had all those people in front of you it would be a very different situation.

Have you ever thought of Boiler Room as an East London version of Soul Train?

It's never crossed my mind like that, but I can see why you think that. I like to think of us as the new music broadcaster, kind of the new MTV, but obviously we operate in the underground scene mainly. But I like to think that what we do is as revolutionary as what they were doing. We're always growing into something new.

What's up next for Boiler Room?

We have had visual people in doing 3D mapping, and that's something we're looking forward to progressing—doing more with the visuals. We've got the upstairs as well, we're starting to do breakfast shows with some high profile DJs, we're going to be doing that regularly. Each will have an individual format. The next step is progressing the US shows, we're alternating weekly between New York and LA, so the next step is to take Boiler Room to America

Breaking Free of the Co-dependency Trap presents a groundbreaking developmental road map to guide readers away from their co-dependent behaviors and toward a life of wholeness and fulfillment.

2012-08-13T10:08:00.002+01:00

Cover of Breaking Free of the Co-Dependency Trap
Breaking Free of the Co-dependency Trap presents a groundbreaking developmental road map to guide readers away from their co-dependent behaviors and toward a life of wholeness and fulfillment.UK Citizens
This is the book that offers a different perspective on codependency and is strongly recommended by Dream Warrior Recovery as part of a solution based recovery. This bestselling book, now in a revised edition, radically challenges the prevailing medical definition of co-dependency as a permanent, progressive, and incurable addiction. Rather, the authors identify it as the result of developmental traumas that interfered with the infant-parent bonding relationship during the first year of life.US Citizens
Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Barry and Janae Weinhold correlate the developmental causes of co-dependency with relationship problems later in life, such as establishing and maintaining boundaries, clinging and dependent behaviors, people pleasing, and difficulty achieving success in the world. Then they focus on healing co-dependency, providing compelling case histories and practical activities to help readers heal early trauma and transform themselves and their primary relationships.

Pigs worship God of Materialism

2012-08-06T03:57:00.001+01:00

If ever there was a god to prevent you from worshiping material things, it would be this one.

The hideous pig-like thing is the masterpiece by Chinese artist Chen Wenling called God Of Materialism.

Ugly pig with green eye darting at thier master

Looking chuffed, the huge greedy pig has minions of other tiny, and just as unattractive and scary, pigs worshiping in awe at its heels.

The group stare up at their master, adorned with a plethora of jewels and necklaces representing the grotesque love of material things.

The sculpture, which looks like a bad dream, can be found at the Asia Art Centre in Beijing.

And if you're brave enough to go and see it, it will be there till October 18th 2008.

OPIATE PAIN MEDS FOR ADDICTS

2012-07-29T11:11:00.001+01:00

Need for Opiate Painkillers

There are times when a physician feels the need to prescribe opiate painkillers to their patient. This may be because the individual is undergoing some type of surgical treatment or they are dealing with chronic pain. This type of medication is tightly controlled because of abuse and addiction – it is illegal to use such drugs for recreational purposes. Most physicians will be cautious about prescribing opiates and will only do so when they believe the benefits outweigh the risks. The vast majority of people who do use these medications never develop any problems as a result. Increasingly doctors are aware of how important it is to get the balance right between managing the pain and avoiding addiction.

Worries about Relapse after Using Opiate Analgesia

Those individuals who are in addiction recovery will have particular concerns in regards to the medical use of opiate analgesia. This is particularly true for those who have been previously addicted to opiates – although it does apply to all recovering addicts including those recovering from alcohol abuse. The worry is that once the individual uses these substances it will trigger a relapse back to addiction. There are examples of people who fell into this trap after they used opiates under prescription. This is a reasonable concern because even people with no history of drug abuse have developed addiction problems after taking prescribed opiate medication. Thankfully there are things that can be done to prevent that from happening.

Alternatives to Opiate Analgesia

There are many options when it comes to pain management including:

Techniques such as mindfulness mediation have proving to be effective in the treatment of chronic pain. This type of treatment for pain is inexpensive and involves no unpleasant side effects.
If people are tense it can make the pain feel far more severe. This is why relaxations techniquesare able to reduce the experience of this discomfort.
There are a number of effective non-opiate medications that will be able to manage severe pain in many instances. This includes drugs that are most often used to treat epilepsy and depression – they also have pain management prosperities.
Some people will experience pain relief from transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS machine). This is regularly used in the management of pain associated with childbirth – it is based on the gate control theory of pain.
Alternatives treatments such as acupuncture or reiki can help people deal with pain.

Justifiable Use of Opiate Analgesia in Recovery

There are justifiable reasons for using opiate analgesia medication in recovery. It is inhumane for people to be left in pain. In most instances this discomfort can be dealt with by using non-opiate medications and pain management techniques, but this is not always possible. Chronic pain makes life unbearable and to leave somebody in this state, when there is a remedy, would a form of cruelty – and therefore unethical for a physician. This is why in some instances there will be justifiable reasons for prescribing opiate analgesia. Physicians will not deny people the medication they need, but they have an obligation to help the individual understand the risks involved – they also need a treatment plan that will help reduce these risks.

Safe use of Opiate Analgesia in Recovery

Here are some suggestions about the safe use of opiate analgesia in addiction recovery:

It is vital that the physician prescribing opiate medication is aware of the patient’s history of addiction. If they are aware of the risks they may be able to suggest a non –opiate alternative first of all.
The individual needs to keep in mind that the opiate medication is being used to treat a symptom. There is a great deal of difference between this and taking drugs to get high.
It is vital that people follow their physician’s instructions carefully. If they are worried that their doctor is not taking the risk of relapse seriously enough they should ask for a second opinion.
It is important to establish that there are no non-opiate alternatives that could be tried first of all. Unfortunately some physicians still have a tendency to just automatically prescribe opiate medications without fully considering other options.
Those individuals who are dealing with chronic pain will usually be assigned to a pain management team made up of a number of different professionals. This expert multidisciplinary team will be well aware of dangers of opiates and will be able to provide the best guidance.
The doctor can prescribe opiate medication to prevent the pain from arising or to treat it when it does arise. In practice this means that the individual will be expected to take the drug at regular intervals or as they feel they need it (this is referred to as pro re nata (PRN) or as required) – it is vital to take this medication as per instructions.
Those individuals who have been prescribed PRN opiate medication should only take it treat their pain. This means that they need to be honest with themselves and not take the drug for any other reason.
The sooner the individual can come off these medications the better for them. Of course, this cannot happen until their pain is managed by non-opiate means.
It has been suggested that a blinded pain cocktail might be a good option when using methadone opiates for pain. This means mixing the drug with other substances, and the individual will not be told how much methadone is inside.
A family member can be given the responsibility for managing the pain medication; although there could be ethical reasons for why this could become a problem.
So long as the individual is only using these substances under strict doctor’s orders they will not have relapsed back to drug use. It should not affect their status in recovery.
Those individuals who belong to a recovery fellowship should share their concerns and ask for support – a sponsor is generally good for this. It is important to keep in mind though, that the members of this group should not be handing out any medical advice that they are not qualified to give.