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Making a Difference
I think there comes a time in every person’s natural recovery from addiction whether it be gambling, alcohol, drugs, or eating disorders where they feel like they need to make a difference. I know for myself that after several years of sobriety I reached a point where I wanted to help other people to defeat their addictions. It can also be tough for those of us who are sober to see other individuals who are still struggling. The world would be a far better place if addiction did not exist, but we must deal with the hand we were dealt.
With that stated, I think that trying to help others can also serve as an excellent opportunity to help in maintaining your sobriety. For example, I have started this website, am receiving education in substance abuse treatment, and I try to donate as much as possible to causes and charities that I believe can be helpful. I encourage you to do the same thing. If you are not interested in developing a website, then you can post your stories to this site using the link above. If you don’t have a lot of time, maybe you can donate some money to the charity of your choice. Be careful though, because there are numerous charities and you might want to look for one that is geared towards something important to you.
Another way to make a difference is to let people know that there is a problem with drug and alcohol use. Our society has glamorized it to an extent that some people view it as a lifestyle or as the only way to be cool. The problem with that is that some who adopt the lifestyle end up dead. I have lost several friends and acquaintances to substance use so I know it happens way too often.
Alternatively, you can go to local meetings for support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Even if you feel you are doing better yourself, it is helpful for other people to use you as a resource in their own recovery. I think it is a responsibility for those of us who have seen the light to make some attempt to help at least one other person. It sort of serves as a way to pass it forward!
Posted in General, Inspiration
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New Feature
Hey everyone, I have added a new feature to the main menu at the top. The feature allows you to submit your own story or article for inclusion on serenrecovery.com. When I originally stated that I wanted this page to develop into a community, I meant it! Now you can start publishing your own articles or stories about experiences with recovery. All you have to do is click on “submit story” above, type in your story (or cut and paste a story into the editor), and submit the story. After your article or story is submitted, I will briefly review it and post it to the main page. I am primarily reviewing stories to ensure that there is no spam and to do any grammatical editing that needs to be done. For the most part, however, I will ensure that your articles are published as you upload them. Thanks.
Posted in General
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Prescription Drug Abuse
Prescription drug abuse, or pill addiction as it is commonly called, and, ultimately, ‘pill withdrawal’ have been with us since doctors began prescribing drugs, but has become more widespread since the advent of the ‘repeat prescription’ or ‘refill’, whereby patients can have a prescription renewed without having to visit their doctor. This can be as simple for many people as visiting a pharmacy and filling out a form giving their name, address and the drug they want. This is then returned to the doctor to countersign. The problem is that these can often be signed as routine, rather than consideration being given to the need, and so facilitating prescription drug abuse.
If a certain patient begins to request repeats more often, would this be noticed? Theoretically it should, but in practice it is frequently not. Not, that is, until the next review. Frequently, twelve repeats are allowed before the patient must again speak to the doctor personally to review the treatment. Prescription drug abuse, and resultant pill withdrawal symptoms, are generally overlooked by the medical profession.
The type of prescription drugs which lead to pill addiction are wide and varied, and not just tranquilisers such as diazepam (Vallium) and nitrazepam (Mogadon). Continue reading
Posted in General, Treatment Advances
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Thank You!
I would like to thank those of you who have provided donations to the web site. As this website is completely free it is great to reap some rewards from time to time. In return, I am going to start adding a lot more content in the coming days, weeks, and months. As a side note, I have noticed that no one seems to be using the forum. I would really like people to start posting general comments there as I think it could be a great place for people to connect. Also remember that the site is on facebook and twitter. You can join the site on either by clicking on the image links on the right hand side of this page. Again, thank you for your donations!
Posted in General
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