Heal The Abuse - Recover Your Life Jason Goodwin (free ebook novel .TXT) 📖

quit smoking, I felt emotionallyraw for a full year. But being sober helped me get in touch withfeelings I had been avoiding for years. It took time, but I slowlybegan to feel better about myself. My self-esteem began to improve.Over time, I learned the true meaning of feeling good.

In the past, our abusers exploited ourweaknesses and attacked our self-esteem. At some point, we came tobelieve that we deserved their abuse. We may have even taken overfor our abusers by disrespecting and abusing our own bodies. It’stime to get the abuser out of our head. When it comes to addiction,we are the only ones who can stop the abuse.

Exercise 4-1

Identifying Chemical Addictions Self-Test

-This is a self-test I developed for addictsto help identify the extent of our addiction to alcohol and drugs.Check any of the characteristics that apply to your drug/alcoholuse.

_____ 1. I wind up using more drugs/alcoholthan I planned to.

_____ 2. I slam, guzzle, or smoke to get highmore quickly.

_____ 3. I often use drugs/alcohol with theintention of getting wasted/drunk.

_____ 4. I sometimes use drugs/alcohol whenI’m alone.

_____ 5. I have needed more alcohol or drugsto get drunk/high.

_____ 6. I have hoarded drugs/alcohol or kepta private stash.

_____ 7. I have concealed the amount orfrequency of my drug/alcohol use from family or friends.

_____ 8. I have lied about drinking or usingto others.

_____ 9. I have engaged in illegal behavioras a result of drinking/using.

_____ 10. I have had problems with certainrelationships as a result of drinking/using.

_____ 11. I have done things I said I wouldnever do as a result of drinking/using.

_____ 12. I have often drank/used as areaction to difficult feelings (anger, fear, pain, discomfort, orstress.)

_____ 13. I frequently thought about the nexttime I was going to drink/use.

_____ 14. I planned for my drinking/using inadvance.

_____ 15. I spent money on alcohol/drugs thatwas needed for other things.

_____ 16. I have had difficulty stayingsober, even when I really wanted to.

-The scoring for this self-test is as follows:

0-4 - Some problems with drug/alcohol use

5-9 - Early stage of addiction

10-14 – Middle stage of addiction

15+ - Late stage of addiction

When is it time to get help? The answer is, thesooner we get help, the sooner our lives can improve. As ouraddictions progress, the damage they cause to our self-esteem, ourphysical health, our emotional well-being, our relationships, ourcareer, our spirituality, our values, our morals, and every otherarea of our lives continues to increase.

-Some of the ways we can work to becomehealthy include:

1. Letting the people who care about us backinto our lives.

2. Becoming honest with others and ourselvesabout our addiction.

3. Making amends to those we have harmed inthe past with our behavior.

4. Attending AA/NA/Celebrate Recoverymeetings every week so we can ask for help and receive support fromother recovering alcoholics/addicts.

5. Forgiving ourselves for not beingperfect.

6. Making a commitment to getting our livesin order – legally, financially, personally, and inrelationships.

7. Reconnecting with our goals for thefuture.

8. Taking care of ourselves physically,emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

9. Trying to see the good in all things.

10. Being open to the wisdom of others andapplying that wisdom to our lives.

11. Learning to respect others andourselves.

12. Accepting our feelings and allowingourselves to feel both the good and the bad.

13. Exercising to help us feel more stableand release feelings of anger or frustration.

14. Becoming more organized so we can getmore of what we want out of life.

15. Becoming active instead of passivelywaiting for things to happen to us.

16. Supporting others in recovery and givingsomething back.

Process Questions

How have my chemical or behavioral addictionsaffected my life? (Alcohol, cigarettes, illegal drugs, eating,gambling, etc…)

How do I feel about the ways my chemical orbehavioral addictions have affected my life?

How would it benefit me to overcome myaddictions?

What might prevent me from seeking help formy addictions?

What are the steps I can take to overcome myaddictions? (Going to AA/NA/Celebrate Recovery meetings, readingbooks on addiction recovery, checking myself into adrug/alcohol/addiction rehabilitation center, working with acounselor, etc…)

Stepping Stones to Health

Chemical Addiction

-Try to identify where you are in thestepping-stones to health, and the next step or steps you need totake.

_____ 1. I use alcohol or drugs regularly,but I do not feel that I have a problem.

_____ 2. My alcohol or drug use is beginningto have some negative effects on my relationships, financialwell-being, family, career, or self-care, but I do not feel that Ihave a problem.

_____ 3. My alcohol or drug use has led tolegal problems (DUI, possession of illegal drugs, minor inconsumption) or I have been incarcerated, but I still do not feelthat I have a problem.

_____ 4. I am beginning to recognize that myalcohol/drug use is causing problems in my life, but I do not wantto quit.

_____ 5. My situation keeps getting worse. Myfamily, friends, or significant other tells me I have a problem andI know that I do, but I don’t want to quit.

_____ 6. I am beginning to experience healthproblems (kidney pain, ulcers or stomach cramps, cirrhosis of theliver, weight loss or weight gain, loss of hair, loss of teeth,etc…) but I still do not want to quit and I don’t really care whathappens to my body.

_____ 7. I realize that if I don’t quit myaddiction to alcohol/drugs, I will die, and I want to live.

_____ 8. I have decided to work on myaddiction or addictions but I don’t know where to start.

_____ 9. I have picked up some readingmaterials on overcoming addictions and am studying them.

_____ 10. I have attended AA/NA/CelebrateRecovery meetings or begun counseling/rehabilitation for mydrug/alcohol issues.

_____ 11. I hear what they’re saying, but I’mstill not sure I want to quit. I haven’t found a better way to copewith my negative feelings than using drugs or alcohol.

_____ 12. I am learning that there are betterways of coping with negative feelings than using drugs or alcoholand I am learning those techniques.

_____ 13. I am beginning to use these betterways of coping with my problems, including exercise, journaling,deep relaxation, talking about my feelings, going