Welcome back! You have made it to the end of the first week of the Into the Clear Educational Series. I hope you are embracing this time of sobriety. Whether you believe you have a serious addiction issue or using drugs and/or alcohol has become a habitual routine, it is good to abstain and take an inventory of your spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional well-being. I would like to congratulate you for walking this walk. I know it isn’t easy.
Study Tip - Don’t Forget to Laugh!!!
Tim Hawkins really knows how to make you laugh. He's definitely not afraid to be a little goofy and laugh at himself. I've watched that one about 7 times now!
So far, we've talked about making good decisions and establishing or strengthening a consistent rule of life. We have searched into what addiction is really about, which is a drive to escape an overwhelming feeling of helplessness and powerlessness. You have done various exercises where you have explored prominent themes of your own behaviors and choices, seeking to understand your true motivations. You have seen the difference between decisions from impulsive reactions and those based on thoughtful, reasonable responses.
In this first week you have begun to look forward, hopefully with more inspiration about what’s to come, and are able to look at your past with more perspective and serenity. We learned about various truths regarding alcohol including the fact that alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance. We learned that it is processed in our livers, and that the excess effects every organ of the human body, especially the brain. There are many misconceptions about addiction and addicts. Slapped on labels do not help us to grow through challenges or understand our own personal addiction process. Each of us is unique. Addicts are not weak or frail, or unwilling to change.
You have learned some definitions of alcoholism and reasons for addictive behavior. Merriam-Wester Dictionary says alcoholism is both an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor, and /or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency. In looking at the differences between habits and addictions you have learned how important it is to be aware of the circumstances that cause you to take a certain action. Is it simply routine? Or is it an emotional response to an experience of feeling helpless, overwhelmed, disappointed, or angry at something or someone?
In the lesson on having a healthy self-image, we talked about rites of passage from adolescence into adulthood. We learned many of the so called “rites of passage” that we have adopted here in our modern culture are not truly rites of passage, but rather expressions of machoism, or “just having fun,” like sex, drinking, and rebelling against authority. Do these things help us be more responsible? Do they connect us to our roots in a positive way? Do they inspire us to believe in a vibrant and fruitful future? Understanding who we are and making choices that reflect our true beliefs is honoring of our God-given talents and abilities. Do you remember the exercise on day 4 that showed characteristics of who you truly are? It might be good to revisit that chart you made.
We heard Paul’s testimony on day 5 which showed a man who had made many mistakes and took many wrong turns over the course of decades. We saw that he needed to identify with the roots and cause of his addictive behavior and be willing to take full responsibility for every area of his life. We saw that his embrace of God and faith, the renewing of his mind and thought life, were all a part of his healing, recovery, and restoration. Many of us have gone through experiences or transitions that gave us a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. Without even realizing it we may be living and reliving those emotions. We also learned that there is always hope, and if we seek answers and help, we will find it.
Our participation in addictive acts we learned is the final step in a chain or process of thoughts and feelings. If we can learn to identify the first thought that can lead to the twist of thinking that occurs with addiction, we can navigate away from those status quo, habitual decisions, and stay focused on our goals.
We heard a story from Jill, who instead of confronting the conflicts present in her marriage, withdrew and avoided those emotions, and began escaping to the bars which would eventually lead to her divorce, and spiral down deeper into addictive behavior and confusion. Could she have handled it differently? Instead of avoiding the conflict could she have spoken directly to her spouse about what she really wanted and needed?
Questions for Reflection
Write a paragraph (or more if you like) about what you learned from the Getting Started Module.
What sticks with you the most?
What did you not understand well if anything?
How can you apply these ideas to your life in the week ahead?