How Do You Stay Clean/Sober For Good?

I have worked with health care professionals who think that once an alcoholic/addict gets straight then that's it! No more problem! Far from the truth! As it takes a Spiritual Awakening for a drinking alcoholic that wants Sobriety to attain initial Sobriety. The Spiritual Experience could be thought to be of the "burning bush"/"parting of the sea" variety. If that occurred everytime an alcoholic/addict had such of an experience then there would be such a clamour that no one would ever be able to get anything done! Most Spiritual Experiences are of the educational variety. To where the alcoholic/addict hears from fellow recovering alcoholics whom represent a form of a higher power. Higher of a power than drugs/alcohol! The addict/alcoholic even though in Recovery is either heading toward or away from a drink/fix/pill. We do not just sit still. It is much easier to hear about Sobriety and have a Spiritual Experience when working with another Sober alcoholic than sitting at a pub drinking a glass of water. There is nothing conducive to Sobriety in a bar. Even with all of this "education" on how to stay clean/sober fear of what a relapse will do to them, fear will not keep an alcoholic/addict Clean and Sober for ever. Only reliance upon a Power Greater than himself/herself will help an alcoholic/addict in Recovery for life! Thus, a Spiritual Experience. As a now Sober Alcoholic/Clean Drug Addict since 4/28/84 I found out that there comes a day in every Recovering Alcoholic's life where nothing upon the face of the earth will keep him Sober! It takes that reliance upon his/her Higher Power. I have had that day and someway/somehow I stayed Clean and Sober!

Opposites Attract?

Hello everyone! I have been reading/commenting on the readings online so to express how the world of psychology is missing the whole boat on the nature of depression/psychosis/drug addiction/alcoholism and the onset of symptoms of such.

One researcher claims that research shows that only physical childhood abuse causes schizophrenia and that the mental illness has nothing to do with biological causes.

I couldn't believe my mentally ill mind! I asked this researcher about how, yes, I come from an abusive childhood and smoked pot/other drugs like pcp/cocaine/heroin/amphetamines. The point I make is that I remember having symptoms @ age 3 like anxiety and by age 8 or so I would be vacuuming mom's carpet and be carring on a conversation with a floor lamp by way of thought from my mind to and then back from the lamp.

Now, this researcher claims there is no biological side to psychosis, but is caused only by an abusive childhood. I asked, then, that if I neglect to take my antipsychotic meds why do I have horrific psychotic symptoms plus, why is it if I miss my night time anti-depressives then the entire next day I am depressed?

Now, if all of these mental illnesses are caused by childhood abuse why is my older sister, who
grew up in the same household as I, how is it she had what she called a "mystical, magically" wonderful childhood? She, 6 years older than me, has no mental illnesses/no drug addiction/no alcoholism?

It is my modest opinion that I was born with mental illnesses which voided any coping skills and my sister was born with no mental illnesses such that my hell bound life was because I am powerless over my mental illnesses and couldn't cope! Yet my sister is healthy because she has coping skills that "average" people are born with.

Much Better, Thank You!

When first suggested, Recovery from alcoholism was said to be the only disease where upon Recovery it made the individual a better person.
Now with the addition of similar processes for achieving recovery including drug addiction a similar program sprouted for Recovery from a Dual-Diagnosis. (Not to be confused with "dual-addiction"). Recovery from a Dual-Diagnosis means having a desire to stay clean and stay sober PLUS have a mental and /or emotional disorder of which you have the desire to stay in Recovery from.
Much like Recovery from alcoholism  Recovery from Dual-Diagnosis makes a better person of the person who has achieved Dual-Recovery.
     As I now have 29+ years Recovery I am a model citizen and absolutely love it! I can actually smile and wave at the Police as they drive by and mean every bit of my smile!
     Folks!? I used to belong to a gang some thirty years ago and have sat behind bars! NO MORE! I figured out that as a Law Abiding American Citizen I can go anywhere and do anything I want! I'm loving life and am doing/living as I wished when I was first upon Recovery! I have arrived!
Thank you!

Hello Everyone!

Hello everyone! My name is Chuck and I'm greatful to be in Dual-Recovery! You may ask what is Dual-Recovery? In order to be in Dual-Recovery you must be an alcoholic and/or drug addict and be:
- clean from intoxicating drugs and sober PLUS have a mental or emotional disorder which you must be in Recovery from.
Please understand "just" staying sober and "just" staying clean is extremely difficult in themselves, but when you add one or more mental illnesses this makes it all that much more difficult. Thus, I hope my blog may help my readers stay in Dual-Recovery or for loved ones of those like me or those who study Dual-Diagnosis bring understanding to you so to illustrate what it can be like for people like myself. I will include what I recall from my past to describe what it has been like for me and how I now behave and what wisdom I have to share to inform and encourage people like me to get into and stay in Dual-Recovery and continue to grow in Recovery. I would also love to knock down the wall of stigma between us who have mental illnesses and alcoholism and/or drug addiction and those "average" people who think odd of me or thinks I am dangerous or wierd because of my mental illnesses.
     My first day in continuous Recovery is April 28, 1984. And now I'm so happy I can barely stand it! Ha-ha!
Thank you,
Charles R Smith II