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helping a loved one with a severe addiction
helping a loved one part 2
supportive links
your first step to recovery
no silver bullet cure, but there is a way
denial and the families role in preventing it
all 50 states social services links
more: 50 states alcohol/drug departments
the 6 stages of change your mind goes through
12 steps of alcoholics anonymous
your psychiatrist said "you need meds"
feelings & emotions linked to addiction
medications help end addiction
so your tired, lost anguished and addicted
meditations in recovery "reflections"
more addiction help links
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buddhas', aa and modern medicines addiction cure
once an addict always an addict?
patience is needed when helping a loved one
deepak chopra on addictions
daily meditations in recovery

Addiction recovery video's *
by john carcerano
Basics of addiction recovery *
6 stages of change *

craig fergusons' recovery story
funny, witty, sad and true!

         Addiction; an explanation
An addictive mind is an "unquiet mind" in
            search of "bio-balance".
By understanding what your diverse unbalanced
issues are rooted in, you can learn to find new balance
for your "unquiet mind" that does not include alcohol
or drug addiction. Emotional and genetic influences are
the reasons for your imbalances. You can't make up for
the genetic or physiological causes for causes to your
addictive personality, but you can learn through management how to overcome these influences in
ways that exclude the up and down suffering cycle of
alcohol, drugs and other addictions. Addiction does work,
but only temporarily, until the compulsion of your next
fix distractingly takes over your mind again. You must learn how to manage and control the intensity of your
compulsive imbalance in order to no longer need
addiction as a temporary and on-going fix for balance. The problem is that when you use addiction as a temporary
fix to your initial imbalance through the consumption of
alcohol, drugs, cigarettes etc., these chemicals also bring
with them changes in your body which cause physical
addiction.
So when you finally take on the challenge of quitting
these addictive chemicals, you have to deal with the "un-quietness" of physiological withdrawal. You now have
to deal with a double whammy of unsteadiness.

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                MEDITATIONS IN RECOVERY

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by founder John Carcerano

Alcohol and drug addiction recovery

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Alcohol and drug addiction, a form of abandonment
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Addiction recovery hope and help you deserve
Recognize the addiction early
Once an addict always an addict?
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AA or NA, is this the only way?
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Even the most hopeless do and can get well
So you are tired, lost, anguished and confused.....
Medication to help with addiction recovery
For alcohol and drug addicts, everything you do matters
Acknowledging loss of control is the first step
There will never be a single silv er bullet cure for addiction
People say "just quit cold turkey"
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bill wilson's story in his words, pt 1 video *
bill wilson's story in his words, pt 2 video *
bill wilson's story in his words, pt 3 video *
bill wilson's story in his words, pt 4 video *
bill wilson's story in his words, pt 5 video *

Psychological disorders and addiction
LIST OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
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  THE BASICS OF ADDICTION RECOVERY
  by John Carcerano

the basics of substance abuse recovery

    AS YOU BEGIN YOUR NEW JOURNEY FORWARD INTO A BETTER LIFE, ONE FREE FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUGS YOU MUST BEGIN BY NOT GETTING OVERWHELMED BY IT ALL. YOUR RECOVERY WILL BE A PROCESS THAT OCCURS IN SMALL STEPS. THESE STEPS WILL LEAD YOU TO A LIFE YOU SO DESPERATELY DESERVE.

DO NOT DWELL ON ALL THE GUILT YOU MAY FEEL BECAUSE OF THINGS YOU MAY HAVE SAID OR DONE WHILE YOU WERE USING. GUILT AND REGRETS ARE WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO SEEK RECOVERY. LOOK TO MOVE YOUR LIFE FORWARDS NOW.

CHANGE YOUR ENVIROMENT AND KEEP AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE AND PLACES WHERE YOU USED DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.

CHANGE YOUR SCHEDULE AROUND SO YOU HAVE NO FREE TIME TO USE DRUGS OR ALCOHOL... GO TO SLEEP EARLIER OR STAY IN BED LONGER.

GET HELP FOR ANY EMOTIONAL STRAINS YOU MAY FEEL. FIND YOURSELF A TRUSTED COUNSELOR WHO CAN HELP DIAGNOSE YOU IF YOU NEED MEDICATION.

PLEASE KNOW THAT EVERYDAY YOU ARE IN RECOVERY THE PROCESS OF STYAYING CLEAN AND SOBER WILL GET EASIER AND EASIER.

KNOW TOO THAT AS YOU ARE IN RECOVERY, DUE TO YOUR NEWER AND CLEARER THINKING YOU WILL FIND THAT THINGS JUST HAPPEN. THERE WILL BE MORE GOOD DAYS THAN BAD DAYS.

MAKE NEW FRIENDS WHO ARE CLEAN AND SOBER.

LEARN HOW TO FIND MORE PEACE AND CALMNESS IN YOUR LIFE.

THERE ARE MANY WONDERFUL INCENTIVES FOR YOU TO STAY IN RECOVERY, YOUR WELL BEING AND YOUR FAMILY'S MENTAL STABILITY ARE BUT ONE OF THEM.

SHOWING OTHERS THE ROAD TO RECOVERY IS A GREAT WAY TO STAY FOCUSED ON YOUR OWN RECOVERY.

BLESS YOU... FROM JOHN CARCERANO ADDICTION COUNSELOR AND AUTHOR OF 'A NEW JOURNEY' RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION

testimonial email from a user of ours:

Hello john carcerano and treating addiction . info founder

From:miss Q

Subject: thank you

Message: I will write more later about circumstances, but I thought I would go back and give a simplified answer of why I wanted to cry yesterday. I have never met someone so in touch with himself.

The way you can talk about your strengths with such conviction and honesty, without sounding the least bit cocky is amazing. I also don't know anyone else who could share their pain with a stranger the way that you have.

This has meant more to me than any advice you could give. I has taught me that you can give alot, but still retain part of yourself. I think when I was high all the time, it made it easier for me to deal with one thing at a time and not become overwhelmed. It also helped me feel detached from the problems.

Its harder now that I am clean, and I think I have built up a wall to protect myself. I can ignore the pain and negativity for quite a while. Then, what usually gets to me is when I see goodness. When I see someone else give freely of themself without expecting anything in return.

In real life, in touching emails, even in the poem that you sent. That's when I tend to fall apart, and allow myself to feel. So, thank you making me cry... :)

**********************************************************************

From:miss Q
Subject: smile.
Message: John, I meant what I said. And I am really glad that email helped you as much to hear as it helped me to write it. It was the one that finally made me cry, and I cried quite a bit. But ever since I stopped, I have had a smile on my face. Even through everything else we've discussed. I hope you do too. :o)

********************************

"Your emails have really given me hope and I thank you. I was feeling very inadequate as far as this whole situation, but you helped me see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. It will just take time and patience. It helps that he knows he needs to make changes and that he knows he has a problem. I think he's feeling more hopeful than he has in awhile. Part of the problem is that no one ever sat him down and really explained the whole OCD thing to him.

I ordered those books you suggested. Life isn't meant to be lived this way. He wasn't meant to live this way. He deserves to live a happy life. I think this is a new start for both of us. You have given me hope and in turn I've given him hope."
******************************************************

So you're tired, lost, upset, anguished, confused and addicted. What do you do next?

by John Carcerano
The first thing you do is call someone else who has recovered from alcoholism or drug addiction themselves. The plan of action they may have or the philosophy on life they hold may not be the same as yours but right now that does not matter. What they can offer you is solitude, guidance and refuge from using again. They are someone who has been there and suffered just like you have, but they have gotten well and they support you in that he/she wants the same for you. You cannot go near the people you hang with or the places you always hangout at. That is an instant environment for you to continue using. If there is no one you know that has achieved recovery with whom you can go visit then look up your nearest AA general service office. They are staffed 24 hours a day 7 days a week by a caring and understanding ex addict who will immediately contact someone from your local area to come pick you up and get to a meeting. If you dread the thought of a "meeting" or are not religious and do not want to participate in a "gospel hour" then don't worry, because there are no gospel hours held at AA/NA closed meetings. They are made up of men and women from all walks of life who have suffered just like you are suffering now. They won't judge you or say under their breath when walk in "oh God, here comes another loser"If you think they will then you are sadly mistaken. You must open your mind and let these wonderful people into your world, because they will show you their world of sobriety and a better calm. I was very lost and depressed, as my world came crashing down on me one day and I knew that I just had to quit drinking hard alcohol everyday around the clock. I was scared to go to that meeting but I was also destroyed and felt hopeless inside and knew no other way to turn my hell around. I jumped into that first meeting head first. When it was my turn to talk I just rocked back in my chair and gazed out not really looking anyone in the eyes and just spilled my trouble. I said it like it was. "I was in financial trouble and drinking everyday, morning noon and night, 2 to 4 half pints of hard liquor a day and living in a world where I felt depressed and hopeless. I just had to quit cause it is destroying me". I went numb as i spoke and really did not know what anyone could do for me just because I was spilling my pathetic guts of what a loser I felt I was. Well when that meeting ended, a school friend of mine whom I did not even know was there had handed me a list that was passed around the room which had the names and phone numbers of about 30 people on it. That list and the support it had brought me at my most vulnerable time became a life saver for me. I called those numbers every night for the first few weeks of recovery. If I had not had those numbers I would have gone out and got booze. I have had periods before, during and after I found recovery where times would get very trying, stressful and uncertain, and it was at these times I found the solace of others with my same addiction and recovery issues was a very welcome sight to calm my fluttering and anxiety ridden mind. Even if you are not very religious it also helps to stop into a church for the aura, love and kindness that can be found there. But when you feel your world is crashing in and you need to end your addiction, it;s important to surround yourself only with those who are in recovery from addiction, or stay home alone and talk on the phone with these people until the need to use or drink has subsided, until you tire and feel the need to go sleep. Remember that you can't use drugs or alcohol while you are sleeping and the thing to know is that you must just get through your day until night comes, then sleep time is safe time. If you are having trouble falling asleep then cut out all caffeine from your daily diet and try a gentle over the counter sedative if you must. But be very careful you do not become addicted to pills in order to sleep at night. When you are newly into your recovery the body can be very disrupted for at least the first several so agitation and sleeplessness will probably be an early issue for you. But once you are through the first few weeks of relieving your body from the constant onslaught of toxic chemicals, then as your body is readjusting, it will naturally become more serene and calmer. There are more issues to look out for as you eliminate the effects of drugs and alcohol on your mind and body. You will need to see if there are any underlying issues such as anxiety or depression that may have been one of the root causes to your vulnerability to become addicted in the first place. I don't want to confuse you here, so just take things one step at a time. The first year of your recovery will be one in which you get to re know yourself much better than you may have ever realized before. This is good. "A New Journey" hopes to be able to help guide you as you navigate from your world of addiction, into a new and wonderful world of sobriety and serenity. And it is indeed a wonderful thing, recovery.
:Remember this: When you need help quitting an addiction just reach out to someone in the addiction recovery field or an ex addict, you will be surprised at the help that is out there for you.
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