Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Women for Sobriety, Inc.

"Statement #4 is critical in managing
my life today."

“We all have days that seem endlessly difficult and hard—when it is as if the odds are stacked against us, and we just cannot get a break as one challenging situation follows another. We may feel as though we were standing in the ocean being hit by wave after wave, never able to get a full breath. Sometimes it is necessary or worth it to stay in the fray and work our way through. Other times, the best idea is to go home and take the breath we need in order to carry on.

If the only choice is to get through it, a hard day can be a great teacher. It will eventually end; and we can look back on it, taking pride in the stamina, courage and ingenuity it took to hold our ground. In hindsight, we may also see how we could have done things differently. This knowledge will be valuable when we face hard days in the future.

As we are deciding whether to work through it, we must trust our gut and know that sometimes a timely retreat is the best way to ensure a positive outcome. Getting space can remind us that external circumstances are not the whole picture. Once we catch our breath and re-center ourselves, we will be able to determine our next move. With a little perspective, we may even find the inner resources to change our attitude toward what is happening and begin to see that what we viewed as hardships are actually opportunities. As our outlook changes for the better, our actions and the circumstances will follow suit.

Sometimes all that is needed is a good night’s sleep. No one is immune to having a hard day, and these are usually the times we can learn the most. If we can find it in our hearts to examine the day and maybe make a single small change in perception, we can ease our pain and greet the next one that much wiser.”

Daily OM: Inspirational Thoughts for a Happy, Healthy, and Fulfilling Day By Madisyn Taylor

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

Statement #4, “Problems bother me only to the degree I permit them to.”

I now better understand my problems and do not permit problems to overwhelm me.

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

+++++++++++++++++++

+ Karen’s Perspective +

+++++++++++++++++++

One of most life changing aspects of sobriety and recovery is the ever growing ability to move through feelings of discomfort. Everyone experiences discomfort to a degree and experiences problems in life; some are big and some are small but the main difference is how one handles the issue.

In the past, my first impulse was to run away from a problem. Similar to a child in thought, I did this by lying about it, ignoring it (with the hope that it would magically go away!) or endlessly complain about it. I magnified some issues while minimizing others. None of these ways of dealing with a problem solved anything. In fact, I usually made things worse. To that I added alcohol and all bets were off. I was emotionally imploding and exploding. No wonder I felt so alone. Who would want to stay around this?

Statement #4 is critical in managing my life today. With ever growing awareness and confidence, I am able to use this Statement in a number of ways. First, I can take pause before I respond. Instead of going in every direction (which is a form of procrastination for me), I can stop and pause before tackling an issue. Maybe I need more information; maybe I need to sleep on it or it’s possible that I don’t need to do anything at all!

Secondly, I am able to devise a plan of action. I find out what works and what doesn’t. I learn, try, fail at times and discover that I have what it takes to overcome. I no longer wallow in disillusion and am able to focus on making strides.

Additionally, I am able to ask for help today instead of isolating or hiding in misery. Knowing how another person handled something similar, I am free to discover my own path and build my confidence and abilities. This also creates a bond of trust and closeness that I was desperate to find yet unable to feel before sobriety.

Lastly, Statement #4 is effective no matter the size of the problem. From something minor like being cut off while driving to adapting to a major life change, Statement #4 directs me to living with the feelings and the knowledge that I will not fall apart under the weight of an issue. WFS provides the tools and guides me into my strength. Hugzzz, Karen

What is different about the way you respond to problems in your New Life?

+++++++++++++++

+ Dee’s Insights +

+++++++++++++++

Hi 4C Women, Our group just finished reading the WFS booklet, WFS Sobriety Safari Series (10 week course) and a lot of the changes experienced and shared by the women related to Statement 4. It is a great booklet and I highly recommend purchasing it from the WFS catalog. So much insightful and empowering wisdom from the women who participated.

Everything Karen said about how Statement 4 has helped her in responding rather than reacting and learning how to problem solve is how life changing this Statement can be when put into practice. It took a while for me to integrate Statement 4 as I was the Queen of Worry. I eventually understood the difference between worrying about everything and focusing on those real issues that needed my attention. It sure gave me a lot more time to handle the real challenges. I love that there are women who are willing to share their experiences so I can learn from them. I am not alone. I also appreciate that I can make a mistake in my decision making and I’m still standing and a bit wiser. So much better than reacting and accomplishing nothing except to be embarrassed and angry at myself. Reacting leaves me feeling powerless and actually hinders my ability to make decisions, right or wrong, and impedes my ability to view mistakes as life lessons rather than total disaster - the all or nothing thinking! Even in those moments when I react rather than walk away, ask for help, gather information and problem solve; I have learned to forgive myself. The best part is that these reactions are so few and far between and I thank WFS, supportive women and Statement 4 for guiding me to grow in such a positive direction.

My question to you is:

Have you learned the distinction between worry and real issues that need attention?
How do you determine which is which? –Dee_________________________

Thank you, Karen and Dee, for your words of encouragement and inspiration to start off our week! ~Becky Fenner, WFS Director

Email: contact@womenforsobriety.org * Tel: 215-536-8026 * Fax: 215-538-9026

http://www.womenforsobriety.org * http://www.wfscatalog.org

Sunday, September 6, 2015

FB post reach ( 9 -6

Promote

THIS WEEK

53,460Post Reach

4,957Post Engagement

0 of 1Response Rate

See Your Ad Here

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Sunday, Sept 20: Walk With the Angels!

This year's Recovery Walk, Walk/Run with the Angels 2015 will help us to support more people in recovery in the midst of one of America's worst health care crisis, the current heroin epidemic.

We lose a life every 4 minutes.

While recovery from addiction is a reality, over 350 Americans die from alcohol or drugs each day - some 135,000 people every year - more than the number who die from either homicides or motor vehicle accidents. Another 22 million Americans are still suffering from addiction and the majority never receive any help.

Yet, long-term recovery from addiction is a reality for over 23 million Americans.

Regardless of the paths people have chosen to achieve recovery, their lives and the lives of their families, friends, neighbors, co-workers and communities are vastly improved as a result. They are the living proof that there are real solutions to the devastation of addiction.

This year's Walk/Run with the Angels is dedicated to honoring those in long term recovery as well as the angels we have lost to the disease of addiction.

We are raising funds that will be used to assist individuals who are ready to change their lives by entering treatment, and 100% of proceeds will be used to assist families, which includes scholarships, medical assistance, housing assistance, educational programs and community awareness.

It's time to get those running shoes out and start organizing your fundraising teams for this year's Walk/Run with the Angels 2015!
Click here to register your fundraising team and let's make this year's Recovery Walk bigger & better than ever!

Register today to guarantee your Walk with the Angels shirt is reserved. Deadline for shirts is September 10, 2015. To register as a runner or walker, click here.

This Year's entertainment! Matt and Nick Avellino performing acoustic sets from their new CD!

Country Rock Performer Nikki Briar performing with The Sweetbriar Band.

Vendors Include:

TOPAC - The Overdose Prevention Agency Corporation

The Retreat

Young People in Recovery NJ

Acadia Healthcare

NJ Addiction Recovery Public Advocate Program

Nar-Anon

New Jersey Athletic Club

Your Health Now

Hand and Stone Massage of East Windsor

Offenders Management Solutions

Advocare

Summit Behavioral Health

LifeBack NJ

For questions or comments, please contact CityofAngelsNJ@hotmail.com

	Sat., Oct 10: Join COA to Remember Davey Gold

	Davey Gold was a talented DJ as well as a friend & mentor to many. His life ended this summer, far too soon. Please support COA and honor Davey's life on Sat., Oct. 10 at Cedar Gardens, Rt. 33 in Hamilton. This fundraiser will celebrate Davey's life with the music he loved. There will also be photos and videos, so if you didn't know Davey before, you will by the end of the evening! This man will be missed....Come to support Davey's friends and family, come because you want to help, or just come because it'll be a good time! Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. *To buy tickets, click here.* *To learn more about Davey, click here.*

View this email in your browser

Best of the week from Choose Help

Protracted Withdrawal - What It Is and How to Make It Through

Learn about protracted withdrawal, why you might experience unpleasant symptoms and what to do if your symptoms just won’t go away.

What do you do if your withdrawal symptoms don’t end when they’re supposed to?

Well, firstly, know that protracted withdrawal are normal and they will pass in time …you will get better eventually!

But when you’re unprepared and you get blindsided by symptoms that just won’t quit – or by symptoms that come back even months after you think you’re in the clear, it’s easy to get discouraged and relapse back to drinking or drug use.

So get prepared - read on to learn more about the second phase of the withdrawal process, something that can last for many months or even years after your quit date – and be ready to make it through to the other side.

Acute vs. Protracted Withdrawal

Acute Withdrawal

When you suddenly stop using a drug you’ve become addicted to you experience a brief period of generally unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

The time frame can vary a bit, but in general, acute withdrawal will endure:¹

Substance	Acute Withdrawal Timeframe
Alcohol	5 to 7 days
Benzodiazepines	1 to 4 weeks; 3 to 5 weeks with tapering (i.e., reducing dosage gradually)
Cannabis	5 days
Nicotine	2 to 4 weeks
Opioids	4 to 10 days (methadone withdrawal may last 14 to 21 days)
Stimulants (e.g., amphetamines, methamphetamine, cocaine)	1 to 2 weeks

Acute withdrawal symptoms should largely disappear by the end of the predicted withdrawal duration.

Protracted Withdrawal (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome - PAWS)*

So withdrawal symptoms are supposed to end at the end of the acute withdrawal period – but sometimes they don’t!

When your withdrawal symptoms continue on for longer than they’re supposed to and/or when you also start experiencing more general (non-substance specific) withdrawal symptoms that persist for longer than the acute withdrawal period - you are in protracted withdrawal.

* Another common name for protracted withdrawal is post acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS).

Does Everyone Get Protracted Withdrawal Symptoms?

No.

Some people experience no withdrawal symptoms after the end of the acute withdrawal phase
Some people find that acute withdrawal symptoms last for far longer than they’re ‘supposed’ to
Some people feel a lot better at the end of the acute withdrawal period and then a month or two later withdrawal symptoms come back, as if out of nowhere

Common Protracted Withdrawal Symptoms

Not everyone will go through protracted withdrawal and individual symptoms will vary depending on the drug(s) of abuse, your physical and mental health and other factors.

But that being said, some common protracted withdrawal symptoms include:²

Insomnia and other sleep problems
Chronic fatigue
Irritability
Anxiety
Anhedonia (an inability to feel pleasure, or as much pleasure as you used to)
Short term memory problems
Drug or alcohol cravings
Concentration problems
Depression
Aches and pains
A loss of libido

Why Do You Get Protracted Withdrawal Symptoms?

When you use drugs or alcohol for a long time your brain changes (an adaptation) and researchers can see these changes at the molecular and cellular levels and through changes to neurocircuitry (how the brain communicates).

These changes can affect your emotions, thinking capabilities and ability to resist impulses, and it can take a long time for your brain to revert back to a pre-addiction state of functioning.

Basically – through a long period of heavy use you induce some significant changes to your brain’s structure and functioning, so it’s not totally surprising that your brain needs a few months or longer to get back to normal!

Getting Through Protracted Withdrawal

Even if there is full recovery from the withdrawal symptoms, the actual devastation to a person's life during a long withdrawal, lasting for months, can be ruinous.

What's more, protracted withdrawal increase your risk of relapse – so to keep your recovery on the right track, even when passing through the doldrums of post acute withdrawal symptoms, make sure to:³

Understand that things will get better – Though it may seem like you’ll never feel like your old self again, even protracted withdrawal will pass and in time. Understand that brain healing occurs slowly, but surely, and with patience and perseverance you will make it through.

Maintain good sleep habits – Since protracted withdrawal can lead to sleeping problems and sleep deficits can lead to relapse it’s important to make a good night’s sleep a priority. If protracted withdrawal has you tossing and turning, lean more about good sleep hygiene and habits and make a few simple but effective changes to improve your odds of a restful night’s sleep.

Stay involved with community support groups (like AA) – The support, encouragement and knowledge you find at community mutual self help groups can help you to stay on the right track and to identify dangerous habits before the pull you down to relapse. At community meetings, you’ll also get advice and encouragement from a group of people who understand exactly what you’re going through.

Stay active – Exercise relieves stress, increases positive emotions, promotes healthy sleeping and helps distract you from triggers and cravings…all in all, exercise is a must-do

Reduce stress – Getting through the initial recovery period is tough enough, so give yourself some room to breathe by minimizing your outside commitments and responsibilities for a while. This way you can take care of the most important thing…yourself.

Consider medications – Certain medications, like acamprosate for alcohol and methadone or Suboxone for opiates, can alleviate some or all of the protracted withdrawal symptoms you may experience. Talk to your doctor or therapist about the pros and cons of adding medications to your recovery program.

Consider therapy – certain therapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy, teach skills that help you to compensate for the diminished cognitive functioning and poor impulse control that are typical to many recovery efforts.

Warnings and precautions about protracted withdrawal must be part of any pharmacological treatment plan. Don't go through protracted withdrawal without medical support.

Image Copyright: Sherman Geronimo-Tan

Read in browser »