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PRINCIPLES: ADDICTION & RECOVERY TIPS & TALKS
Vol.1 No.7 June 23, 2000
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=====TABLE OF CONTENTS=====
=====NOTES
=====EDITOR'S COMMENTS
=====TIP & TALK FEATURED ARTICLE
=====SPONSOR'S SPOT
=====WHAT WOULD BUDDHA DO?
=====GUEST SPOT
=====SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE/COMMENT
=====NOTES=====
Principles: Addiction & Recovery Tips & Talks is published every
Friday morning by the folks at Alcohol & Drug Abuse - The Addiction &
Recovery Information & Resources Website:
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=====EDITOR'S COMMENTS=====
Thanks for taking the time to peruse this week's issue
of Principles.
This week's TIP & TALK FEATURED ARTICLE follows up last week's
article: "Symptoms of Inner Peace," by Saskia Davis. Like that
article, this one addresses the issue of recovery in terms of
recovery's symptoms.
BTW: If you have comments about and/or suggestions for Principles,
or if you would like to submit a TIP & TALK article or story, please
contact me through the newsletter address listed at the bottom of
this page.
Charles N. Roper, Editor
=====FEATURED ARTICLE=====
RECOVERY TIP: "Recovery has observable symptoms. If the symptoms are
there, then recovery is there. If the symptoms are missing, then it
may be time to go back to the old drawing board."
RECOVERY TIP TALK: We often talk about symptoms of addiction. Why not
symptoms of recovery? Remember the old saying, "If it looks like a
duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's probably
a duck?" Well, it's the same concept.
Recovery from addiction is an ongoing process of growth and change
along physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions. That growth process
typically begins with abstinence from addictive substances and
continues as the addict consistently and reliably "works" on him- or
herself. During the recovery process, the symptoms of addictive
disease slowly disappear and the symptoms of recovery slowly take
their place.
Do you exhibit symptoms of recovery in your daily life? Following is
a self-administered Recovery Questionnaire. How do you fare? If the
answer is "not very well," just remember—it's a process.
Twenty Questions Revisited
1. I feel healthy; I have energy and stamina.
2. I like waking up in the morning to the promise of a new day.
3. I have a healthy appetite for good, nutritious food.
4. I make appropriate, rational decisions that usually turn out well.
5. My gut-level feelings about things are often right on target.
6. My memory is good; I can even remember the content of my casual
day-to-day conversations with people.
7. I am able to focus my attention fully on whatever is in front of
me.
8. I seldom say inconsiderate things that I later regret having said.
9. I feel a lot; sometimes I feel more than I really want to.
10. My reputation is good; people respect me and believe what I say.
11. I trust myself to do the right thing in any given situation.
12. I tell the truth, even when to do so scares me.
13. When I feel angry or upset with another person, I look for how I
was wrong.
14. When I see that I was wrong about something, I immediately admit
it and make amends.
15. I enjoy my own company and appreciate my time alone.
16. I enjoy the company of other people and appreciate my time with
them.
17. I feel as though my life has meaning and purpose.
18. I know that I am a child of God, and I feel secure in that
knowledge.
19. I no longer have to run my life on will-power alone.
20. I am who I am, and that's all that I am...today.
=====SPONSOR'S SPOT=====
High Bottom Drunk: A Novel...and the Truth about Addiction &
Recovery, by Charles N. Roper, PhD.
While it's true that High Bottom Drunk is a novel, many of those
who have read it have been knocked off their feet by the impact that
it has had on their lives.
Read excerpts from High Bottom Drunk: A Novel... at the Website:
http://www.highbottomdrunk.com
=====WHAT WOULD BUDDHA DO?=====
Q: What would Buddha do about road rage?
A: "He who can control his rising anger as a coachman controls his
carriage at full speed. This man I call a good driver; others merely
hold the reins." --Dhammapada 222
Anger afflicts us now, perhaps even more than at the time of Buddha.
In the privacy of our cars we unleash our rage. We have reasons for
this, and we feel safe there, but we must remember that our cars are
huge and deadly weapons, and other people's cars are weapons aimed at
us.
Look again at what Buddha said. He reminds you that real control does
not lie in your smooth shifting or the way you weave through traffic.
Real control lies in the mind--steering yourself away from anger. We
should drive our lives like our cars. And we should drive our cars
with control.
I have heard it said that the best way to test a spiritual teacher is
to go on a drive with the teacher at the wheel. Then you will see the
real self come out; then you will see either control...or a teacher
you don't want.
Paraphrased from: What Would Buddha Do? 101 Answers to Life's Daily
Dilemmas, by Franz Metcalf.
=====GUEST SPOT (ANYTHING GOES)=====
This little jewel was forwarded to me by an old buddy--Joe K, from
Baton Rouge, LA. His forwarded e-mail showed the author to be
one "Henry O."
NEW ALCOHOL WARNING LABELS
Due to increasing products liability litigation, beer manufacturers
have accepted the FDA's suggestion that the following WARNING labels
be placed immediately on all beer containers:
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering
when you are not.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like an
idiot.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell the same boring
story over and over again until your friends want to smash your head
in.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may cause you to shay things like
thish.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may lead you to believe that ex-
lovers are really dying for you to telephone them at four in the
morning.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may leave you wondering what the hell
happened to your pants.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may make you think you can logically
converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting on them.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may make you think you have mystical
Kung Fu powers.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol is the leading cause of inexplicable
rug burns on the forehead.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are
tougher, smarter and more handsome than some really, really big guy
named Franz.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may lead you to believe you are
invisible.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may lead you to think people are
laughing "with" you.
WARNING: Consumption of alcohol may cause an influx in the time-space
continuum, whereby small (and sometimes large) gaps of time may seem
to literally disappear.
=====LINK OF THE WEEK=====
This week's featured link is a very simple little site called
Recovery Links! It offers exactly what the title suggests--links to
websites that address the issue of recovery. It includes everything
from resource sites to e-mail sites. Nothing fancy, but nicely done.
Take a look:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/2973/index3.html
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==========================
Till next week...keep it simple.
Charles Roper, Editor
Principles: Addiction & Recovery Tips & Talks
http://www.alcoholanddrugabuse.com