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Advocacy
- The Discovering Alcoholic: Advocacy Update-
We had to move the date up a bit to take advantage of a larger venue, but it is my extreme pleasure to announce that on Dec 2nd I will host a substance abuse workshop at the Calera High School auditorium. Prescription drug abuse will be the primary theme for the program, but resources and experts on all substance abuse and addiction will be available.
The presentation will include participation from the Substance Abuse Task Force, Alabama Department of Mental Health, Faces and Voices of Recovery. Community representation will also include those from law enforcement, EMS services, and health and medical officials.
I would like to offer a special TDA salute to Principal Bishop who did not hesitate to offer the school’s new 600 seat auditorium for the event; it is representative of his obvious concern and care about our kids and community. If you are local to the TDA area, check out this link for details on where (map included) and when to attend. - A Bright Spot in a Sea of Abuse-
Congress passed the Addiction and Mental Health Parity Legislation assuring that at least one good thing will come out of the massive bank bailout plan that has been making international headlines this week. While I am pleased to see this progress made, it bothers me that an issue that affects nearly half of all Americans in some manner had to be snuck in as an earmark bundled in with more “critical” legislation. Congress has turned into a sea of abuse where power and partisanship is the drug of choice; I always try to keep TDA apolitical but I am depressed that this legislation had been held up until now and passed for all the wrong reasons.
Click “Read more” to continue… - Where’s TDA?-
Usually I stand out. Bald, ugly, and sometimes even described by children as scary, it rarely takes anyone more than a moment to pick me out of a crowd.
Those looking for me on weekends have it even easier because you will almost always find me leading a meeting or speaking about recovery. This weekend however, singling me out by listening for a recovery message will be rather difficult since I plan to be with about 500 other recovering alcoholics and addicts celebrating the 2008 National Recovery Month.
So if you happen to be in the Birmingham, AL area tomorrow between the hours of 10AM to 1PM drop by the park and see if you can locate me. There will be food, music, and of course a very positive message of recovery and information for anyone wanting to become involved in advocacy. I’ve place the specifics below the fold so click “Read more” to find out where TDA will be tomorrow…
- I am an Alcoholic- Much to my wife’s chagrin in company I identify myself as an alcoholic when I feel it is relevant. Although definitely a topic for discussion this post is not about the fact that I can say this comfortably in public, instead it is about what I often do not say… “Recovering”.
This point was brought up in a meeting not too long ago as we were discussing some of the reasons I openly admit my alcoholism. These reasons include 1) to put others with addictions at ease when we are discussing personal issues, 2) to make family members and friends realize this is a common problem and there should be no shame in coming out talking about these sorts of problems, 3) to serve as an example that just because one is an alcoholic, doesn’t mean they have to be a gutter drunk, and 4) to stand up when others speak act discriminately or have gross misconceptions about the subject of alcoholism and substance abuse.
Believe me, nothing ices down a water-cooler discussion on “no-good drunks and addicts” like saying saying, “I’m an alcoholic, why don’t you ask me about the subject?”
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- A Blogroll with a Higher Calling-
By no means is the thought unique to alcoholism and addiction, but I certainly succumbed to a “lost cause” mentality. “What’s the use,” I would say contemplating sobriety, “I can’t even perform the most basic of tasks without having a drink.” Though a little embarrassed to admit it, even in recovery I have often surrendered to thought that helping others with addiction was quixotic because of the utter enormity and futility of the task.
It is easy to fall prey to this type of thinking; been there and done that as an alcoholic, in recovery and dealing with addicts and alcoholics, and now in the work I do with the substance abuse task force. But recovery has taught me that nothing happens without taking that initial first step, even if it is a very small one. With each following step the way becomes easier and the tasks become more manageable. Along this same line, a small step made by many can move mountains, and this will be the purpose of the new TDA blogroll.
“Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little” ~Edmund Burke
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