What are hallucinogens? Hallucinogenic drugs alter a person’s thinking, sense of time, and emotions. Hallucinogens can cause people to see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist (these are hallucinations). Some hallucinogens can produce rapid, intense emotional swings. Hallucinogenic compounds occur naturally in trees, seeds, fungi, and leaves and […]
What are the signs of compulsive gambling? One warning sign of compulsive gambling is that the gambler begins to think constantly about gambling. His or her everyday life becomes centered on winning to the point where even lunch breaks and vacations are planned with gambling in mind. Family, work, and other aspects of life are […]
What problems do Jewish alcoholics face in recovery? Alcoholism is universal, yet some in the Jewish community hold that substance use disorders are not a problem among Jews. This myth is now fading, but still, some Jewish families may hesitate to expose their troubles, to appear to fall short of a high community standard. Shame […]
What if you don’t believe in God? Agnostics, atheists, or anyone who doesn’t agree with a religious-based idea of God can substitute the concept of a Higher Power. Your idea of a Higher Power that you can trust will be uniquely your own. Some people may call their Higher Power God. For others it is […]
What is perfectionism? Perfectionism is not the healthy pursuit of excellence; it’s the consistent expectation that we meet unrealistically high standards. It’s impossible to always do our best, and holding ourselves to a constant standard of perfection will only lead to frustration and low self-esteem. Perfectionism is a common problem. If you can’t stand mistakes […]
Where did the Twelve Steps come from? Until 1934 there was no known addiction treatment that worked. Later that year Bill W. and Dr. Bob started a group called Alcoholics Anonymous and eventually wrote the Twelve Steps to offer simple, straightforward principles, or basic truths, that people can follow to recover from addiction. The Twelve […]
What are feelings? A feeling is an emotional state or reaction. It’s a subjective response to a situation person, or thing. Feelings involve both mental and physical responses: think of how you sense pain or pleasure. Feelings are neither good nor bad; they just are. Our bodies and minds respond to the world, in large […]
What is remorse? You may feel remorse for things you have done wrong. Remorse is often caused by feelings of regret over the past, guilt or shame about past behaviors, or feeling sorry for hurts you caused to your loved ones and others you know. Remorse can be healthy when you honestly look at the […]
What is resentment? Resentment comes from unresolved anger, which is especially detrimental to addicts—it can be fatal. Resentment grows out of a belief that you have been wronged. Maybe you’re still holding on to an old insult, or you’re mad that you made compromises for someone that caused you pain or misfortune. You may feel […]
What is gratitude? Gratitude is appreciating the benefits you have received. In Twelve Step recovery, gratitude is often referred to as a state of grace. It means being thankful for the good things that come your way. It also implies humility because it doesn’t come from an assumption that you deserve those things. Instead, gratitude […]
