Sue is a lead advocate focused on bringing awareness and understanding of the disease of addiction to others.
How easily I can forget to take care of myself! Not intentionally, but it just happens; it creeps up on me. Life gets busier than usual—I am doing fine, then all of a sudden I am overwhelmed. How do I know I am overwhelmed? I find myself getting caught up in to many thoughts and feelings about work, home, family and friends, and I start short-changing the things I need. I start to think I can handle it all “if I just…” But instead, it can make me edgy, unhappy or downright unpleasant to be around.
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Kubler-Ross and Kessler define grief as our response to loss. It is the healing process that will bring comfort to our pain from that loss. Those of us who have lived with the disease of addiction ourselves or in our families know that whichever side of the fence you sit on, you have experienced loss. The loss of dreams, health, family and friends, personal possessions and finances to name a few. Grief can be what turns someone down the path to addiction, but it can also be the saving grace that brings a person into recovery.
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The Heroes in Recovery movement, 12-Step programs, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, wilderness treatment centers, family support groups, or sober living environments are groups or programs that we know to be connected to treatment and recovery from addiction or mental illness. For whatever reason you may be connected to one or more of these programs, recognize that they function on the principle of serving others. To serve others is part of everyone’s recovery process, no matter what you are recovering from. But it is not unique only to recovery; it is part of most people’s lives. It is a way we connect to others.
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