Recovery from Addiction

A legal marijuana coffee shop in Amsterdam, Netherlands

The legalization of drugs has become an interesting debate for many people today whether they are left or right wingers. When the dutch decriminalized marijuana some people were skeptical and that it would instead create a problem that resulted that every body will be lazy and unmotivated. That wasn’t quite true. Data now shows that the the dutch have very similar rates of use between other European nations. Cannabis is technically still illegal, but the courts won’t prosecute small amounts.

Many other European countries such as Norway and Portugal have decriminalized using drugs and instead have implemented a mandate to go to rehab for addiction recovery instead of going to jail. Portugal has legalized all drugs since 2000. Now, their capital Libson, which had 5000 users a day lining up to buy Heroin in abandoned buildings, has been completely transformed due to the new policy of treating drug users as sick people instead of criminals. People are getting the help they need instead of sleeping in abandoned buildings and using dirty needles. There are less people in jail and on the street. The neighborhood has been bulldozed and has completely transformed, in only 10 years!

The United states spends about 1 trillion dollars a year on the “war on drugs” as more people die from drug related violence, and as our privately owned jails get filled up beyond capacity. Therefore, there is something the United States can learn from the Portuguese.

A child puts himself into a ball to avoid abuse from the mother

When you’re a mother and relapsing it may be detrimental to your children because you are focusing more on the drugs or alcohol than the family. A study published in science daily suggests that the active mother of a family of mice reacts totally differently when her pups are present. The study concludes that their may be a relationship between maternal drug users and how the family could develop problems in future generations.

I would like to preface this article by saying alcohol is a drug. Therefore, I may use the terms “alcoholism” or “addiction” interchangeably, but in the end the road to recovery is based on the same simple principles. If there is anything that is crucial for an addict seeking recovery, it is 12 step programs. Here is something which will not scare off a person struggling with a drinking habit. In the company of like-minded people who are ready to share their experience strength and hope, addicts participate in such a simple yet effective way to combat addiction: one addict helping another.

12 step programs have a life changing effect on people’s lives. You will see people come to these meetings in the worst of shapes. Often you will see them look broken and weak in spirit when they stagger in for the first time. But the transformation that occurs in the same people after they have attended only a few of these meetings is sometimes nothing short of miraculous. You will see the same people looking far more hopeful and in charge of their lives. Gone will be the feelings of self-pity and uselessness. Instead you will notice the beginning of hope and resolve on their part. Just listening to the stories of former addicts, as well as those on their way out of the addiction is an enormous source of inspiration and motivation to these people. They see their situations and their lives reflected in what the speakers say at these meetings, often mustering up the courage to turn up for a first 12 step meeting. This is the first major step in the right direction.

There are two types of meetings: open and closed. Anyone can attend open meetings, including people in the health sector, family members, or anyone interested in learning more about addiction recovery via 12 step programs. Open meetings are typically beginner meetings that have at least one speaker that tells his or her’s story and how they recovered from their addiction. Closed meetings are reserved for addicts or people with a desire to stop using or drinking. Closed meetings also may have a speaker but have more specific meeting styles such as big book meetings, where there is discussion about a part of the basic text of a particular fellowship, or step meetings, in which a step is discussed every week. This information is based on the knowledge I have about meetings in my area. Meeting styles vary widely in different countries or even different states, but thankfully, the goal is always the same – to assist in one’s addiction recovery.

To find a meeting, call your region’s intergroup office or search online.