Miracle of Recovery
A Recovering Addict’s Story Preston, a recovering drug addict, said, “I was raised in the LDS Church, but at the age of 14 I started using drugs and alcohol. The decision to use turned into a 17-year addiction problem. Then, when I was 31 years old, I located an ARP (LDS Alcohol Recovery Program) group in my area. The ARP meeting has helped me to stay clean for the past four years. It is a wonderful program! It provides an avenue for addicts to become clean and to get involved in the Church again.” The Addiction Recovery Program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to bless the lives of thousands of individuals and families affected by the tragic consequences of addiction.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Not!
“What’s One Going to Hurt?” Fifteen year old Emily said to herself. Emily’s Dad was Stake President, her mother and siblings were all active LDS. They went to Church together, prayed together, read scriptures together, and had family home evenings. Her parents loved her! She loved them. She was never abused. Emily told me how she started drinking. She had one beer at her best friend’s party. Most of the other teens at the party were LDS. All encouraging her to try one beer – promising her it wouldn’t kill her. They were right. She didn’t die. In fact it kind of made her feel good! Satan is a Roaring Lion In 1 Peter 5:8 Peter warns, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
“Fall Season” of Addiction
“I can’t stop. Help me!” John pled. My middle-aged client just lost another job after struggling for years with alcohol. I could sense the despair in his heart and smell the alcohol on his breath as he slouched in my office chair. I had been his therapist for over a year. Together, we had worked hard. At that moment I came to realize I could not help him. I had used every psychological strategy I learned in graduate school. His addiction was stronger than both of us. During the Spring and Summer Seasons of addiction individuals can usually overcome their bad habit by willpower and traditional counseling. They can stop for a good reason – a good reason like going on a mission, like staying married,
“Summer Season” of Addiction
Sixteen year-old Tom had been abusing pain medications for over a year before his father found four Darvocets (prescribed pain medication) hidden in his son’s scriptures. His father confronted him with the “The Golden Question” which is “Whose are these?” (Knowing deep down inside they were Tom’s all along, but not yet ready to accept the truth.) Tom responded with “The Golden Answer” which is “I’m holding them for a friend. Dad, you know I’d never do drugs.” During the Summer Season of Addiction substance abusers become experts in hiding and lying about their use. Even when obvious signs of substance abuse are discovered, the user tends to passionately lie! Spring Season The Spring Season of addiction is characterized by joy and pleasure
“Spring Season” of Addiction
“Teen Alcohol Use Linked to Boredom: A survey by the charity Drinkaware has found that many British teens turn to alcohol to overcome boredom…” (Alcohol & Drug Abuse News, Wednesday, August 05, 2009, MED: India). A surprising number of individuals and organizations believe the most effective way to teach abstinence from drugs, alcohol, pornography or other “sinful” behavior is by teaching the negative consequences. Emphasis is placed on birth defects, brain damage, jail time, divorce, or mental hospitals. At times the unexpected result of using such strategies is the promotion of a “lie.” For example, once I was speaking on addiction at a fireside attended by youth and parents. I asked, “What happens if you were to drink one teaspoon of Budweiser?” A boy about
The Addicted Spirit
There are 1.5 billion pornographic Internet downloads a month. There are 68 million pornographic search engine requests each day – 25% of the total search engine requests are for pornography. Or how about this stat, 90% of U.S. children ages 8-16 have viewed porn online – most while doing homework. (Pornography Statistics) In response to this pornography crisis we now have thousands of addiction interventions including exclusive treatment programs, a variety of internet filter options, numerous books and podcasts. All of these resources are aimed to help individuals overcome a pornography addiction. Just this week I was counseling with another couple with a porn problem. Financially, they were very well to do – the biggest house in the neighborhood, all the toys and cars, etc.
