You may not know who Lois Wilson is but you should.  She lived 97 years. Fifty-three of those years she was the wife of Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. She lived 17 years after Bill died. March 4 is Lois birthday – she would be 131. Who is she? Why is she important to us today? Lois is an unsung hero who changed the world in many ways. Most significantly, she pioneered help for families of people with addictions, help desperately needed by many families in our Covid times. Unfortunately, she made her contribution in a time and in a way that made it hard for us in the ..read more

The post Mike M. from Cedar Rapids, IA -@ MMAAC (Midwest Motorcycle AA)- Pecatonica, IL 6/16-18/2017 appeared first on Recovery Speakers ..read more

The Hallway by Alison Smela Prior to overcoming addiction to alcohol and unhealthy eating practices, when I experienced some sort of a loss—a job, a relationship, a missed opportunity, or another type—I dreaded those words of consolation I knew I’d hear: “Well, you know what they say, Alison, when one door closes, another one opens.” The truth is I don’t want to deal with change. That’s what happens when a door closes. That closing click of the door handle marks a definitive separation between what I know and what I don’t know. This uncertainty requires patience, and I assure you, that’s not s ..read more

How Purpose and Faith Evolve over time – A Broader Lens on Addictions By Tom Adams — A few recent experiences reinforced my restlessness about how all of us face the destructive power of addiction in our lives and communities. I’d like to connect this topic to the current series exploring different ways faith develops in different lives and communities. You may recall a popular book from 2002 The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren. Warren is a minister and earlier had written The Purpose-Driven Church. He adapted his ideas to individuals and had a best seller. The founders of the Twelve Step r ..read more

Facing Addictions in Families – A Community and Societal Challenge by Tom Adams Addictions continue to negatively impact and destroy families. There are lots of possible explanations for the lack of progress in addressing addictions. The consistent reality is that the combination of individual denial and community and societal pressures block progress on treating addictions as family diseases. There are multiple dimensions to this denial and these pressures. First, we can’t change what we can’t see. We use substances and behaviors for recreational purposes and relief. For many people this work ..read more

This very special “Reading Zoom Meeting” features the reading of one chapter per week of the book Writing the Big Book – The Creation of A.A. by William Schaberg. April 1, 2021: INTRODUCTION, Acknowledgments, and a Portion of Chapter 1 – Reader: Author Bill S. April 8, 2021: CHAPTER 1: Challenging the Creation Myths – November 1934 to October 1937 – Reader: Patrick O’ D. April 15, 2021: CHAPTER 2: The Akron Vote – October 13, 1937 – Reader: David K. April 22, 2021: CHAPTER THREE: Meeting Mr. Richardson – Late October to November 1937 – Reader: Bill C. April 29, 2021: CHAPTER FOUR: The Rockefe ..read more

Practical Suggestions for Facing Addictions and Finding Serenity by Tom Adams The last few weeks I have been marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of Al-Anon by exploring the broad tentacles of the family disease of alcoholism. As I mentioned in my May 4 post, there are many other addictions besides alcohol that negatively impact individuals and families. Next week I will get more specific with the help of guest writer Jeffrey Roth, M.D, on why it is true that most people are impacted and might benefit from a program like Al-Anon. Today I turn to a cousin, Mary Raphel, PhD and LCSW, who ..read more

Treating Depression and Anxiety as Part of the Family Disease of Addiction by Tom Adams As part of my series on addictions and families, guest writer Jeffrey D. Roth, M.D. explores more deeply how depression and anxiety are symptoms for both the person with the addiction and for members of her or his family. Last week, my post (Recognizing the Addiction Family Disease) looked at my own experience with the family disease and other examples. I wrote about how in my family, alcohol and sugar addictions often went together and were accompanied by anxiety and depression. I also provided examples of ..read more

Recognizing the Addiction Family Disease by Tom Adams Addictions are part of our culture and human experience. Some appear less harmful, like distractions or annoyances. Others destroy the addict and those around him or her. Because addictions are so embedded in our culture, it can be difficult to tell when an addiction has moved from an annoying habit to a threat to both the person and her or his family. This week, as part of celebrating the 70th birthday of Al-Anon for families and friends of people with out-of-control drinking problems, I will explore some of the many manifestations of the ..read more

Facing Societal Denial: Family Pain, Addictions and Al-Anon: by Tom Adams The last year has resulted in increased use of alcohol, food, drugs, and behaviors like gambling and debting as people have tried to escape Covid and the uncertainty and pain that has resulted. Liquor sales are up, gambling advertising now competes with pharmaceuticals for ad space, and our social networks are full of chatter about diets, working too hard, and drinking and drugging escapes. For many people, these short-term distractions will end without much fanfare. For too many others, they are a step closer to full-bl ..read more