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Parents of teen alcoholics and addicts – Episode 254

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:25:39 — 39.3MB)

How can you detach from your teen alcoholic? What is your real responsibility when your child is an addict? How can Al-Anon help?

Mary and Ellen talk about their experiences as parents of teenage alcoholics and addicts. They share what they learned, and how they navigated their difficulties, fears, and hopes.

Our discussion was grounded in these questions:

When/how did you become aware of your child’s behavior?
Were you in Al-Anon at that point?
How long did you struggle before you found Al-Anon?
When were you able to admit that your child was an alcoholic or addict? What brought you to that understanding?
What were some of the program tools and principles you used first?
What were the hardest tools to apply?
Did you feel that, as a parent, you needed to help or fix your child?
What did you do to help/fix?
Did you feel responsible for their behavior?
What is the one thing you would say to a parent who is new to Al-Anon?

Readings

We read from or talked about this Al-Anon literature:

Courage to Change, February 17, “faith takes practice”.

How Al-Anon Works, p. 30, “don't pick up the rope”.

From Survival to Recovery, p. 267-268, the “Al-Anon promises”.

Intimacy in Alcoholic Relationships, a new book from Al-Anon in which members share their challenges with all aspects of intimacy–physical, emotional and spiritual–in all relationships affected by the family illness of alcoholism.

Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email feedback@therecoveryshow.com with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here.
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Denial and Acceptance – Episode 253

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:35:29 — 43.8MB)

Did you admit to yourself or others the presence of alcoholism in your life? Why not? What happened when you broke through your denial into acceptance?

What is it?
- Do we have to be somehow aware of a problem to be in denial?
- Definition from Merriam-Webster:
  - psychology : a defense mechanism in which confrontation with a personal problem or with reality is avoided by denying the existence of the problem or reality
  - — in denial: refusing to admit the truth or reality of something unpleasant; a patient in denial about his health problems
- Withholding from someone else but more especially from ourselves
How did we experience it in our lives?
- In our alcoholic situations.
- With aging parents.
- With our own health.
What it the relationship between denial and admitting?
- We probably have some form of awareness of a problem in order to deny it
- We must admit a problem exists to start to move out of denial.
What tools have we found to combat it?
- “3 As”: awareness, acceptance, (alternatives,) action.
- The Steps themselves.
- Self-awareness (Steps 4 and 10)
- Listening to my inner voice / gut
- Support of a Higher Power (Steps 2, 3, 6, 7, 11)
- Honesty and Courage
- Compassion
How is our life better when we accept reality on its own terms?
- Serenity
- Freedom
- Accurate perception of myself, becoming the person I want to be
- Catch slips earlier
- Loss of fear

Readings on denial

How Alanon Works, Chapter Five, Pages 21 and 22

Hope for Today – pages 123 and 138 (May 2, May 17)

“Our sight, once clouded and confused, will clear and we will be able to perceive reality and recognize truth.” From Survival to Recovery page 267, The Promises of Alanon – in Chapter “Joy is our Birthright”

Join our conversation

Spencer on Sober Speak – Episode 252

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:25:32 — 39.2MB)

Spencer was recently a guest on the podcast Sober Speak. At Sober Speak, you will find podcasts of people sharing their story of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous, much like a speaker meeting. These men and women tell us about their experience, strength, and hope centered around the 12 steps of AA. Of course, he was telling his Al-Anon story.

John M created Sober Speak because he saw a need. Each episode features one guest telling his or her story, so it's sort of like a series of speaker talks, but in a conversational format.

Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email feedback@therecoveryshow.com with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here.

Spirit in Action Interview – Episode 251

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:08 — 10.2MB)

Spencer was recently interviewed on the Spirit in Action radio show and podcast. Spirit in Action brings you stories of people living lives of fruitful service, of peace, community, compassion, creative action and progressive efforts. We will trace the spiritual roots that support and nourish them in their service. Above all, we will seek out Light, Love and Helping Hands, being shared between our many neighbors on this planet, hoping to inspire and encourage you to sink deep roots and produce sacred fruit in your own life.

We talked about how I came to Al-Anon, about how the podcast came to be, and about how we provide healing to people affected by the disease of alcoholism and addiction.

You can listen to Spencer's interview on their website or by subscribing to their podcast.

Tom W talk – Episode 250

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:19:37 — 36.5MB)

This talk by Tom W, a member of Alcoholics Anonymous had so much recovery wisdom, I felt compelled to share it with you. I've heard it a few times already and every time, I get new insights. I was astounded to hear that a priest had trouble with Steps 2 and 3. And, his description of how the disease of alcoholism manifested itself in his life is worth the listen. (Originally recorded in 1997.)

Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email feedback@therecoveryshow.com with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here.