Since launching Online Recovery Support three months ago we have had visitors from forty-four Countries and forty-nine States in the United States (we still haven’t heard from North Dakota).  More than forty five hundred visitors have viewed over nineteen thousand pages. We have been overwhelmed by this response and want to say thank you to everyone who has made this website a success. Richard, Jennifer, Bruce, Brad, Garrett, Jay, Don, Geoff, Avis, Dorothy, Mike and all our contributors who have responded to posts and felt compelled to share their stories, you’re awesome!!

“Came to believe that a power greater than myself could restore me to sanity. “First I ask, do I believe that there is a power greater than I am? This is a big step for the alcoholic/addict as we have always been our own higher power. Who needs a higher power when I am in control? The problem is that I have only an imaginary sense of control. It’s not actual control and if it was or is, then why do I feel so out of control? My being in control and attempting to manage my own addiction got me to the place I’m in. That’s a pretty good indication that I’m not doing very well in managing my life. (more…)

This is where you can share the lives of friends and loved ones who have passed. http://www.my.calendars.net/loving_memory

Let us not Forget!!!

I know that there are many folks who keep their individual memories of children, parents, family, friends, business associates, hero’s and idols who have passed from this earth. Each has a story of how that person affected and inspired their life. I personally have known many in my years who have passed from active  addiction. But I have also known many who have passed on clean. This memorial here is not specific to those who may or may not have been connected to recovery. Many have passed because of someone else’s poor choices in life. It is important to me to leave this open to anyone who has a story to tell. I want to honor their stories of life and death with my own commitment to staying clean. I hope you share with us someone who was special in your life. If you have a memorial page you want to share, please give me the URL and I will place it in the calendar. Thank You…..

Love and Respect, Bruce M.

Online recovery Support is pleased to welcome The Lamplighter Movement to our community. The Lamplighter Movement offers support for adult survivors of child sex abuse, incest, domestic violence, rape and sexual assault. You can visit them at www.thelamplighters.org for more information.

Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend…when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present–love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure–the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.–Sarah Ban Breathnach

defined as:…1: of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal…
2 a: of or relating to sacred matters b: ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal…
3: concerned with religious values…4: related or joined in spirit…5 a: of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena… b: of, relating to, or involving spiritualism : spiritualistic

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Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individual’s sense of self-identity. Originally thought to be at the “borderline” of psychosis, people with BPD suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation. While less well known than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), BPD is more common, affecting 2 percent of adults, mostly young women. There is a high rate of self-injury without suicide intent, as well as a significant rate of suicide attempts and completed suicide in severe cases. Patients often need extensive mental health services, and account for 20 percent of psychiatric hospitalizations. Yet, with help, many improve over time and are eventually able to lead productive lives. (more…)

Suicide is a major, preventable public health problem. In 2004, it was the eleventh leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for 32,439 deaths.1 The overall rate was 10.9 suicide deaths per 100,000 people.1 An estimated eight to 25 attempted suicides occur per every suicide death.2

Suicidal behavior is complex. Some risk factors vary with age, gender, or ethnic group and may occur in combination or change over time.
If you are in a crisis and need help right away:

Call this toll-free number, available 24 hours a day, every day: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You will reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a service available to anyone. You may call for yourself or for someone you care about. All calls are confidential. (more…)

I remember when I got clean and sober one of the biggest problems for me was not feeling well. It was probably eighteen months or even more that I felt poorly and thought I would never get better. While I was in treatment I read the book “Under The Influence” by Dr. James Milam. It is a great book for families and patients alike and talks about “post acute withdrawal” or “protracted withdrawal syndrome,” which is essentially an adjustment period for the body. mind and soul after a long period of using or drinking. He also talks about the arrested development component of the using process that I found interesting. This is not a book endorsement, just encouragement for anybody struggling in their recovery from anything from mental illness or chemical dependency.

Getting and staying clean and sober is hard when you don’t feel good. Pretty much all I did for the first year was sleep, eat, try and get exercise, acupuncture, and go to meetings. The thing that probably helped the most was acupuncture. It helped me relax and generally feel less anxious. For individuals who are in early recovery, or anyone who is feeling like they are having a hard time with the whole recovery process, see a counselor and an acupuncturist in your area. You will feel better about your ability to hang in there during difficult times and along with meetings it will support better long term recovery and quality of life.

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, ‘press on’ has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race.–Calvin Coolidge

defined as:
the action or condition or an instance of persevering : steadfastness…

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This is a good friend in recovery.. who has a powerful story. Hope you all enjoy!!!

www.lostdreamsawaken.org/
Many Thanks to Richard J. 
 

At a time when opportunism is everything, when hope seems lost, when everything boils down to a cynical business deal, we must find the courage to dream. To reclaim romance. The romance of believing in justice, in freedom, and in dignity. For everybody.–Arundhati Roy (The Ordinary Person’s Guide to Empire)

Defined as:…  
1… a: the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments… b: judge… c: the administration of law; especially : the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity…2… a: the quality of being just, impartial, or fair… b (1): the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action… (2): conformity to this principle or ideal : righteousness… c: the quality of conforming to law…3: conformity to truth, fact, or reason : correctness…

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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that some people develop after seeing or living through an event that caused or threatened serious harm or death. Symptoms include flashbacks or bad dreams, emotional numbness, intense guilt or worry, angry outbursts, feeling “on edge,” or avoiding thoughts and situations that remind them of the trauma. In PTSD, these symptoms last at least one month.

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There is divine beauty in learning, just as there is human beauty in tolerance. To learn means to accept the postulate that life did not begin at my birth. Others have been here before me, and I walk in their footsteps. The books I have read were composed by generations of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, teachers and disciples. I am the sum total of their experiences, their quests. And so are you.–Elie Wiesel

Defined as:…
receptive to arguments or ideas…

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If you have a story about your recovery that could give someone else hope and support or if you are struggling and need help yourself, we encourage you to share with us. If you are a professional and want to tell us about your services or a writer that would like to submit an article, we would love to hear from you also. Shoot us an email!!  etohtx@aol.com

Many people believe that humility is the opposite of pride, when, in fact, it is a point of equilibrium. The opposite of pride is actual a lack of self-esteem. A humble person is totally different from a person who cannot recognize and appreciate himself as part of this worlds marvels.–Rabino Nilton Bonder

Defined as:…
: the quality or state of being humble…

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“Authentic spirituality awakens the soul, reconnects us with the sacred, and fills us with the passion of life. Spiritual development is not about religious rituals and practices; it is about waking up to the wonder of life.” David N. Elkins

When we come off of a substance, any substance, our bodies have withdrawals.  If we drink too much caffeine, take prescriptions drugs, consume alcohol and or even sugar it will produce a reaction in our body when we stop.  This reaction can last for hours to weeks, and it can be annoying to life threatening.  The main organ that is responsible for “cleaning” our body is our Liver.

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We accept the verdict of the past until the need for change cries out loudly enough to force upon us a choice between the comforts of further inertia and the irksomeness of action.–Louis L’Amour

Defined as:…
1 : inclined or favorably disposed in mind… : ready2 : prompt to act or respond…3 : done, borne, or accepted by choice or without reluctance…
4 : of or relating to the will or power of choosing : volitional; synonyms see voluntary…

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