12 Step Programs Articles

The Parable of the Prodigal Son While he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with compassion the father ran to the son, threw his arms around him and said, "Welcome home." His son had come to his senses. "Let's have a party!" His brother refused to come to the party even after his father pleaded with him to join them. "I've stayed here all these years and never caused a problem. No one ever had a party for me," said the brother. -paraphrased from the Gospel of Luke

As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I work with people who suffer with depression. When I have depressed clients, I know two recommended practices designed to help them feel better; medication and talk therapy. The medication elevates the mood; talking about problems can get to the root of the difficulties that drive a person to sadness. Mood is one thing, but the same recurring thoughts about a situation are bound to keep the client tied to the same feelings about the subject, that’s why talking about it is so key.

I went for a wonderful long walk to Bal Harbour shops along the East coast of Miami, which incidentally includes a nudist beach, this morning. It was bright, sunny and warm to the delight of the other walkers, runners, cyclists, beach goers, tramps, and lifeguards. By the time I had arrived at my destination my half a liter bottle of spring water had finished. After my three and a half miles hike though I decided that a cup of coffee and small snack was a well deserved treat; especially as these shops were out of my reach and class.

The following letter was written to one of my readers in response to his letter of April 13, 2004. He has given me permission to excerpt his letter so that others might benefit from my advice. Dear Tom, Thank you for sharing your story with me. I have excerpted some of your thoughts and made ...

Narcissism is a personality disorder. It stems from childhood abuse. When children decide that the world, and the people in it, are bad and that they are good, they have a skewed vision of life. They see the whole world as revolving around them. They see others as objects to gratify their needs. ...

The Freudians use the term repetition compulsion to describe “the mind’s tendency to repeat traumatic events in order to deal with them.”1 Another Freudian term, the pleasure principle, describes the need of the infant to seek gratification.2 In adults, this would be called the “production of ...

"My mind is like a bad neighborhood. I try never to go there alone."n~A Lamont; author Depression sucks. No doubt about it. Having treated dozens of individuals with depression over the years, while reading countless books on the treatment of this "noonday demon", I still believe that the ...

How to Break your Kid’s Brat Habitn It seems that we need anger awareness and age-appropriate choices to help our kids successfully manage their anger. A young child's unique and awesome personality is suddenly taken over by what seems like an alien being. Did you ever consider that acting out ...

When it comes to toxic love and relationships, there are two kinds of people, those who love too much (the Love Addict), and those who love too little, (the Love Avoidant). If you vacillate between the two you are an Ambivalent Love Addict. Love Addicts: Love Addicts obsess about someone, and they cannot let go, even if their PoA (Person of Addiction) is unavailable or toxic. By this I mean they are: Afraid to commit; Cannot communicate; Unloving/distant; Abusive/controlling and dictatorial (narcissistic);r

FALLING IN LOVE WITH AN UNAVAILABLE PERSON Many love addicts find they have a history of falling in love with an unavailable person and they wonder why this keeps happening over and over again. The following is a list of the most common reasons love addicts keep falling into this ...

Cold feet is a common symptom of poor circulation (insufficient blood and oxygen supply). This symptom is very common in contemporary population. It gets worse when blood glucose level drops, during nights, or after meals. Cold hands and feet is a typical sign of Raynaud's disease and it is also frequent in people with diabetes.

Creating a relationship is like backing a cake. You must have the right ingredients, in the right amount (not too much and not too little) and you must put them together in the right order. The ingredients of a healthy relationship are as follows: 1. Honesty that engenders trust. 2. Readiness ...

Some people believe forgiveness is important and others don’t. In his book Alcoholics Anonymous, author Bill Wilson (the co-founder of AA) discusses forgiveness and says its necessary for sobriety. He calls it “letting go of resentment,” not forgiveness, and says it’s not done to please others, but in the interest of self.

Tens of thousands of addicts have been through drug and alcohol treatment programs; so why is it that so many can't achieve permanent sobriety? Short term programs are extremely valuable for detoxifying the body and introducing addicts to the principles of the 12-Step program. But real recovery is a long journey that requires a commitment to a new way of thinking and acting. A longer continuum of care is often the only thing standing in the way of an addict's ability to live

Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal. If you are having some physical problems, and you think they may be due to drinking alcohol, or quitting drinking alcohol, then read on. You may be suffering from alcohol withdrawal. It can be a serious health risk that may lead to a withdrawal seizure, and even death. If there are symptoms that include shaking, see a doctor right away. What causes the shaking? Shaking is most likely due to withdrawing from alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, and if

1. AIDAS Theory Of Selling The term AIDAS includes the five words used to express it : attention, interest, desired action and satisfaction. These provide the basis for many sales and advertising. It is the skeleton around which many sales training programs are organised. The psychological writings of William James support this theory. Its construct is based upon experimental knowledge. It was in existance as early as 1898.

Caution. This specific breathing exercise is not an alte ative for one's medication or any other medically administered procedure. It could be employed as an additional technique to diminish signs and symptoms. Seek the advice of your MD, GP or other health care practitioner for further detail.

Mouth breathing in children of all ages, in including babies, toddlers and infants is an emerging problem facing medical community and parents due to its devastating effects on the development of the young. In order to realize the broad scope of pathological effects of mouth breathing, consider the titles of recent published medical studies: Prevalence of malocclusion among mouth breathing children: do expectations meet reality? (Souki et al, 2009) Etiology, clinical manifestations and concurrent findings in mouth-breathing children (Abreu et al, 2008)r

To unblock the nose in 1-2 minutes, as about 200 Russian medical doctors have proven, is possible for up to 90% of patients suffering from chronic nose problem, sinusitis, rhinitis, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. These doctors have been teaching the Buteyko breathing therapy so that to increase body oxygenation naturally for treatment (complete clinical remission or cure) or many chronic diseases ranging from asthma and heart diseases to diabetes and cancer. Practical actions

To many people, the term “Seductive Withholder” is self-explanatory. SW’s are men and women who vacillate between being available and unavailable. One moment they are romantic, alluring, in pursuit and then suddenly (often without warning) they pull back and withhold ...

Among all psychological studies, Little Albert study (article’s URL is below), conducted by Dr. John B. Watson, APA (American Psychological Association) President, and Rosalie Rayner in 1920, is the most widely cited experiment in psychological textbooks. It is likely the most distorted and misrepresented psychological study as well, with numerous small and large mistakes found in general textbooks and more professional books written by prominent psychotherapists and leading psychology theorists. Dr.

E-business describes the use of electronic means and platform to conduct a company's business. The advent of the Internet has greatly increased the ability of companies to conduct their business faster, more accurately over a wide range of time and space, at reduced cost, and with the ability to customise and personalise customer offerings. Countless companies have set up website to inform and promote their products and services.

Bible – Alcoholics Anonymous – Refresher Dick B.n© 2008 Anonymous. All rights reserved What the Bible has to do with Alcoholics Anonymous What documented relationship does the Bible (which early AAs affectionately called the Good Book) bear to the basic text of Alcoholics Anonymous (which AAs still call the Big Book). It was that question which prompted me to research and write The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible (http://www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml).

New medical research studies suggest that obesity has its roots in low body oxygen levels. Tissue hypoxia leads to elevated levels of HIF-1 (hypoxia inducible factor-1). This is the substance that causes insulin resistance and increased formation of adipose tissue (fat). A team of medical doctors from University of Texas Southweste Medical Center in Dallas (Texas) announced their discovery in the article "Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha induces fibrosis and insulin resistance in white adipose tissue" that was published in 2009 in the Molecular and Cell Biology journal.

Most people say that they are excited and hopeful about the principal ideas outlined in the twelve step program, but never truly develop the discipline to incorporate each step into their daily lives. So many people are living proof, that if you develop the habits to truly make these philosophies part of your existence, then permanent sobriety and a life of joy, love, and happiness are absolutely possible. Step Three of AA's 12 Steps to Recovery asks addicts to: Make a deci

What is a 12 Step Program? In short a 12 step program is any program based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. The 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are a design for living, whereby a person can learn to live at peace and joy, without resorting to destructive substances or behaviors. Millions have found this program so useful that it has been adapted to solve other problems than alcohol—overeating, emotional challenges, gambling, cocaine, nicotine and many other habits.

Decades of medical research and dozens of clinical studies have shown that patients with heart disease and/or diabetes have heavy breathing at rest. (You may find over 15 such studies on my website.) Instead of breathing 6-7 L/min (the medical norm), they pant up to 15-18 L/min at rest. Furthermore, numerous medical studies have clearly shown that development of diabetes and heart disease is based, on a cell level, on low body oxygen content. Tissue hypoxia is the cause of both conditions.

The steps in Prospecting are: 1. Formulating prospect definition. 2. Searching out potential accounts. 3. Qualifying prospects and determining probable requirements and. 4. Relating company products to each prospect's requirements. 1. Formulating Prospect Definition. Prospective customers must have the willingness. The financial capacity, and the authority to buy. They must be available to the sales person. Sales persons only waste time in attending to sell to individuals who have neither need for the product nor money to pay for it.

What do you do if your loved one relapses? "It's the same old story, the same old song and dance." -Steven Tyler/Aerosmith The above bit of lyrics, from a song by Aerosmith is a good analogy for an addict that chooses to try some more "controlled using" (better known as relapse). Unfortunately, Steven recently checked himself into a rehab center after twenty years of recovery from drugs and alcohol. Why? How does something like this happen? Perhaps more importantly, the question can be: When this happens close to home, what can I do to help--as a conce ed friend or loved one?r

Generally, many people believe know that mouth breathing is not for health and we should breathe using the diaphragm. As about the rest, it is not so important. Whatever the way you breathe, you still get oxygen in cells. This is not correct since the sick never have normal cell oxygenation because their breathing is always ineffective 24/7. In other words, they do not know how to breathe, while oxygen in tissues of the key to great health.

We are living in a state of flux. We are living in a state where we are in total un control of your mind and our body. This statement comes from the very fact that we are no longer a focused, organised and empowered race of humans walking on this earth. Why do we say this? We say this because there are so many afflictions to the human body and the human mind to mention and none of them has been properly addressed. We have to look at the problem of addiction. nnAddiction is on

"Is it just a harmless habit, OR is it addiction? 6 Simple Signs that Say, "I am addicted." Listed below "The six sure signs of addiction" are the "official" diagnosis criteria for addiction that appear in the DSM. I LOVE playing with words and letters, so I like to call them the six C's: The graphics depict someone who has a food addiction, but the signs are the same whether it is food, drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex or ___________! 1. Craving: Craving is an intense desi

What is the meaning of Addiction? An addiction, broadly speaking is a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance such as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol. It is characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. Broadly speaking, it's a persistent compulsive use of a substance, known by the user to be harmful. There's a great definition in a book by Gerald G. May called Addiction and Grace. He says that addiction is any "compuls

Which Eye Exercises can help rebuild your Vision? Did you know that how we judge distance and finding the best kind of eye exercises have a lot in common? There are many factors involved in how we judge distance, but one of these is key to identifying effective eye exercises. We learn to judge ...

The emergent nature of reality is that all systems, whether it is knowledge, society, technology, philosophy or any other creation will when uninhibited undergo fluid perpetual change. What we consider commonplace today, such as modern communication and transportation, would have been unimaginable in ancient times, likewise the future will contain technologies, realisations and social structures we cannot even fathom in the present, we have gone from alchemy to chemistry, fro

I like to experiment and so last September I decided to see what all the fuss was about and embarked on a Gluten free diet. Unless you've been out of this planet, you know it means not eating wheat, rye, barley, kamut, spelt, and even oat (although that last one is debatable). I don't have Celiac disease and I have been a wheat love all my life. You have to understand, I am french! I was raised on bread, pastries, croissants and all sorts of wheat filled goodies. So the prospect of eliminating my baguette when having my cheese or not having my Sunday treats was a little daunting.

Alcoholics Anonymous Origins and Early History What the Searchlights Reveal Part Three By Dick B. © 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved Darkness, Be Gone! Let There Be Light If there is one thing I believe for sure about Alcoholics Anonymous, as I have experienced A.A., for more tha 25 years, that one thing is this: It is not Alcoholics Anonymous that needs to go away. It is the darkness about Alcoholics Anonymous History. And the darkness can and will end in the face of

Christians in A.A.? I don’t have any statistics! I don’t know of any statistics. And I’m not sure I care about any statistics that might exist. But I think it would be valuable if we knew for sure that, among the two-million members worldwide, the A.A. fellowship contains a Christian or two. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t require a statistical survey to establish that it does. How many Christian members are there? I don’t know. And it’s not the function of A.A. to find out.

This is topic that any network marketer should really think about and understand. Can you motivate your organization? Before I give you my answer, really think about it. Can you really motivate someone long term. Sure, I think you can short term. But eventually it has to be an internal ...

Step 1: Awareness! This step is probably one of the most difficult to acknowledge for the alcoholic or addict. Long before a person realizes it, the grip of addiction has taken hold. At first, there may be occasional "problems," such as a minor accident due to drinking, or the person may notice it takes more and more of a substance to achieve the desired result. What usually happens then, is there are excuses, such as, "It's not that bad." "My habit or behavior is not as bad

People like to tell me now and then that I am narcissistic. Yet I see myself as kind and generous. You might say I am in “denial,” about being a loving person, but there is actually some evidence to back up my perception of myself. I have a long history of “loving too ...

Step nine of the 12 step program begins the process of the addict re-connecting with fellow human beings through the process of amends. After completing step 8 of the 12 step recovery program, the addict has a list of all the people and institutions he or she owe amends to. Amends can be made in person, through the mail, or by telephone. By living the self-centered life of an addict, those in recovery can begin to see the havoc they have caused in the lives of those who care

Health-related reflections of several hundred Russian general practitioners propose that persistent issues with cough occur only in individuals with reduced oxygen pressure in body cells. Consider these principal scientific discoveries in more detail. We can learn about current popular info in respect to the mechanism together with the cause of excessive cough.

Is it easy for you to express what you need and want? In other words, do you let others know what’s important to you and then enforce your boundaries? If not, then you need to learn this critical skill that will help you in life and business.

Most people believe that whatever the way they breathe (faster and/or deeper, or irregular), their body oxygen content will not be affected. Medical research suggests that just one sigh or a few cough are sufficient to cause measurable changes in brain oxygen content. What is wrong with breathing more or irregular?

A.A.’s “Big Book,” Rev. Sam Shoemaker, and Bill W. By Dick B.n© 2008 Anonymous. All rights reserved Lois Wilson’s Observation as to Sam Shoemaker’s Big Book Role The biography of Lois Wilson states: “Dr. Shoemaker was to play a significant role in Bill Wilson’s spiritual development and his writing of Alcoholics Anonymous, which became known as ‘The Big Book.’” Bill Wilson’s Specific Remarks about Sam Shoemaker’s Role Bill Wilson himself said: Every river has a wellspri

There are some less common cases of coughing that require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor if you have:rn- been in a contact with someone who has tuberculosis - sudden weight loss or night sweats (may also indicate tuberculosis)rn- severe cough that begins suddenly - stridor (when you inhale air you have high-pitched sounds) rn- fever (that can indicate a serious infection requiring antibiotics)rn- thick yellow or green phlegm that may indicate a bacterial infection - cough that is longer than 10-14 days - cough in an infant who is less than 3 months oldr

Those who vacillate between love addiction and love avoidance are called Ambivalent Love Addicts. Most Love Addicts and Love Avoidants are ambivalent at one time or another. They crave love, but they also fear it.

We generally do not have many news about holistic or alte ative medical innovations in countries, like Russia. They have their own culture, and, while their official medical approaches are similar to the Western world (drugs, surgeries, chemotherapies, etc.), there are recent developments in treatment of asthma, and other respiratory conditions (bronchitis, emphysema, COPD, respiratory insufficiency, etc.) that deserve a closer look.

Solutions of North Texas, a division of Love In Action, International, was formed in 2006 by Scott Wisenbaker for the purpose of providing safe, sober transitional housing for the recovering alcoholic/addict. We are located in the city and county of Denton, Texas. Our founder, Scott ...