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What is your driving force?


10 years ago 0 86 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks for sharing these stories!
10 years ago 0 153 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I am no stranger to addictions myself.  Even though I have a good career, a loving and supportive husband and many other positive things in my life, about 6 years ago I was an active alcoholic, 40 lbs. overweight, physically inactive, smoked and abused prescription medications.  I first tackled the alcohol and prescription medications by attending a 3 week day treatment program at a local hospital.  It was the best thing I could have done for myself.  There I learned how to set manageable goals for myself, get at the root of various psychological issues that led me to abuse substances and food, and learn to slowly love myself and treat myself well again.  Today I don't smoke, drink, use any type of mind altering substances.  More importantly, it's not what I don't do but who I became.  At 50 years of age I am a competitive athlete and have never felt healthier and better about myself. I'm now a vibrant an energetic woman who values herself and takes care of herself.  I also know what my limitations are and when I have to say no to others and make time for myself.  Life has never been better and it's all thanks to the education and support I received at the hospital and from other people such as everyone on this site.  Happy Monday everyone!!!
10 years ago 0 12049 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks for sharing this perspective.
 
It is truly amazing what our minds and bodies are capable of!
 
I would love to hear your thoughts on this experience everyone?
 
 
Josie, Health Educator
10 years ago 0 39 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi,
    I have nothing else better to do so I want to share a story....
 
       I have a friend who has a younger sister.  I really don't talk to her much other then the occasional greeting hi and bye when I see her.  Anyhow, she smokes heavily and is an alcoholic.  Literally you will never catch her not smoking or drinking.  When I talk to my friend I will always as how his family is doing, and how she is doing.  He always sighs then giggles and tells me the same thing.  "She the same!"  He tells me stories about her and from what I hear the length she will go to fund her addictions is something else.  So to get to the bulk of this story. One would think a person that smokes and drinks as much as her and what she is willing to do to get money to fund her addiction nothing could get her to stop smoking or drinking.... Wrong!!!  I never had much respect for this girl but now I have much respect and admiration!
 
She is 1 or 2 years younger then me.  Never in my life did I think anything in this world could get her to stop smoking and drinking for any substantial amount of time. I until recently never thought how truly amazing this girl is until recently.  She herself, her husband, her brother, and her family will never know how amazing she is.  Anyway, she gave birth to two healthy sons.  I realized that nothing could get her to put down the cigs and alcohol, but as I look back I am wrong.  The second she knew she was pregnant with her first son she quit immediately.  As I recall never once did she pick up a smoke or even took a sip of alcohol.  She never even talked about it.  She just straight up quit cold turkey for nine months until her kid was born.  There was no questions asked, no excuses, its like the switch was just turned off. She then did it again when she found out she was pregnant with her second son.  I think about it now and it is truly, truly is amazing that nothing in the world could get her to stop, but when it came down it she stopped on two occasions twice for the health of her sons.  Not just once but twice!  Most amazingly if all she unconsciously stopped, never complained, and never mentioned smoking or drinking.  All I can recall is during her pregnancy, she was very emotional.  Every time I came to her house to hang out with my friend all she did was cry and freak out about weird, off the wall, and irrelevant things.
 
In my teens when I worked at hospital I was smoking at a smoking area where I randomly had a conversation with a girl I didn't know.  I can't remember if she worked at the hospital or if she was there for a Dr's appointment.  I was shocked when she told me she was pregnant, and was sucking on a cigarette. 
 
Anyway, of course after my friends younger sister had her sons she always smoked and drank again, and today she is back to her old ways.  I guess   I'm just wondering other then me if she herself, her husband,or anyone around her ever took the time out to think just how truly amazing she is to have stopped smoking and drinking on two occasions cold turkey for 9 months. She did it unconsciously, never talked about it, and never complained. Her ability to turn off the switch is simply amazing! 
 
 
I guess even a person who you think could never stop smoking or drinking and even go through extreme measures to fund their for any significant amount of time does indeed have a driving force within them to stop!
 
 
This is all I have to share...

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