Sunday, December 28, 2014
One Dave At A Time: Proud to be a Person in Long Term Recvoery
One Dave At A Time: Proud to be a Person in Long Term Recvoery: I recently watched a ground-breaking documentary called The Anonymous People. It's all about people who have recovered from alcohol and/...
Proud to be a Person in Long Term Recvoery
I recently watched a ground-breaking documentary called The Anonymous People. It's all about people who have recovered from alcohol and/or drug addiction using their voting power to not only de-stigmatize addiction but to create a ground roots movement, made up of people in recovery (including family and friends as this is a family disease), to demand that governments begin treating addiction as a disease rather than (the misconception) that it is a crime.
I am proud to say I am a person of long-term recovery. I recovered from this "seemingly hopeless condition of mind and body" (Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, 1939) January 7, 2005. My recovery started that day by going to a meeting attended by people in similar circumstances as me. I was taught a certain set of principles and traditions that I adopted into my life that have seen me through to this day.
Part of the problem that people facing addictions and/or mental health issues is a lack of service for those who want to get help. Before I attended treatment I was on a waiting list for almost two months. Luckily I was able to make it until then but for thousands, millions, of others that does not happen. The average waiting list for a publicly funded residential treatment centre is three to six months. The sad part about that is that when a person with an addiction finally decides to get help the motivational window for that decision does not stay open long. It lasts maybe a couple of days (if the person is lucky) to only a few hours. Once that decision is made we must offer help right away.
In the years I have been recovered I have met thousands of people who have put this disease into remission. People in recovery cross a wide spectrum of society for addiction is not prejudicial to whom it strikes. My fellow recovered alcoholics/addicts are made up of teachers, doctors, lawyers, police officers, firefighters, counsellors, factory workers, mechanics, plumbers, etc. etc. Black people, white people, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim. Gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual. Right wingers, left wingers and people in the centre of politics. I'd bet that the recovered community is made up of the most diverse set of voters than any other community in Ontario or even Canada.
The current trend in treating addiction is something called harm reduction. As I wrote in a previous blog (http://onedaveatatime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/killing-people-slowly.html?spref=bl) harm reduction is just another way for people active in their addiction to die more slowly. It originates from the idea that a person in addiction has a choice in the matter and can control their addiction. Talking from personal experience let me tell you that that idea is bullshit. I could not control my drinking/drugging through will power. Asking an addict to do that would be like me asking you to control your diarrhea through will power. It can't be done. Addiction is a disease and must be treated like one. There are a set of tools that can be taught to a person active in their addiction to help them put this disease into remission. I keep saying remission because there is no cure.
Our current health care practices seem to be reactionary rather than proactive. We should be treating the disease before the person breaks the law or ends up on a gurney in one of our ERs. In the long run this would not only save money for our health care system but our social services system as well.
Don't get me wrong I am not absolving alcoholics/addicts from the responsibility for their actions while in their addiction. If they broke the law they must face the consequences. If they lost trust from family members they must earn it back. The first way to do that is by taking responsibility for treating the disease itself and that is by seeking help. But asking that person to wait three to six months for that help may be signing their death warrant.
If you are a recovered alcoholic/addict or a friend/family member of one I urge you to sign the following petition to get help where it is needed.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/petition-for-more-funding-for-residential/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=button
Those of us in recovery fought the battle of our lives now let's fight the next battle so for our future brethren.
Dave the Dude
I am proud to say I am a person of long-term recovery. I recovered from this "seemingly hopeless condition of mind and body" (Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, 1939) January 7, 2005. My recovery started that day by going to a meeting attended by people in similar circumstances as me. I was taught a certain set of principles and traditions that I adopted into my life that have seen me through to this day.
Part of the problem that people facing addictions and/or mental health issues is a lack of service for those who want to get help. Before I attended treatment I was on a waiting list for almost two months. Luckily I was able to make it until then but for thousands, millions, of others that does not happen. The average waiting list for a publicly funded residential treatment centre is three to six months. The sad part about that is that when a person with an addiction finally decides to get help the motivational window for that decision does not stay open long. It lasts maybe a couple of days (if the person is lucky) to only a few hours. Once that decision is made we must offer help right away.
In the years I have been recovered I have met thousands of people who have put this disease into remission. People in recovery cross a wide spectrum of society for addiction is not prejudicial to whom it strikes. My fellow recovered alcoholics/addicts are made up of teachers, doctors, lawyers, police officers, firefighters, counsellors, factory workers, mechanics, plumbers, etc. etc. Black people, white people, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim. Gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual. Right wingers, left wingers and people in the centre of politics. I'd bet that the recovered community is made up of the most diverse set of voters than any other community in Ontario or even Canada.
The current trend in treating addiction is something called harm reduction. As I wrote in a previous blog (http://onedaveatatime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/killing-people-slowly.html?spref=bl) harm reduction is just another way for people active in their addiction to die more slowly. It originates from the idea that a person in addiction has a choice in the matter and can control their addiction. Talking from personal experience let me tell you that that idea is bullshit. I could not control my drinking/drugging through will power. Asking an addict to do that would be like me asking you to control your diarrhea through will power. It can't be done. Addiction is a disease and must be treated like one. There are a set of tools that can be taught to a person active in their addiction to help them put this disease into remission. I keep saying remission because there is no cure.
Our current health care practices seem to be reactionary rather than proactive. We should be treating the disease before the person breaks the law or ends up on a gurney in one of our ERs. In the long run this would not only save money for our health care system but our social services system as well.
Don't get me wrong I am not absolving alcoholics/addicts from the responsibility for their actions while in their addiction. If they broke the law they must face the consequences. If they lost trust from family members they must earn it back. The first way to do that is by taking responsibility for treating the disease itself and that is by seeking help. But asking that person to wait three to six months for that help may be signing their death warrant.
If you are a recovered alcoholic/addict or a friend/family member of one I urge you to sign the following petition to get help where it is needed.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/petition-for-more-funding-for-residential/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=button
Those of us in recovery fought the battle of our lives now let's fight the next battle so for our future brethren.
Dave the Dude
Monday, December 22, 2014
One Dave At A Time: Christmas Eve's of the Past
One Dave At A Time: Christmas Eve's of the Past: My defacto step-son had a party this past Friday and I stopped by for a bit to see what was going on. I showed up around 7:00 PM and not eve...
Christmas Eve's of the Past
My defacto step-son had a party this past Friday and I stopped by for a bit to see what was going on. I showed up around 7:00 PM and not everyone was there yet but a few had arrived. I think I counted about five guys (including the step-son) and one girl. They were all playing video games on separate computers/laptops against each other. When I pointed out that this was the same thing they did every night but for the fact of all being in the same room they laughed and said it was better because they WERE all in the same room. Oh well, I guess they were having fun. Brings me back to the days that me and my buds had parties this time year. Specifically the annual Christmas Eve party at my buddy Chris' place.
I think the annual Christmas Eve parties started when we were around 17. While we had video games back then they weren't as sophisticated as today's are. We played on a Nintendo and the main game had something to do with Mario and Luigi saving the Princess. I think we also played some golf. In the late 90s we graduated to Saga NHL which was pretty cool. However, while we did play some games it did not encompass our whole evening.
The evening always involved the drinking of large quantities of beer (I think later on as my alcoholism grew I began to drink wine, showing up with three or four bottles just for myself). We would all sit around Chris' basement and chat while listening to some heavy metal music of the 80s. Chris and his brother Jeff had their rooms in the basement of the family home. It was like a basement apartment but without a kitchen or bathroom which we had to go upstairs to use. Chris and Jeff had decorated the room in a collage of heavy metal posters featuring the likes of Motley Crue, Led Zeppelin, Poison, Alice Cooper, Lee Aaron, Scorpions, Def Leppard, Ratt, Ozzy, and a slew of others. Back then people smoked inside and one could cut the smoke with a knife it was so thick.
There were always a few girls at the party. One or two of us usually had a girlfriend. As the night progressed more people would drop in and out as well as a bunch of Chris and Jeff's relatives. It was a great time. Chris always made his "famous" sweet & sour meatballs (I think that was the flavour) which everyone delved into a few hours into the party. The more we drank the louder we got and the sillier we became. I'm not sure how it started but for a few years in a row we held the hairiest ass contest. I always came out the winner but Jeff was always a close second. My friend Stefan and I would invariably get into some kind of political debate to the chagrin of everyone else. It would usually end in me calling him a Klingon and him arguing that he was more like a Vulcan. I know, I know we were kinda of nerdish but cute nerds. I still think Stefan is more Klingon than Vulcan...
The climax of the evening would be our annual holiday viewing of Al Pacino in Scarface. I mean, what says holiday cheer more than watching a dude get his leg chainsawed off? Or Pacino telling everyone to, "say hello to my little friend"?
Eventually everyone would slowly leave and after much urging I would stumble home to bed to return the next day for more Christmas 'spirits' and a delicious meal, which included roast duck and goose, made by Chris and Jeff's Mom. A great time was had by all.
Dave the Dude
I think the annual Christmas Eve parties started when we were around 17. While we had video games back then they weren't as sophisticated as today's are. We played on a Nintendo and the main game had something to do with Mario and Luigi saving the Princess. I think we also played some golf. In the late 90s we graduated to Saga NHL which was pretty cool. However, while we did play some games it did not encompass our whole evening.
The evening always involved the drinking of large quantities of beer (I think later on as my alcoholism grew I began to drink wine, showing up with three or four bottles just for myself). We would all sit around Chris' basement and chat while listening to some heavy metal music of the 80s. Chris and his brother Jeff had their rooms in the basement of the family home. It was like a basement apartment but without a kitchen or bathroom which we had to go upstairs to use. Chris and Jeff had decorated the room in a collage of heavy metal posters featuring the likes of Motley Crue, Led Zeppelin, Poison, Alice Cooper, Lee Aaron, Scorpions, Def Leppard, Ratt, Ozzy, and a slew of others. Back then people smoked inside and one could cut the smoke with a knife it was so thick.
There were always a few girls at the party. One or two of us usually had a girlfriend. As the night progressed more people would drop in and out as well as a bunch of Chris and Jeff's relatives. It was a great time. Chris always made his "famous" sweet & sour meatballs (I think that was the flavour) which everyone delved into a few hours into the party. The more we drank the louder we got and the sillier we became. I'm not sure how it started but for a few years in a row we held the hairiest ass contest. I always came out the winner but Jeff was always a close second. My friend Stefan and I would invariably get into some kind of political debate to the chagrin of everyone else. It would usually end in me calling him a Klingon and him arguing that he was more like a Vulcan. I know, I know we were kinda of nerdish but cute nerds. I still think Stefan is more Klingon than Vulcan...
The climax of the evening would be our annual holiday viewing of Al Pacino in Scarface. I mean, what says holiday cheer more than watching a dude get his leg chainsawed off? Or Pacino telling everyone to, "say hello to my little friend"?
Eventually everyone would slowly leave and after much urging I would stumble home to bed to return the next day for more Christmas 'spirits' and a delicious meal, which included roast duck and goose, made by Chris and Jeff's Mom. A great time was had by all.
Dave the Dude
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Offended, offended, offended
The last few years it seems that somebody is always offended by something. For some reason people think that just because they are offended by something it means that they are right and whatever they are offended against is wrong.
The most recent case I heard about was a Canadian Tire Christmas flyer. The flyer had a section on things to buy for him and things to buy for her. Under the her section there were pots and pans, a robot vacuum cleaner, etc. Apparently a group of people are offended by this because it's, apparently, sexist and they are demanding an apology. Give me a friggin' break. Canadian Tire is a corporation, in a country that protects free speech. It can advertise any way and to whicever niche market it so chooses. If society feels that the ad is wrong then Canadian Tire will pay the price by a drop in sales. That's how things work in a free market society. Just because you are offended by something doesn't mean you are right. I'm 'offended' by stuff all the time but I don't let it ruin my whole day. Someone has to have a lot of time on their hands if they are so offended by something that they join a group and start protesting a Christmas flyer.
Now we're seeing this whole offended trend going international. Seth Rogen and James Franco have made a movie, with Sony, called The Interview. The premise of the movie is that Rogen and Franco are journalists that are going to interview the leader of North Korea and the CIA wants them to assassinate the guy. North Korea is extremely offended by this and has started it's own cold war against Sony. First it hacked Sony's e-mails and released several embarassing e-mails which put some executives in an unflattering light. It also released the pseudonyms that some celebrities use when checking into hotels. The latest strike in this cold war is threat that anyone who goes to see this movie or lives nearby a movie theatre that is showing it will be killed. U.S. authorities are saying it is a false threat. However, sevearl movie theatres have already cancelled the movie's run. I think this is the best thing to happen to this film. Now people are going to see the movie just to show North Korea it can't push them around. I predict this movie will be one of the highest grossing films ever because of this.
I could give example after example of people getting offended for idiotic reasons and thinking they are owed an apology or, in some cases, some type of financial settlement. Give me a break. If I have offended you in some way then good. Fuck you and grow up.
Dave the Dude
The most recent case I heard about was a Canadian Tire Christmas flyer. The flyer had a section on things to buy for him and things to buy for her. Under the her section there were pots and pans, a robot vacuum cleaner, etc. Apparently a group of people are offended by this because it's, apparently, sexist and they are demanding an apology. Give me a friggin' break. Canadian Tire is a corporation, in a country that protects free speech. It can advertise any way and to whicever niche market it so chooses. If society feels that the ad is wrong then Canadian Tire will pay the price by a drop in sales. That's how things work in a free market society. Just because you are offended by something doesn't mean you are right. I'm 'offended' by stuff all the time but I don't let it ruin my whole day. Someone has to have a lot of time on their hands if they are so offended by something that they join a group and start protesting a Christmas flyer.
Now we're seeing this whole offended trend going international. Seth Rogen and James Franco have made a movie, with Sony, called The Interview. The premise of the movie is that Rogen and Franco are journalists that are going to interview the leader of North Korea and the CIA wants them to assassinate the guy. North Korea is extremely offended by this and has started it's own cold war against Sony. First it hacked Sony's e-mails and released several embarassing e-mails which put some executives in an unflattering light. It also released the pseudonyms that some celebrities use when checking into hotels. The latest strike in this cold war is threat that anyone who goes to see this movie or lives nearby a movie theatre that is showing it will be killed. U.S. authorities are saying it is a false threat. However, sevearl movie theatres have already cancelled the movie's run. I think this is the best thing to happen to this film. Now people are going to see the movie just to show North Korea it can't push them around. I predict this movie will be one of the highest grossing films ever because of this.
I could give example after example of people getting offended for idiotic reasons and thinking they are owed an apology or, in some cases, some type of financial settlement. Give me a break. If I have offended you in some way then good. Fuck you and grow up.
Dave the Dude
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)