The Solution News

The Solution News Since 1991

May~July 2013

Recovery

Happy, Joyous and Always Free!!

Growth

Renewal

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Lifestyles College of Development 1705 S. Federal Hwy Suite A5 Delray Beach, Fl 33483 Lifestyles College of Development's mission is to provide you with the educational tools to develop hope, inspiration, and courage to find your passion and reach your goals with SKILLS FOR LIFE. We are here to teach you the "How To," not the "Why Not." Traditionally you learn WHY NOT to have certain behaviors. We will educate you on HOW TO change certain behaviors as you develop your lifestyle with pride. The common struggle is knowing what to do, but not knowing HOW TO do it. At Lifestyles College of Development, you will participate in an active learning model that teaches you HOW TO be successful by using the same techniques that taught you complicated tasks such as riding a bike and driving. Just as these skills are now second nature to you, so will become the skills for life. As alumni of Lifestyles College of Development, you will be equipped with the skills to begin the life that you have always wanted. Why wait? Become who you really are and start your life TODAY. Lifestyles College of Development is a Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) Florida state licensed facility in partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient (OP) treatment. We serve the housewife, the business professional, the student, the employee, the employer, those transitioning from inpatient facilities, and those who would like to develop a healthy lifestyle but do not meet medical necessity for inpatient treatment.

561.450.6320 or call us Toll Free 1-855-SKILLS 4 LIFE lifestylescollegeofdevelopment.com

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The Solution News Contents Page 4 - Dave’s Page

Page 19 - Cape Cod Symposium

Page 5 - What Will Love Give You?

Page 20 - Original How It Works

Page 6 - Best Foods For Sleep

Page 21 - Ask Bill Wilson

Page 7 - Alcoholism FAQ’s

Page 22 - Medical Equipment Exchange

Page 8 - Hotlines & Helplines

Page 24 - An Old Preamble

Page 9 - Watershed Page

Page 25 - Boston Globe on Big Book

Page 10 - Events

Page 26 - Rebecca B.

Page 11 - Adult ADD

Page 27 - Rule 62 Page

Page 12 - Too Stuck To Pray

Page 28 - One Liners

Page 13 - Solution News

Page 29 - Wonder Words

Page 14 - Hacks

Page 30 - Bumper Snickers

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Dave’s Page

About ten years ago my friend Snow P. thought it would be a nice idea to offer “sober cruises” to the recovering community. The concept was that she would reserve rooms on a major cruise line so that a group of people in recovery could cruise together and be supportive to one another while on vacation. This concept became highly appreciated by those who went on the early cruises and over the years her company Sober Celebrations (www.sobercelebrations.com) has been providing sober cruise vacation options several times a year. Her recent cruises include Alaska, the Mediterranean, the Carribean and even a trip to Dubai.

About fifty three years ago a young man named Clancy I. got sober in Los Angeles. His good work with recovering alcoholics as well as his involvement in the AA program over the years led him to become an active speaker and workshop presenter within the fellowship. His conference tapes have become one of many tools we use to keep ourselves on the beam and he has positively impacted thousands of people

AA History Cruise to Bermuda with his message of hope and his familiarity For me the cruise combined many of the best elements of our fellowship. First of all we were with the history of our program. all able to experience fun in recovery; the good Last month I had the wonderful opportunity times aboard the ship and spending a beautiful to participate in a week long AA History Cruise three days in Bermuda which was truly the most to Bermuda with Clancy I. We co-facilitated a beautiful and friendly island I have ever visited. workshop on AA History. It was indeed an Secondly we were all able to enjoy the fellowhonor to team up with a man that had on two ship of our program. The fifty strangers that got occasions in the past significantly impacted my on the ship on Sunday were all friends by the following Saturday. And finally for me the intersobriety. est of those assembled in the rich history and traditions of our God given program was excitIn 1985 the AA Fiftieth Anniversary was celeing to be a part of. brated at the World Conference in Montreal. I attended that conference at a time in my sobriety When I first came into the program I honestly when I was at the “is that all there is” stage of thought that my life had ended and that I would my sobriety. Somebody told me that I would get just exist in a joyless alcohol and drug free life. recharged at the conference so I went to Little did I know what the program had in store Montreal. At all conferences they have a 24 hour for me. I could never have imagined all the fun a day meeting that runs for the whole conferfellowship and interests that would fill my sober ence. The opening of the meeting that year was life. I often say that if there were forty eight done by Clancy. He talked about the word hours in a day I wouldn’t have time to do all the enthusiasm and broke it down to its Greek roots. things I enjoy doing.

He explained that “en” is Greek for “in” or “within” and “theos” is Greek for “God” and I am sitting at my desk in New Hampshire as I that enthusiasm really means having God withwrite this and I am reminded that this month I in. I have never forgotten that message. Later at will be going on our Men’s Group thirtieth a Maine State Conference he was the keynote anniversary fishing trip. Little did I know thirty speaker and I had the opportunity to do a years ago that taking three newcomers fishing in Sponsorship Workshop with him.

Northern New Hampshire would become a new tradition. As we gather each year this year with Last year my friend Snow asked me to co- over thirty men I have an opportunity to reflect facilitate with Clancy on a n AA history cruise to on God’s grace and the joyous life that I have Bermuda. We were joined by 50 recovering peo- been given. Money can’t buy the relationships, ple most of whom were generally enthusiastic fellowship and fun that my surrender paved the about the history of our program. We spent way for. If you are beginning this journey strap about ten hours in the workshops and as the yourself in for you are truly in for the ride of a week went by truly saw “friends we hadn’t met lifetime. yet”.

Due to a generous donation from an anonymous donor in memory of David DeOreo and James Lehman who taught us the meaning of helping others, The Solution N ews will devote two pages of this issue to notfor-profit agencies to present their programs and needs to our readers.

The real winners in this gift will be our readers who will have an opportunity to get outside of themselves and perform a kind and generous selfless act of donating money or time to worthy causes.

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What Will Love Give You? Did you grow up believing that if only someone REALLY loved you in the way you needed to be loved, then you would feel happy, safe, lovable and worthy?

Certainly being truly loved by parents goes a long way toward supporting children in feeling safe and lovable, but it is not the whole story. Even if your parents did love you the way you needed to be loved, if they didn’t role-model loving themselves, then it is likely you absorbed their forms of selfabandonment – judging themselves, turning to various addictions to manage their feelings, and making others responsible for their feelings and sense of worth.

External Love, Internal Love External love feels wonderful, and the sharing of love with another is, in my experience, the highest experience in life. But as long as I was abandoning myself with my self-judgments; staying in my mind and ignoring my feelings; giving myself up to care-take others in the hopes they would

My parents did the best they could, but their best was far from what I needed to feel loved, safe and worthy. Additionally, they role-modeled many forms of self-abandonment which I incorporated into my survival mechanisms.

I grew up believing that if only a man would really see me and deeply value what he saw – and if he was consistently warm, caring, open, honest, gentle, tender, compassionate and sensitive, I would finally feel safe and worthy. I believed that his love is what I needed to feel happy and lovable.

The problem was that, even when he was being loving, I had learned to be so unloving to myself that his love barely made a dent in my sense of worth. I was right that love could give me all that I sought, but I was mistaken about where the love needed to come from.

love me; getting angry when I didn’t get the love I wanted; crying and being a victim as a form of control; and turning to various addictions such as food, worry and perfectionism, I was unhappy. It took me many years of searching for answers to understand that, until I learned to give myself the love I needed, not only was I unable to share love with another, but another’s love was the icing on the cake – not the cake itself.

My love for myself needed to form the foundation of my sense of worth, safety and lovability. Realizing this many years ago has

brought about profound changes in my life.

Now I am the one who is consistently warm, caring, open, honest, gentle, tender, compassionate and sensitive with myself, and the more I am able to be this with myself, the more I am able to be this with others as well.

If you think about it, it makes so much sense that, as adults, someone else can never be the consistent source of love that we all need. No one is with me 24/7, and even if they are a caring and sensitive person, they do not live inside my body and cannot know what I feel and need, moment by moment. As much as I would have loved for my fantasy to be true, there is no way it can be true. It took me time to fully accept this and let go of the hope of getting the love I needed from someone, but now I truly treasure the sacred privilege of taking loving care of my own body, mind and soul.

The love I need is always here for me, for this is what Spirit is. When my intent is to be loving to myself, the love that is Spirit and the wisdom to take loving action in my own behalf, enter my consciousness. Being loving to myself and sharing my love with others is a much more fulfilling way to live than always trying to get love. ***************** Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is a best-selling author of 8 books, relationship expert, and co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding® process - featured on Oprah. Visit our website at www.innerbonding.com for more articles and help.

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The Best Foods for a Good Night's Sleep by: Dr. Isaac Eliaz What you eat can drastically affect how you sleep, so in order to get a good night’s rest, it is essential to choose foods that calm your mind and body rather than those that stimulate you.

Certain types of foods will naturally promote rest and relaxation, particularly those that contain tryptophan the amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter that slows nerve activity within your brain.

Tryptophan Since tryptophan is a precursor of other neurotransmitters in your brain, including serotonin and melatonin, eating foods that are rich in tryptophan will help you feel relaxed and sleepy.

Foods such as turkey, hummus, lentils, and kelp are naturally high in tryptophan and also contain nutrients that provide a host of other health benefits. In addition, bananas not only contain tryptophan, but also potassium and magnesium, which are natural muscle relaxants. Fresh and dried cherries are also one of the only natural food sources of melatonin.

Carbohydrates Foods that are rich in starchy, high-glycemic carbohydrates may also promote better sleep, as they help to stimulate the release of insulin and tryptophan and cause these sleep-inducing substances to enter the brain. According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, carbohydrates that are on the high end of the glycemic index scale, meaning they

increase the body’s sugar levels rapidly, encourage sleep when eaten at least four hours before bedtime. Foods such as Jasmine rice, potatoes, carrots, corn, puffed cereal, and honey are some of the healthiest choices of simple carbohydrates.

system and triggers a sleep-inducing hormonal response, helping you rest better at night.

However, timing is everything, as eating a large meal too late or eating right before bed time can actually have the opposite effect and keep you up at night. It is best to eat these foods later in the day or at least one hour before bed time since it takes about one hour for tryptophan from food sources to reach the brain.

Above all else, it is important to avoid rich, heavy and high-fat foods within two hours of bed time, as they require a lot of work to digest, and may cause stomach trouble and heartburn. It is also wise to avoid drinking too many liquids, including water, juice, tea or other fluids, as this may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night. Caffeinated drinks, such as soda, coffee or caffeinated teas not only act as diuretics, but will also keep you stimulated and make falling asleep that much more difficult. For more recommendations on relaxation-promotCalcium ing diet and supplementation tips, visit Calcium helps the brain use the tryptophan to www.dreliaz.org. manufacture melatonin. Certain combinations, such as whole-grain cereal with milk, a peanut About The Author butter sandwich, or crackers with cheese contain both carbohydrates and calcium that work Dr. Isaac Eliaz is a respected author, lecturer, together to relax the mind and body. Calcium researcher, product formulator, and clinical itself is so beneficial in helping you sleep, as it practitioner. He has been a pioneer in the field of is a natural muscle relaxant that can also help integrative medicine since the early 1980s. Dr. Eliaz is a frequent guest lecturer on integrative you manage stress levels. medical approaches to health, immune enhancement, and cancer prevention and treatment.

Timing The author invites you to visit: www.dreliaz.org Eating these various foods calms your nervous

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Frequently Asked Questions About Alcohol and Drug Abuse Q. Why do people abuse drugs and alcohol?

A. According to the latest drug information, there are a variety of reasons why people abuse drugs and alcohol. These reasons include self-medication, peer pressure, emotional regulation, and stress relief. Additionally, people who have friends or family members that take drugs or drink are more likely to do so.

Q. Is it possible to abuse over-the-counter drugs?

A. Absolutely. There are many products on the market that contain ingredients that can get a person high when consumed in large quantities.

However, this often produces disastrous results. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications can contain other ingredients that become poisonous when ingested in excessive amounts. For example, high doses of acetaminophen can cause liver damage. OTC medications can also be dangerous when mixed with other drugs and alcohol. Always read the drug information on the package. If you have any questions, consult a qualified medical expert.

Q. How much does it cost to treat someone with a substance abuse or addiction problem?

A.According to drug abuse articles on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website (SAMHSA), the average cost of outpatient and inpatient treatment was $1,422 and $3,840 per course respectively. However, each treatment facility is different and you may pay more or less depending on where you ultimately decide to go for treatment.

Q. What is a co-occurring disorder?

A. A co-occurring disorder is a medical or mental condition that causes or arises from the person’s addiction to drugs or alcohol. Drugs and alcohol have a major effect on the body. Most, but not all, people develop cooccurring disorders. The most common ones are anxiety disorders, depression, and malnutrition. Drug information from the National Alliance on Mental Illness indicates approximately 37 percent of alcoholics and 53 percent of drug users have at least one serious mental illQ. How do I know if I have a drug or alcohol addiction? ness. It is important to diagnose and treat co-occurring disorders at the A. The major symptom of drug or alcohol addiction is the onset of with- same time the addiction is being treated because untreated medical or drawal symptoms after not consuming the substance for a period of time. mental health problems can cause a person to relapse into addictive Other signs include a persistent compulsion to consume the substance behaviors. despite the negative consequences associated with doing so, an obsession with consuming the substance, and attempting to quit but being unable to Q. Are older adults at risk for drug and alcohol abuse? do so.

A. According to recent studies and available drug information, people Q. What are withdrawal symptoms? over 65 comprise one of the fastest growing demographics for prescription drug abuse. This is due to a few factors including the increased ease A.Withdrawal symptoms are the body’s reactions to the absence of an of obtaining drugs and different cultural norms. However, drug abuse and addictive substance. Almost every drug, including alcohol can produce addiction often goes unnoticed in people in this demographic and, therewithdrawal symptoms once you have developed an addiction to it. fore, is more likely to go untreated.

However, the severity of the withdrawal symptoms varies from person to person and is based on the amount and length of time consumed. Common Q. How can a 12-step program help a person overcome a drug or withdrawal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, tremors, irri- alcohol abuse problem? tability, and depression. There may be other withdrawal symptoms and it is best to talk to an addictions specialist about how to treat them.

A. A 12-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous can provide much needed support and education. In addition to providing community-level Q. How long will drugs and alcohol show up on a drug test? social support, 12-step programs often offer continuing education and A. This varies depending on the type of test given. For tests that use bio- socialization opportunities that can help a person achieve and maintain his logical substances like blood, urine, or saliva, a person can test positive or her sobriety. There are 12-step programs for almost every addiction for most substances for up to seven days for. Phenobarbital and benzodi- imaginable including sex addiction (Sex Addicts Anonymous) and drug azepines will give a positive result for up to three weeks and six weeks addiction (Narconon). Additionally, many 12-step programs offer complerespectively. Drug tests that use a hair sample will test positive for drugs mentary programs for friends and family members dealing with people for up to 90 days and show a positive result for alcohol for up to two days. who have substance abuse problems.

Q. How long do substance abuse treatment programs last?

A. This depends on the individual person and program. People who have been abusing drugs and alcohol for a long time generally need more assistance overcoming the addiction than someone who has been an addict for a short period of time. However, drug information provided by the NIDA states that the length of time a person stays in a program determines how successful he or she will be in kicking the addiction. Treatment programs that last significantly longer than 90 days are best for achieving and maintaining a positive outcome. It is best to talk to an addiction specialist about treatment time.

Q. How many people overcome their addictions?

A. Unfortunately, reliable information about addiction treatment rates is hard to come by. According to Medicine Net, about 70 percent of people who are addicted to alcohol are able to decrease the frequency with which they consume the substance after completing a course of treatment. The most crucial factors that contribute to a person’s success are his or her motivation to overcome the addiction and the support network he or she has surrounding them.

Contact: www.projectknow.com

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Hotlines and Helplines AA BROWARD COUNTY

954-462-0265

FLORIDA INJURY HELPLINE

800-510-5553

AA FLORIDA KEYS

305-296-8654

FLORIDA INTERGROUP AA

407-276-4581

AA HOTLINE, North Palm Beach

561-655-5700

AA HOTLINE, South Palm Beach

561-276-4581

AA HOTLINE Broward

954-462-0265

AA MIAMI DADE

305-371-7784

FOOD ADDICTS IN RECOVERY

1-866-325-0500

FLORIDA PET GREIF SUPPORT

352-392-4700

GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS

800-891-1740

HEPATITIS-B HOTLINE

800-891-0707

HEPATITIS HOTLINE

800-545-2437

ABUSE REGISTRY

800-962-2873

ADD PARENTS SUPPORT

954-473-8644

HIV/AIDS HOTLINE

800-352-2437

AL A N O N HOTLINE, Palm Beach

561-278-3481

HOSPICE

954-467-7423

AL A N O N HOTLINE, Broward

954-491-1915

HOSPICE/HOMECARE BY THE SEA

800-3923189

AL-ANON/AL-AT E E N

8884ALANON

JEWISH FAMILY& CHILD SERV

561-684-8443

LAWYER ASSISTA N C E

800-282-8981

RECOVERY, INC

561-642-1722

LUPUS FOUNDAT I O N OF S. FLORIDA

561-279-8606

ALIEN ABDUCTION SUPPORT GROUP

954-698-6926

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIAT I O N

954-726-0002

ALZHEIMER’S COMMUNITY CARE

561-278-6649

MARIJUANA A N O N .

800-766-6779

AT RISK YOUTH PROGRAM

727-726-8829

MIAMI HELPLINES

305-358-4357

BIG BROTHERS & SISTERS

561-966-4120

CAPITOL CITY YOUTH SERVICES

850-576-6000

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FOUNDAT I O N

800-441-7055

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ORLANDO

407-658-1818

NTNL. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

800-799-SAFE

NAR-ANON, Broward

954-584-6578

NARC-ANON

888-947-8885

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Palm Beach

561-848-6262

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS, Broward

954-476-9297

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS gold coast

954-476-9297

CDC N ATIONAL AIDS HOTLINE

800-342-2437

CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE

800-4ACHILD

COCAINE ANONYMOUS

954-779-7272

CODEPENDENTS ABNONYMOUS

800-254-1333

CONSUMER HOTLINE

800-848-3792

COSA (co-dependents of sex addicts)

763-537-6904

N AT. CTR. ELDERLY ABUSE

800-96-ABUSE

COUNCIL O N COMPULSIVE GAMBLING

800-426-7711

N ATIONAL R U N AWAYSWITCHBOARD

800-RUNAWAY

CRIMESTOPPERS

800-458-TIPS

N ATIONAL SUICIDE HOTLINE

800-SUICIDE

CRIME LINE

800-423TIPS

OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

954-746-2055

DASH (Divorced and Separated Help)

561-451-2312

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS, Palm Beach

800-273-1696

DEBTOR’S ANONYMOUS

954.925.4068

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS, Broward

954-476-9297

DEPRESSION & BIPOLAR SUPPORT

813-878-2906

DEPRESSION A N D MANIC DEPRESSION

954-746-2055

N ATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE

1-800-273-TALK

DEPRESSION - OVER 55

954-746-2055

FAMILY CAREGIVER PROGRAM

305-292-8445

FLA. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

800-500-1119

DARKNESS TO LIGHT

1-866-FOR-LIGHT

FLORIDA BAR LAWYER’S REFERRAL

800-342-8011

N ATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE

1-800-656-HOPE

FLORIDA HIV/AIDS HOTLINE

800-FLA-AIDS

ALZHEIMERS CARE 24 HR CRISIS LINE

1-800-394-1771

SUBSTA N C E AWARENESS COALITION

1-877-MEANS-21

PALM BEACH COUNTY VICTIM SERVICES RAPE, CRISIS, VIOLENT CRIME HOTLINE 1-866-891-7273

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Therapists RN S &LPN S Admissions Department We are looking for Florida licensed LPNS and RNS who are friendly & compassionate and able to work with alcoholics and addicts. The hours are a mix of evenings and nights with weekend work involved. We are also looking for an RN to supervise the clinical aspects of the department and work as an integral part of an allied health professional’s team.

Admissions Coordinator The Admissions Coordinator is responsible for developing, managing and implementing systems, particularly inquiry/intake calls, patient screenings, admissions and contacts with utilization reviewers and case managers. He/she is also responsible for working with the admissions and facility staff to assure exceptional patient and community satisfaction, and in developing and achieving community education and awareness goals.

Specific Job Duties Include: Answers inquiry calls efficiently and courteously.Answers any questions callers may have that are of a non-clinical nature; appropriately transfer calls if clinical issues arise. Appropriately completes inquiry call forms.Coordinates and schedules prospective patient screenings.Coordinates and processes all admissions to the facility.Responsible for obtaining demographic and financial information during inquiry calls.Forwards financial coverage information to billing unit; verifying insurance information as necessary. Maintains the Inquiry Call Disposition Log and follows up accordingly. Responsible for mailing program literature when requested.Works collaboratively with the Admissions Office Clinical Supervisor and Admissions Office Manager, providing update information; re: inquiry calls throughout the month.Ensures the clinical and financial screening criteria have been met prior to admission.Obtains necessary consents, identifications and financial documents needed to admit patient into the program." Able to recognize and assist in crisis situations and provide interventions based on training and experience. Provides community awareness education and in services on behalf of facility as assigned Requirements: Minimum of 1 to 3 years experience in healthcare, preferably in mental health.

Exceptional customer service skills.

Available Shifts: 4:00pm-12am

Are you looking for a place where the concept of "team" has deeper meaning?

We are looking for caring, insightful therapists who are committed to the highest quality care for our patients and who have the desire to support those who are struggling with addiction. Our facilities offer our patients comfortable and safe surroundings to begin their journey of recovery. The Watershed is Joint Commission accredited and fully licensed by the State of Florida. Our therapists provide individual and group counseling to patients in our inpatient treatment program. The therapist is able to develop a relationship with the patient that begins in detox and lasts throughout the entire length of stay. The therapist functions within the limits of their licensure, registration and/or certification.

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Masters Degree in a health-related discipline; licensed and/or accredited applicants preferred.

Experience with chemical dependency and/or dual diagnosis programs preferred. The Watershed welcomes recovering individuals to apply! Recovering individuals must have a minimum of 1 full year of abstinence from drugs/alcohol to eligible for employment.

Behavioral Health Techs Are you a caring, compassionate individual? Are you able to provide supervision and support for others in a thoughtful, respectful manner? If you have these qualities we encourage you to apply for a position as a Behavioral Health Technician, (BHT). Our BHT's are directly involved in providing quality care for patients as part of the overall team and are responsible for conducting meetings and providing structure for our patients during their treatment experience.

As a BHT you are the front line staff member, having frequent interactions with the patients throughout their stay. As a result you are in a position to have a positive impact on the patient's view toward recovery. The average day for a BHT involves a variety of activities; there isn't a lot of time spent in one place since our patient's care is conducted in different areas of the facility. The BHT should have a clear sense of personal boundaries and be able to enforce clearly established guidelines. People with their own personal recovery experience are encouraged to apply! Must have a minimum of 12 months of sobriety.

Call-Back Representatives We are currently seeking hard working, customer service oriented individuals with excellent communication skills to become members of our team. The CallBack Representatives will work collaboratively with the Admissions Coordinators in order to admit new patients into our treatment facilities. This position involves making follow-up calls to individuals who have previously called The Watershed seeking treatment but were never admitted into our facility. Our goal is to reach out to those who may have avoided treatment in the past and assist them with their struggles of addiction, by offering our treatment services. This position is full-time with some weekends involved & located in our Delray Beach, corporate building.A year or more of 12-step recovery experience is very beneficial to anyone working in this position. Prior call-center and/or healthcare experience are a plus!

The Watershed is a Drug Free Workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, please visit: www.thewatershed.com. To apply, please go to www.thewatershed.jobs.

ATTENTION ALL WATERSHED ALUMNI!!!

OUR ANNUAL ALUMNI PICNIC WAS HELD SATURDAY APRIL 27TH AT JOHN PRINCE PARK IN LAKEWORTH, FL and was a HUGE hit!! We had 405 in attendance this year!! Pictures will soon be posted at www.LivesinRecovery.com Are you a graduate of The Watershed Treatment Programs? Do you have an interest in having personal growth in your recovery? Would you like to be able to help others, even as you were helped? If the answer to any or all of these questions is "YES", then we want to hear from YOU! The Watershed has a unique one of a kind ALUMNI PROGRAM that is quite literally filled with events, activities & services just for YOU!! It is a place to find support, fellowship and numerous ways to reach out and help others. We currently have over 8,000 registered alumni members around the country and we want YOU to be a part of this community! We also have an Alumni Family Outreach Program for YOUR family members to offer them the same connection and support with each other that now in excess of 8,500 members nation wide!!!

We hope that whether you are an alumnus or a family member of an alumnus, that you will join our social web site called Lives in Recovery. To register just go to www.livesinrecovery.com today! On this site, you will find support, friendship, resources and local meetings. You will have access to our Alumni or Family Magazines, the monthly Alumni or Family Newsletter, the Life Saver's Club Newsletter, and SO MUCH MORE! PLUS you will have access to the most up to date information on upcoming events and activities!

We hope that you will get involved with Alumni if you aren't already! (YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED!!) We have the Alumni Speaker Meetings EVERY SATURDAY from 10:30am to 12 noon at BOTH the BOCA and BOYNTON facilities. If you are a new alumnus with less than 90 days in recovery, we have special support meetings just for you and we WANT YOU TO COME! It is called the ALUMNI SUPPORT meeting and is held at THE WATERSHED'S TWR APARTMENTS in Lake Worth, FL on THURSDAY nights 5:30 to 6:45pm &/or on Friday's from 4 - 5:15pm. You will gain important information related to your early recovery, you will then be able to attend the Sat. Speaker Meetings if desired AND upon reaching 90 days, you will receive your MEDALLION on Anniversary Saturday the last Saturday of the month! (If YOU feel that YOUR life was helped by your Watershed Experience, we REALLY want to hear from you through a testimonial. You can e-mail it or contact Rebecca to discuss doing a video or writing your whole story!) You can reach Rebecca Balko (Alumni Program Manager) at 561-860-8045 or e-mail Rbalko@thewatershed.com .

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Events

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Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Attention Deficit Disorder tends to focus predominately on children, leaving the ADD adult population largely under served. Most of the information presented about Attention Deficit Disorder focuses on children, parenting and school issues. All but one ADHD medication currently on the market achieved FDA approval for adult Attention Deficit Disorder treatment.

Attention Deficit Disorder simply was not in vogue when the adult of today was a child decades ago. While today many express concerns of over diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder in children, many also acknowledge the under diagnosing of adults with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Adults with ADD often realize that they have Attention Deficit Disorder when their own child is diagnosed. Looking through the list of symptoms, the parent often sees similarities in their own present or past behavior.

Yet, the hurdles of Attention Deficit are often the same, whether in a child or an adult. The ADD adult might have trouble with staying on task, staying organized and procrastinating, just as the Attention Deficit Disorder child does. The Attention Deficit Disorder adult might have trouble maintaining relationships and controlling their mood, just like an ADD or ADHD child. The main difference between the ADD adult and the ADD child is that the adult with Attention Deficit typically has more sophisticated coping mechanisms.

For the better part, the Attention Deficit Disorder ADD ADHD symptom test outlined for children is about the same for the adult, with the word "work" substituted for "school." You can also look at the Attention Deficit Disorder test for children and ask yourself if, as a child, you had such symptoms or currently have such Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms.

Now What?

So you hit a number of points on the adult ADD self symptom test, what do you do about it?

First, it is important that a physician rule out conditions like anxiety, depression, hypothyroidism, manic-depression or obsessive compulsive disorder that can mimic Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms. Hormonal imbalances in perimenopause and menopause can produce foggy thinking, anxiety and exaggerated outbursts.

Women should rule out perimenopause if the Attention Deficit symptoms appear in their late 30s or 40s.

Physicians typically first prescribe antidepressants like Prozac for an adult with ADD, since depression issues often go hand-in-hand with adult ADD. Physicians usually move to stimulant medications like Adderall, Concerta or Ritalin or Strattera if antidepressants do not work.

The stimulant medication treatment route is not recommended for people with a history of drug or alcohol use or abuse since these are controlled substances with a fairly high degree of addiction potential in adults. Some adults find that the side effects of ADHD medications are not worth the benefits of the

studies also link regular exercise to decreased depression - a condition common with Attention Deficit Disorder adults.

If you experience more than 10 points on Diet: The brain is a hungry organ that cannot function this adult ADD self symptom test, Attention at optimal levels without the proper fuels. To keep Deficit Disorder is likely present. the brain functioning at top performance, ADHD An internal sense of anxiety diets packed with brain boosting essential fatty Impulsive spending habits acids and amino acids is a must. A diet high in lean Frequent distractions during sex protein provides amino acids necessary for brain Frequently misplace the car keys, your functioning. purse or wallet or other day-to-day items The ADD adult can also meet these crucial Lack of attention to detail dietary requirements for Attention Deficit Disorder Family history of ADD, learning problems, by taking a high-quality nutritional supplement to mood disorders or substance abuse probensure that they are giving the brain the fuel it lems needs to function properly.

Restructuring the ADD adult environment: Trouble following the proper channels or The Attention Deficit Disorder adult should get chain of commands into the habit of making lists. The list should An attitude of "read the directions when all include any and all tasks required for the day, from else fails" "Mop the kitchen floor" to "Finish the sales proposFrequent traffic violations al."

Impulsive job changes Write your list with the tasks of highest priority Trouble maintaining an organized work first. Once the highest priority task is completed, and/or home environment mark it off and go to the next. Warding off the urge Chronically late or always in a hurry to skip around on the list will take some discipline Frequently overwhelmed by tasks of daily but the sense of accomplishment at completed tasks living is well worth the effort.

The Attention Deficit Disorder adult should also Poor financial management and frequent keep a notepad in their car, purse, coat and on their late bills bed stand. Thoughts come and go quickly. Jotting Procrastination the good ideas down will ensure that they don't go Spending excessive time at work due to away quickly - assuming the notepad does not get inefficiencies lost in the process...

Inconsistent work performance The alarm clock or a wristwatch with an alarm Sense of underachievement can be a great tool for the Attention Deficit Frequent mood swings Disorder adult. If you need to pick your child up Trouble sustaining friendships or intimate from soccer practice at a certain time, set the alarm. relationships If you have food cooking on the stove and you A need to seek high stimulation activities leave the kitchen, set the alarm. If you have an important appointment, set the alarm.

Tendency toward exaggerated outbursts Large tasks tend to overwhelm the Attention Transposing numbers, letters, words Deficit Disorder adult and they often put off large Tendency toward being argumentative Addictive personality toward food, alcohol, task as long as possible. It is not uncommon for the Attention Deficit Disorder adult to procrastinate drugs, work and/or gambling until the "11th Hour" and then pull an all-night jam Tendency to worry needlessly and endsession trying to meet a deadline. lessly For large tasks, the Attention Deficit Disorder "Thin-skinned" - having quick or exaggeradult will do well to break the task into smaller, ated responses to real or imagined slights more manageable tasks and attach deadlines to the smaller tasks. If you need to finish a large project in one week, for instance, schedule specific time medication. each day to work on a specific aspect of the project.

The Attention Deficit Disorder adult can find help An adult with Attention Deficit Disorder might naturally without the side effects of ADD medication also find it beneficial to enlist the help of a coach. A treatment by incorporate diet, exercise and lifestyle coach is a close and trusted friend, co-worker or modifications. therapist whose specific function is to help the Release the Steam, Quiet the Mind: Attention Deficit Disorder adult stay organized, on Regular and vigorous exercise can be very help- track and focused while providing encouragement. ful for the Attention Deficit Disorder adult. Attention *****Jeannine Virtue is a freelance writer and Deficit Disorder adults tend to have addictive per- mother of an Attention Deficit teen. For information sonalities. Exercise is a good addiction. Aside from on effective drug-free Attention Deficit treatment, the obvious health benefits, regular exercise is also a visit: great way to release steam and quiet the mind. Some http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com

Adult ADD Symptom Test:

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Too Stuck to Pray?

Listen to music Prayer is a powerful way to open the heart when you are stuck in anger, fear, self-judgment, Take a walk resistance or depression. When you can sincereSpend time in nature ly pray for spiritual help in opening your heart and taking responsibility for your own feelings Open up to a friend and needs, help is there. Spirit will find some way to support you when you really desire the Read personal growth books or spiritual literhelp. Spiritual help may come through words ature that pop into your mind, through images, feelings, dreams, or through other people - but it will come.

Once you understand how you are causing your own unhappiness by not taking care of yourself, then you need to open to learning about what is the loving action toward yourself. By sincerely asking, "What is the loving action? What is in my highest good?", answers will pop into your mind. Then, of course, you need to take the loving action you are being guided to take. Without loving action in your own behalf, nothing will change.

However, what if you are too stuck to pray? What if you are in resistance to opening to spiritual help, or what if you don't believe in prayer or in God? There are many other ways of opening the heart, but none of them will work unless your intent - your deepest desire is to learn about what is loving to you and take action in your own behalf.

There are only two intentions we can choose in any given moment: To protect against pain and avoid responsibility for our own feelings with some form of controlling or addictive behavior - anger, compliance, resistance, withdrawal, alcohol, drugs, TV, gambling, food, and so on.

To learn about loving ourselves and others and to be willing to take loving action in our own highest good.

When our intention is to protect against pain, then even prayer can be another way to avoid responsibility for ourselves. Prayers with the intent to control rather than learn will not be answered.

Finally - and this is the most important part let the angry child in you yell at the adult in you for how you are not taking care of yourself, for how you are like the people in the present and past you yelled at, how you are creating your own misery by not standing up for yourself, not taking loving action for yourself, and so on.

This brings you to personal responsibility and takes you out of seeing yourself as a victim of others' choices or of the past.

Think of the sad, depressed, resistant, or angry part of you as a little child who is needing love. If you wait for someone else to love that child, you may wait forever. It is only Journal when we are infants and toddlers that others Do a creative activity may attend to what we need. As adults, it is our job to take care of our own feelings and needs.

Dance If you think of yourself as the parent of this Do yoga child within - the feeling part of you - it may Attend a Twelve-Step or other support-group make it easier to take responsibility for yourself. meeting Happiness, peace and joy are the result of loving Play with a child or a pet ourselves and others, rather than from being loved. When you really understand this and take Get held by a loving person action based on this truth, you will find your joy.

Let yourself cry and lovingly hold a doll or ********************** stuffed animal that represents the sad part of you Release Anger by Yelling and Pounding

When our deepest desire is to take responsibili- A powerful way of moving beyond being stuck ty for our own well-being, then many things, is to do the following three-part anger process: including prayer, will help.

Let yourself get really angry at someone in the If you want to move out of your stuck place and present (without that person being there - you do prayer just isn't your thing or you just can't get this alone). Yell and pound, letting yourself yourself there, you may be able to open your blame this person in detail for all your misery. heart if you: Who does this person remind you of from the past - mother, father, grandparent, sibling? Let Think About What You Are Grateful For yourself yell and pound, letting out all your past Find a way to help someone else anger and resentment.

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?", "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By My Kids?", "Healing Your Aloneness", "Inner Bonding", and "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By God?" Visit her web site: http://www.innerbonding.com or mailto: margaret@innerbonding.com

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Some Hacks

(hack=A clever or elegant technical accomplishment)

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JEANNIE SAROS

CAP, LMHC, CCHT, MH8070

National Board Certified Counselor

EMDRA trained and certified Clinical Hypnotherapist Specializing in Trauma and Healing for Individuals and Families Curriculum Development and trainer/supervisor of a nationally recognized Recovery Coach Online Training Program Featured in documentary “Sobriety First”, local and state news, Vanity Fair Magazine and the New York Times for community and professional contributions Continuing Education Provider for thr Florida Certification Board offering a 75 hour curriculum to satisfy the requirements of becoming a CRSS (Certified Recovery Support Specialist)

Holistic Life Coach

Specializing In: Recovery/Addiction/Trauma Group & Individual Therapy Clinical Hypnotherapy, EMDR, Recovery Coach Training Offering “koffee and kounseling” as a free service to the community at Gizzies Coffee (2275 S.Federal Hwy, Delray Beach) every Tuesday from 7- 9, all seekers welcome!

WEB SITE: http://authenticpresencecounseling.com EMAIL: jeanniesaros@authenticpresencecounseling.com FAX: 561.999.8853 OFFICE: 6699 South Federal Hwy, Suite 103, Boca Raton, FL 33487

Phone: 561-542-0941

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Original Manuscript Version of How It Works Rarely have we see person fail who has thoroughly followed our directions. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a way of life which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.

er human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

At some of these you may balk. You may think you can find an easier, softer way. We doubt if you can. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

6. Were entirely willing that God remove all these defects of character.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make complete amends to them all.

12. Having had a spiritual experience as the result of this course of action, we tried to carry this message to others, especially alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Half measures will avail you nothing. You You may exclaim, "What an stand at the turning point. Throw yourself under order! I can't go through with His protection and care with complete abandon. it." Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to Now we think you can take it! Here are the maintain anything like perfect steps we took, which are suggested as your adherence to these principles.

Program of Recovery: We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow 1. Admitted we were powerless over alcohol along spiritual lines. The prin- that our lives had become unmanageable. ciples we have set down are guides to progress. We claim 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection. ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Our description of the alco3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care and direction of God as we holic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal advenunderstood Him. tures before and after, have 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inven- been designed to sell you three pertinent ideas: tory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to anoth-

(c) That God can and will.

7. Humbly, on our knees, asked Him to If you are not convinced on these vital issues, remove our shortcomings - holding nothing you ought to re-read the book to this point or back. else throw it away!

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would Our stories disclose in a general way what we injure them or others. used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. If you have decided you want what we 10. Continued to take personhave and are willing to go to any length to get it al inventory and when we were -then you are ready to follow directions. wrong promptly admitted it.

Remember that you are dealing with alcohol - cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for you. But there is One who has all power - That One is God. You must find Him now!

(b) That probably no human power can relieve your alcoholism.

( a) That you are alcoholic and cannot manage your own life.

***************

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Let’s Ask Bill Q - When you first sobered up how did you approach alcoholics and did you change that approach?

A - I took off to cure alcoholics wholesale. It was twinjet propulsion; difficulties meant nothing. The vast conceit of my project never occurred to me. I pressed my assault for six months; my home was filled with alcoholics. Harangues with scores produced not the slightest result. None of them got it. Disappointingly, my friend of the kitchen table, who was sicker than I realized, took little interest in other alcoholics.

This fact may have caused his endless backslides later on. For I had found that working with alcoholics had a huge bearing on my own sobriety. But why wouldn't any of my new prospects sober up?

Slowly the bugs came to light. Like a religious crank, I was obsessed with the idea that everybody must have a "spiritual experience" just like mine. I'd forgotten that there were many varieties. So my brother alcoholics just stared incredulously or kidded me about my "hot flash." This had spoiled the potent identification so easy to get with

them. I had turned evangelist. Clearly the deal had to be streamlined. What came to me in six minutes might require six months in others. It was to be learned that words are things, that one must be prudent. It was

also certain that something ailed the deflationary technique. It definitely lacked wallop. Reasoning that the alcoholic's "hex" or compulsion must issue from some deep level, it followed that ego deflation must also go deep or else there couldn't be any fundamental release. Apparently religious prac-

tice would not touch the alcoholic until his underlying situation was made ready.

Fortunately, all the tools were right at hand.

You doctors supplied them.

The emphasis was shifted from "sin" to "sickness" - the "fatal malady," alcoholism.

We quoted doctors that alcoholism was more lethal than cancer; that it consisted of an obsession of the mind coupled to increasing body sensitivity. These were our twin ogres of madness and death. We leaned heavily on Dr. Jung's statement of how hopeless the condition could be and then poured that devastating dose into every drunk within range. To modern man science is omnipotent; it is a god. Hence if science could pass a death sentence on a drunk, and we placed that verdict on our alcoholic transmission, it might shatter him completely. Perhaps he would then turn to the God of the theologian, there being no place else to go. Whatever the truth in this device, it certainly had practical merit.

Immediately our whole atmosphere changed. Things began to look up. (Amer.

J. Psychiat., Vol.106, 1949)

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The Medical Equipment Exchange Program As suffers of addiction, we enter into recovery as individuals who soon become engrossed in the "we" aspect of a spiritual program.

Shedding off our old ideas of personal gain and feelings of entitlement, we begin asking ourselves how to start our journey toward giving back what was freely given to us. Naturally, we gravitate toward our fellow sufferers, knowing that we possess a distinct wisdom of personal experience, which allows us to be of aid in manners that others could not. However, in Boca Raton, Florida, some men and women of recovery are carrying their message of spiritual principles further by being of service to their localcommunities. Business owners and investors, among a few, are collaborating together, "to provide lightly-used medical equipment to community residents regardless of age, gender, need or any other protected status," according to the organization's website at w.exchangeproject.org.

This collaboration provides medical equipment and transportation of these goods to the individual in need without any financial compensation.

The Medical Equipment Exchange Project Inc. (MEEP), founded on October of 2008, is a 501-C3 non-profit organization. The project was formed from the inspiration of a nonprofit organization, Sayville Cabinet for the Sick, which has served its local community for over thirty years by freely giving away lightly used medical equipment in Gillette Park of Long Island, New York. MEEP aims to be of service to those in need of medical equipment in a simple, no questions asked policy.

By reaching out to their community, the volunteers of MEEP have been welcomed by local religious organizations, healthcare providers and for-profit businesses excited to join hands in helping others.

Recently, MEEP provided an elderly woman in Ft. Lauderdale with a hospital shower chair and a wheel chair in order to help make her life more comfortable before she entered Hospice.

Similarly, a wheel chair was provided by MEEP to a young man in recovery from addiction, Joshua H. of Boca Raton, who was injured in a motorcycle accident. "People brought meetings into my home, but it just wasn't the same. [MEEP] allowed me to get to places. I wasn't stranded at my house," says Joshua. According to Joshua, MEEP came to his house at no charge to deliver the wheel chair. "All I had to do was sign a piece of paper," said Joshua.

Donated transportation allows MEEP to move, free of charge, medical equipment within the local area from those giving to recipients in need, who would otherwise be unable to receive care because of mobility and/or financial restrictions. As a company seeking Green certification, MEEP recycles medical equipment that would ordinarily be dumped in landfills or sold for scrap metal by redistributing them to those afflicted with health concerns.

MEEP serves a portion of south Florida from Ft. Lauderdale north to Boynton Beach, Pahokee east to the Florida shore. The board of directors for MEEP presently consists of ten individuals in recovery and one non-addicted accountant.

Currently, MEEP is need of donated canes, walkers, wheelchairs, medical mobility scooters, shower chairs, new potty chairs and hospital beds. For more information or to make a financial and/or physical contribution, visit: www.exchangeproject.org or email: donations@exchangeproject.org.

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Do you want to help those people in your life currently caught in the grips of the progressive and fatal disease of addiction…to get the very life saving help that they need?

Do you want to spread the message that WE DO RECOVER? To make an impact on YOUR community one person at a time?

The Life Saver’s Club is a recovery resource offered by The Watershed Addiction Treatment Programs and is unique in that we don’t simply offer help to those who are going to come HERE. We have a department of full time Resource Specialists, who are trained and experienced in throwing out a life line to those who are suffering with facilities and services in their area that will fit whatever budget or financial situation that they may have. By joining and becoming a member, you can have the peace of mind in knowing that the person you refer to call us will receive prompt attention and that NO REFERRAL goes unassisted.

Becoming a member is fast and easy! Simply go to our new web site: www.LivesinRecovery.com and register or give us a call at 877-416-9566 Ext.88426 and start the process of healing for those around you needing help! Membership benefits include: Acknowledgements, Recognition Gifts, Intervention Materials, Life Saver’s Club Cards and soon Educational Packets that will enable you to be an educator about addiction and recovery for your community and more! The Watershed’s Support Team is available 24/7 for any questions or support you may need along the way.

We look forward to hearing from YOU soon!!!

Rebecca Balko, C.A.C. Alumni Department Manager # 877-416-9566 (Ext.88204) Rbalko@thewatershed.com

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AA Preambles: The Old And The New The “Wilmington� Preamble We are gathered here because we are faced with the fact that we are powerless over alcohol and unable to do anything about it without the help of a Power greater than ourselves. We feel that each person's religious views, if any, are his own affair. The simple purpose of the program of Alcoholics Anonymous is to show what may be done to enlist the aid of a Power greater than ourselves regardless of what our individual conception of that Power may be.

In order to form a habit of depending upon and referring all we do to that Power, we must at first apply ourselves with some diligence. By often repeating these acts, they become habitual and the help rendered becomes natural to us.

We have all come to know that as alcoholics we are suffering from a serious illness for which medicine has no cure. Our condition may be the result of an allergy which makes us different from other people. It has never been by any treatment with which we are familiar, permanently cured. The only relief we have to offer is absolute abstinence, the second meaning of A. A. There are no dues or fees. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Each member squares his debt by helping others to recover.

An Alcoholics Anonymous is an alcoholic who through application and adherence to the A. A. program has forsworn the use of any and all alcoholic beverage in any form. The moment he takes so much as one drop of beer, wine, spirits or any other alcoholic beverage he automatically loses all status as a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. A.A. is not interested in sobering up drunks who are not sincere in their desire to remain sober for all time. Not being reformers, we offer our experience only to those who want it.

We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree and on which we can join in harmonious action. Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our program. Those who do not recover are people who

will not or simply cannot give themselves to this simple program. Now you may like this program or you may not, but the fact remains, it works. It is our only chance to recover.

There is a vast amount of fun in the A.A. fellowship. Some people might be shocked at our seeming worldliness and levity, but just underneath there lies a deadly earnestness and a full realization that we must put first things first and with each of us the first thing is our alcoholic problem. To drink is to die. Faith must work twenty-four hours a day in and through us or we perish.

In order to set our tone for this meeting I ask that we bow our heads in a few moments of silent prayer and meditation.

I wish to remind you that whatever is said at this meeting expresses our own individual opinion as of today and as of up to this moment.

We do not speak for A.A. as a whole and you are free to agree or disagree as you see fit. In fact, it is suggested that you pay no attention to anything which might not be reconciled with what is in the A. A. Big Book.

If you don't have a Big Book, it's time you bought you one. Read it, study it, live with it, loan it, scatter it, and then learn from it what it means to be an A.A. The History Of The Wilmington Preamble The Wilmington Preamble has long been surrounded by controversy and discussion of such has sparked many a debate almost from its inception in the early years of Alcoholics Anonymous. The history of our fellowship has mostly been passed from member to member over the expanse of many years; members whose very disease has a tendency to distort one's memory. Inaccuracies may prevail. The following is in no way an attempt to dispel those controversies, but an effort to establish an accurate history of the birth of the Wilmington Preamble and to keep it's true history alive for the enlightenment of future generations.

Documentable corrections are welcomed.

The Wilmington Preamble's birth ties in with one of Wilmington's earliest members, Shoes L.

Shoes joined the Wilmington Group and got sober in May of 1944. The following month in June, Shoes was Chairman of the group and in charge of getting speakers for their meetings.

There was at this time a sportswriter in town covering the horse races at Delaware Park. His name was Mickey M. and Shoes asked him to speak at the group's meeting. Mickey replied that he wasn't much of a speaker but that he would write something appropriate. He reportedly went back to his room at the Hotel Dupont and wrote the Wilmington Preamble as we know it and it was read the following Friday night.

Being a sportswriter, Mickey M. covered events in other towns, and while in Baltimore covering the races at Pimlico gave the same preamble to the Baltimore Group which they also adopted as their own. Where it was actually read first is the subject of many debates but one fact remains clear, that this "Preamble" was widely accepted in Maryland and Delaware long before World Service sanctioned the shorter A.A. Preamble that is more universally accepted today.

Alcoholics Anonymous Preamble The original version of the "current preamble" as it was first introduced to AA in the June, 1947, Grapevine.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is an honest desire to stop drinking . AA has no dues or fees. It is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution. Does not wish to engage in any controversy. Neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Written by the then editor to describe AA to the Grapevine's non-AA readers, it has become a part of AA literature. It came to be called the "preamble" because it is so often read at the opening of AA meetings.

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AA's Growing Pains Evident In Revision Of Its Big Book

By David Mehegan, Globe Staff, 12/26/2001Boston Globe Articlenuary 200

Perennial bestsellers mostly are famous: the Bible, Homer's ''Odyssey,'' ''How to Win Friends and Influence People,'' ''Anna Karenina, ''The Lord of the Rings.'' But not all hot books are famous. Outside its circle of influence, one of the hottest books of the past 60 years is almost unknown. Its title is ''Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered From Alcoholism.''

But to the millions who live by it, it's known simply as the Big Book.

Written by AA cofounder William G. Wilson (''Bill W.'') with help from cofounder Robert H. Smith (''Dr. Bob'') and other early members, and published in 1939, the Big Book has sold more than 21 million copies. It has been translated into 43 languages. Yet you don't see it in bookstores. They can get the book, but it's usually ordered directly from AA World Services, the publisher. In 62 years, the price has risen, of course: from $3.50 to $5.

Until now, the Big Book had been revised only twice: in 1955 and 1976. Now the fourth edition is just off the press, and its painstaking revision is a window into the delicacy of tinkering with a book that many people revere as inspired scripture. AA was founded in 1935.

When there were about 100 members, Wilson and Smith decided they needed a text if the movement were to continue to grow. Wilson wrote most of the first 164 pages, outlining the philosophy, principles, and method, and collaborated with Smith and the other members in pulling together the rest of the book, which consists of 42 personal testimonies of recovered alcoholics.

The first edition's stories were mostly by white men, coming out of the world of the teens, 1920s, and Great Depression. But since AA was open to all, other kinds of people began to join: more women, Indians, African-Americans. So in 1955 Wilson revised the book himself (Smith died in 1950), leaving the first 164 pages alone, but substituting many new stories, from a newly varied membership, for old ones. Wilson died in 1971, and several years later the book was revised a second time, by a committee.

Again stories were changed, but again the first 164 pages were left alone. The new edition retains 16 stories from previous editions, including several by the pioneers, and adds 24 new ones. Once again, however, the first 164 pages were left untouched. Why not revise those pages? As explained by Richard, of Chicago, a trained historian who chaired the revision committee, ''In the culture of AA, you don't mess with the words of the founding members. We had to be clear that the part written for all time was not what we were working on.''

The importance of the Big Book to most committed AA members can hardly be overstated.

(It is also used by many other addiction-fighting groups, such as Overeaters Anonymous.) In their various ways, they trust it and they love it. ''When they give it to you,'' says David, 39, of Boston, ''they say, `It's terribly written, and it will save your life.' When you read the first 164 pages, it is unvarnished mid-century prose: clunky, awkward, and quite wonderful, full of phrases you can't imagine anyone writing anytime after World War I, let alone 1939. But underneath the odd wording and clunkiness is this basic message of hope.'' ''It really did save my life,'' says Margaret, 43, of Brookline. ''How did they ever put these words together to make it so powerful? None of the stories put me off. I didn't think it was hokey. I soaked it up and identified with every sentence. It grips you if you are an alcoholic.''

While there may be unanimity on the first 164 pages, there is none about the stories. ''When I first got it,'' says Dave, 26, of Somerville, ''I read the stories. Now I don't look at the stories. When I'm in a bad space, I have a harder time relating to them.'' But others have a deep commitment to certain ones. Michael, of Brookline, was crestfallen when it appeared that a classic story, ''Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict,'' had been excluded from the new edition. ''There are two paragraphs about acceptance, on Page 449,'' he said sadly, ''that I read every morning.'' He was relieved to discover that it was only renamed, ''Acceptance Was the Answer,'' and moved (449 is now 417).

His bond with that one page is not uncommon.

AA members tend to know what is meant by a reference to ''Page 449'' or ''Page 83.'' Revising the Big Book was therefore a dicey affair, though Richard says it helped that the first 164 pages were strictly off limits, however dated their tone, slang, and social assumptions. ''AA is of necessity historic,'' he says. ''Without that, there is a risk of amnesia about what went on before, of devaluing this sense of experience.''

Leaving the first part untouched means that every new member in a sense meets Bill W. and Dr. Bob personally. But in the committee, there was no consensus on the stories, which constitute 80 percent of the book. So the committee decided to research Wilson's writings to find out his attitude toward the book - much as constitutional scholars dig into what James Madison or John Adams meant by ''high crimes and misdemeanors.''

They found, says Richard, that ''Bill always saw the book as organic and dynamic, never locked in. The book was not for those of us who were already here. That was cold water for many. People who had been in AA for 30 years

said, `But you can't take out that story - it's my favorite.' But we had to say, `We don't care.

You're sober now. We need to change it for the new people.''' Even so, most of the oldest stories in Part One, ''Pioneers of AA,'' were kept, including ''Dr. Bob's Nightmare'' and ''The Keys to the Kingdom,'' by a former flapper of the Roaring Twenties.

The new revisers decided to invite the fellowship (1.4 million members in the United States and Canada) to submit stories. More than 1,200 stories came in, and over a year's time they were winnowed to 24. One criterion for the new selections was greater diversity, although Richard said the AA way of saying that was ''a broad cross-section of sharing.'' He says, ''AA today is younger, more female, more brown and black, more gay.'' The new storytellers include several American Indians (although an older Indian story, ''Join the Tribe!,'' written in painfully stereotypical dialect, was dropped), Jews, African-Americans (including a pioneer), a gay man and a lesbian, and several young people.

Some AA members have an exaggerated reverence for the book, including those known as ''Big Book Thumpers,'' who believe that in it are the solutions to all life's problems. Some call it AA's Bible, which Richard, speaking only for himself, resists. ''Some members see it as divinely inspired,'' he says. ''They believe that Bill was given this book not through his intellectual discovery, but as a delivered text. Some have come close to putting Bill and Dr. Bob on a pedestal: Whatever they said is the literal truth.

The book is an esthetic and a guide. Those who want to turn it into a literal manual of life move it in a direction distant from life.'' About a million copies of the Big Book are distributed each year in English alone, and the growth of Alcoholics Anonymous is accelerating worldwide. ''AA is meant to be for humankind, not bounded by people in New York or Akron,'' Richard says. ''In the last 20 years it has spread quickly in cultures very different from our own.

In India, AA is poised to become a huge phenomenon. In the next few years, the majority of AAs may be Asian.'' In that event, the fourth edition of the Big Book may have a much shorter life than its predecessors. The Big Book and other AA publications can be ordered from AA World Services Inc., PO Box 569, Grand Central Station, New York NY 10163, or from www.aa.org David Mehegan can be reached by e-mail at mehegan@globe.com.

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Rebecca B.

Keep Your Cookie Cutter!

Mmmmm…I just LOVE warm, fresh out of the oven, home made cookies ~ don't you? I mean, not the kind that comes from the refrigerated section at the grocery store or even that mix that comes in a box…but REAL home made cookies! (For anyone who perhaps has not made them before, the following is a basic "how to" summary) First: Clear the work area, gather all the needed ingredients listed in your recipe, prep the baking sheets, arrange the required utensils, (like bowls, electric mixer, measuring cups, etc...), and preheat the oven. After this initial process is completed, the fun part begins! (Additional Note: The joyful experience of baking homemade cookies is only amplified when doing it with friends and/or family.)

Next: Ingredients are added to the primary bowl, beginning with creaming the butter and sugar together.

(This is actually my favorite part with the sweet smell taking me back to the butter and sugar sandwiches my older sister made for me as a young girl with loads of energy. Little did I know then, that it was all part of a master plan she had for me! You see the sandwiches would wind me up with tons of energy. She would then take me in the back yard to play games which required me to run…A LOT! Shortly after coming back inside, crashing off of the sugar high and tired from the running… her baby sitting duties would become a far easier task. Sheer genius! The wisdom she had in dealing with me then, made it no wonder that she grew up to become a talented teacher, impacting hundreds of elementary school children, throughout her career.)

After this initial step is completed, the remaining ingredients are added. First by mixing the liquids, (eggs, milk, water and extract), and then combining this mix with the butter and sugar, creating a dough that emits a delectable smell.

The dry ingredients, (flour, baking power, baking soda and salt), are blended separately by using a whisk. Once completed, the dry ingredients are gradually combined with the moist batter in the primary bowl.

The final delicious part of preparing the batter is by adding more flavorful and/or textured ingredients which have endless possibilities, such as: Chocolate, butterscotch or peanut butter

chips; marshmallows, raisins or dates; pieces of candy bars like: Butterfinger, Snickers or Heath; And nuts like: macadamia pecans or walnuts ~ All producing the sweet aroma of "future cookies" that waft into the nostrils of everyone present.

It is at this point in preparation that people begin to differ in their "cookie creating" approach. Some prefer to flour the counter sur-

face, rolling out the dough and using a cookie cutter, (or cutters); while others prefer to take the dough in individual scoops ~ rolling it in their hands and pressing it out with their palm, fingers or fork. Some people prefer cookie cutter cookies because then all the cookies are equal in size and shape, or by using various shaped cookie cutters, one can create a more decorative plate of cookies, (which are often preferred during specific holidays), and are sure to catch the eye and admiration of their recipients. To others, the cookie cutter cookies are likened to those found in the grocer's bakery, lacking that "personal touch". For these enthusiasts, preparing cookies by hand is as important as the selected ingredients that are carefully thought out and used. For them, it is an extension of themselves and an expression of love.

Once each cookie has been scooped out, rolled into a ball and flattened onto the cookie sheet…it is placed in the now piping hot oven to be baked. A few of my personal guilty pleasures during this phase of the baking process is as follows: (1) Keeping the oven light on and peering in periodically to watch the cookies as they bake; (2) Occasionally cracking the door of the oven to breath in and relish that aromatic heaven, which provokes both the mind and salivato-

ry glands into a state of almost uncontrollable anticipation: and (3) (My personal favorite) Taking the bowl from which the cookie dough was gathered, along with a spoon - and enjoying a preemptive indulgent taste of what is to come!

Time passes and at long last the "ding" of the timer goes off. Walking over to the oven, putting a mitt on, all the cookie sheets are removed and the cookies are placed on cooling racks. (Often this is the point where someone burns their finger and/or tongue because of having convinced themselves that they could eat one "carefully" before it cooled.)…At long last, the cookies are ready… And what could be better than putting a few on a small plate, with a cold glass of milk and savoring every last bite?

Many years ago, I heard someone speak of spiritual growth by using the metaphor of cookies being made with a cookie cutter vs those made by hand and it stuck with me - (pun intended). When dough is rolled out and a cookie cutter is used…what is left? "Dough" Not only that, but are the cookies different or the same? "The same" On the other hand, when individual scoops of dough are taken out and rolled by hand…what is left?

"Nothing" Not only that, but are any two cookies going to be the same? "Nope" We are a lot like cookies: when in our recovery, we try to be like someone else, at best we just end up looking like a copy of the original…nothing special or unique about it. On the other hand, when we allow ourselves to have our own story, take our own journey and become who we were made to be…a very special and unique individual comes to life!

So metaphorically speaking from a spiritual standpoint, a decision has to be made: Either there is a belief of having been created with a cookie cutter; where all the dough wasn't used, there is no individuality and you have no unique purpose - (OR) - There is a belief of having been made by hand, where everything was used and you were individually created with a very unique purpose. This is something that has to be decided for each one of us on our own, but as for me ~ Keep your cookie cutter…I was made by hand!

Ps…Anybody hungry?

Rebecca Balko © 2013

Rule 62 Page A long time AA member named Joe R has lived to a very old age and one morning God appears to him, as Joe lies in bed.

Joe: What have you come for God? God: Well Joe, I've come with some good news and some bad new, what do you want first?

Joe (being an optimist): I like to start the morning with good news God: I have come to tell you that we have AA meetings in heaven Joe: Alright - that's great! So what's the bad news?

God: You're chairing tonights meeting.... ***************** An alcoholic was staggering down the beach hungover and sick..His mouth was dry,and he wanted a drink bad...He was checking all the empty cans and bottles he found looking for a corner of a bottle.

He found a bottle,pulled the cork, and out popped a genie. The genie said, “Great, I`m free, I have been in there for 3500 yrs...you get 2 free wishes!”

The alcoholic thought about it for a minute,and said, “I want a bottle of whiskey that will never run dry...”

POOF!!

There, in his hands was a fresh bottle of whiskey. He pulled the cork and took a slug..the bottle refilled itself. ”Great” he said. The genie said, ”What’s you other wish?” The alcoholic thought for a minute,and asked the genie, “Have you got one more bottle like this?” ***************** What is the difference between a drunk and an alcoholic?

An alcoholic goes to meetings! ***************** How many Al-Anons does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

None. They just detach and let it screw itself. **************** What's the difference between an alcoholic and an addict?

An alcoholic will steal your wallet but an addict will steal your wallet then help you look for it.......

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AA faker: "Since joining AA 3 years ago, In his search for peace of mind wily old I have not found it necessary to take a alcoholic goes to see a psychologist. drink" After an in depth examination the psyNewcomer: "Liar, I saw you not 2 weeks chologist says, ago at Joe's bar and grill drunk as a ‘ I know what the problem is, you have a split personality.’ skunk" The drunk says ' thats great, thanks doc AA faker: "Yeah, but it wasn't neces- how much do I owe you?' sary" The psychologist says ‘that will be 90 dol*************** lars please.’

An alcoholic was looking for a parking The alcoholic says 'there's 45 you can space and he was late for a meeting. He get the rest from the other guy!’ circled and circled but there were no ***************** parking spaces to be found. Finally he cried out, "God, please, please help me A man in a hot air balloon realized he was find a parking space!" Just then a car lost. He saw a person on the ground and pulled out of a space right in front of yelled down to him, “Can you help me? I him. "Never mind," said the alcoholic, don’t know where I am.” The man replied, “Sure, I’ll help you. You are in a hot air "One just opened up." balloon hovering 30 feet above the ground...between 40 and 41 degrees North latitude and between 59 & 60 degrees West longitude.”

“Wow, you must be an AA sponsor”, said the man in the balloon. “I am”, said the man, “but what gave me away?”

“Well”, answered the balloonist, “everything you told me is technically right but I am still lost. Frankly you’re not much A drunk was laying at the side of the road help at all and you might even have when the police pulled over and asked him delayed my trip.” if he was alright? He said yes he'd just found a good parking space and his wife “You must be an AA sponsee”, replied the man. The man in the balloon was amazed was away to get the car! and said, “I am, but how did you know?” ****************** An alcoholic walked into a bar and read a sign that read "All you can drink for $1.00.”

The alcoholic said "I'll have $2.00 worth please"

The man on the ground said, “Well, you don’t know where you are or where you’re going. You have risen to where you are due to a lot of hot air. You are expecting other people to solve your problems and the fact is that you are in exactly the ***************** same position you were in before we met, A famous brain surgeon opened a resale but, somehow now IT’S MY FAULT” ! store in a big city to sell used brains for ***************** transplant. He offered a doctors brain for $50,000, a Philadelphia Lawyers Christopher Columbus must have been an brain for $100,000 and an alcoholics alcoholic; brain for $1,000,000! When asked "Why He didn't know where he was going so much for the alcoholic's brain?" He He didn't know where he was when he got there said, "Because it's NEVER been used!"

He talked a woman into paying for it

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One Liners

OoOO

Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple beat you with experience. of payments.

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather.. Not Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. remove all doubt.

I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

A bus station is where a bus stops.

A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station..

The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.

Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the bright until you hear them speak. stairs.

If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.

We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Did you know that dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish?

A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don't need it.

I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted paychecks.

Children: You spend the first 2 years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next 16 years telling Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "If an them to sit down and shut-up. emergency, notify:" I put "DOCTOR". What's my mother going Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should to do? both be changed regularly, and for the same reason.

I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegThe early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets etarian the cheese.

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening', and then at kick boxing. proceed to tell you why it isn't.

I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from The shinbone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room. many is research.

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four bilIf God is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining. lion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

A CHRIST CENTERED 12 STEP PROGRAM Every Tuesday 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm RSVP for Free Childcare New Children’s Recovery Celebration Station nrunhaar@FUMCBocaRaton.org FUMC,625 Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, FL 33432

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Oxymorons Contrary to popular opinion oxymorons are not unintelligent pharmaceutical drug addicts. In fact they are a set of words expressing conflicting meanings such as congressional ethics. Here is a long list of oxymorons.

Come up with your own!! act natural action plan additional reduction adult children all alone almost exactly alone together altogether separate another one anxious patient apparently invisible assistant principal assisted suicide athletic scholarship audience viewing awfully good baby grand bad goods

backdoor front ball club ball diamond bar entrance barely dressed basic acid bed canopy behave badly benevolent despot benign neglect big baby black light blind spot blue blood boxing ring brief longing bring away building wrecking bus station calm breeze can’t can cardinal sin cheap jewelry cherry tomato citizen soldier civil war class clown classic novel

clean dirt clearly confused climb down cold sweat come away conspicuous absence constant change constructive criticism conventional wisdom cost savings crack fix crash landing crazy sound criminal justice critical praise crowded room cruel joke cute dog damaged goods dark spot (i.e., spotlight) deafening silence death benefits defensive attack definite possibility deliberate mistake devilishly good diamond ring disaster relief

divorce court doing nothing don’t do dotted line double solitaire down escalator drag race dress pants driving stance (in golf) dry martini dull roar easy task earth angel elevated subway emotional reasoning empty lots escaped prisoner essentially useless even odds executive secretary extensive briefing extinct life fairly dark fairly nasty far closer farewell reception fast food fast idle

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Bumper Snickers

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