Another year has gone by and “The Holidays” are fast approaching – although if you’re anything like me, you’re still wondering where September went! The time has come when we are once again seeing commercials on TV and in magazines about how wonderful the Christmas season is, that it is better to give than to receive, and how warm and loving families are, especially at this time of year. … [Read more...] about How to Enjoy the Holidays When You or Your Loved One Has an Addiction
Addiction
Attention All Loved Ones of Addicts: Let’s Come out of the Shame Closet and Recover!
SEPTEMBER IS RECOVERY MONTH Do you know that September is Recovery Month? I think it’s amazing that a whole month has been set aside as a time to honor recovery from addiction—this shows that the times definitely are a-changin’ and that a great many more people are getting the message that recovery truly is possible. This is great for those who are struggling with addictive behaviors—from alcohol and drugs to gambling, to compulsive over-spending, to sex addiction, to Internet addiction, … [Read more...] about Attention All Loved Ones of Addicts: Let’s Come out of the Shame Closet and Recover!
AA Agnostica: Alternative Steps for Recovery from Addiction
I’ll always be grateful to 12-Step programs. Along with some other amazing Earth Angels that came into my life just at the right time, I credit 12-Step meetings for quite literally saving my life. Twenty-seven years ago, in the Springtime when many things begin to change and grow, I reached quite a low bottom with my drug addiction. From the time I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 1973, I began faithfully using the prescriptions given to me by my doctors: medications like Valium, … [Read more...] about AA Agnostica: Alternative Steps for Recovery from Addiction
The Portland Hotel Society: If It Looks Like a Duck and Quacks Like a Duck…
Maybe—just maybe—it’s actually a duck? I just couldn’t let this story go by without writing about it again. The long and short of it is that the higher (no pun intended) authorities of the Portland Hotel Society (PHS) and several of their own Board of Directors are stepping down, as ordered by the BC Government, in order to avoid receivership. So what does this mean? Well, according to the government, in the 2012-2013 fiscal year, PHS received a cool $21 million in funding. Of that money, we … [Read more...] about The Portland Hotel Society: If It Looks Like a Duck and Quacks Like a Duck…
Crack Pipe Vending Machines: The New Kids on the Block
So now Vancouver has crack pipe vending machines—have you heard?Actually, maybe you didn’t hear. Even if you live in the Vancouver area, you may not have heard. It seems to me that this was on the news, local and nationally, for about two nights and then it was not covered anymore—and has now been virtually forgotten about.But somehow, I am unable to forget about it.According to those scanty news reports, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has approved the Portland Hotel in the Downtown Eastside to … [Read more...] about Crack Pipe Vending Machines: The New Kids on the Block
