Answered questions(3)
Partner Addiction
Good Morning Jill... I am a VERY grateful member of Al-Anon and have been for almost 9 years. I have come a long way, and am fully aware that I can never leave this program and that I will never graduate. For me, my recovery is a matter of life and death. I hear people talk about the drug addict and alcoholic, but what about our addiction to people, places, and things? My relationships with men haven’t been much different than that of a drug addict with his drug. I have sold my soul, believed lies, and gone back to harmful situations over and over again, thinking that this time it’s going to be different, and last time wasn’t really that bad. I don't self-mutilate, nor do I have the desire to self-medicate myself with unhealthy choices today. However, I still get frustrated with my thoughts and beliefs about myself. I think I understand there are functioning alcoholics and nonfunctioning alcoholics. I have been a nonfunctioning love addict and codependent. Nonfunctioning in the sense that when I am practicing my disease, everything goes out the window. In the past I abandoned my kids, work, commitments, and whatever else I had perceived to being in the way of me practicing my addiction. I still have hysterical moments which I like to remind myself “hysterical means historical.” I am very mad at my HP and world today. I have accomplished so much in my life, and am reminded of this daily and still don’t see it in me. Short story is that my own mother never loved me. It’s my perception and I so far am unable to shake this demon that wants to hold me hostage. Years of counseling hadn’t come close to what I have gotten from Al-Anon, working my steps, sponsoring other women, and being of service on an above group level. Deep down I still feel like if you really knew me, you wouldn’t love me or want me in your life. Sometimes I think our disease is under estimated and considered ridiculous. I am here to say it’s not, it’s real, it’s painful, and it takes a huge commitment to stick with it and face the painful past. I have a future in front of me with great potential, and yet find myself trying to sabotage it with old thinking. I have a new book just published, been offered an hour on Hay House radio, and was just certified as a life coach. I have book signing engagements coming up, and I need help. The old tapes get very loud and want to fool me into believing I am not good enough and an imposter. sigh....
Read answer →A guardian angel
I have heard of celebrities that sometimes get like recovery coaches who follow them around 24 hours a day while they try to stay sober. I always thought that if I had a recovery coach like that it would be a lot easy to stick with sobriety beyond the first week or two that always ruins me. Is there such a thing as an online recovery coach that would work like that on an as needed basis – so anytime I feel like I need some help I can just connect for support?
Read answer →On-line therapy for gambling?
Can you get online counseling for gambling addiction? I don’t know if it’s a good idea for me or not. I don’t really want to go and see a therapist because I don’t want my wife to know that I have been gambling again and it would be hard to hide going to an office every week from her. She works night and evenings so if I could find an online therapist who works those times then she would never have to know I was having sessions. The only real drawback for me is that going online is definitely a trigger for me. But maybe if I just made sure to go online only for therapy, and maybe that’s something that I could work on as well?
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