Does anyone use the web as a part of thier recovery program?
jeff...@cox.net
My name is Jeff, a newcomer so to speak to this site, but not so much to
substance abuse and addictions. I'm writing today to tell you a bit about
myself and why I could use your help.
My story, like most, is a long one, but I'll move along quickly. I started
drinking in high school and through college like many people. As the
natural course of life goes, I met someone, married and began what I thought
was going to be a good life. The problem was we both like to drink, and it
became the basis of our relationship. Within a few years, there were few
days, if any, that we/I didn't rush home from work with one thing on my
mind. Because I was so wrapped up in my little drunken world I was too
blind to see what it was doing to me and my relationships.
The real turning point in my alcoholic career happened once my first
marriage failed. I went from an evening drinker to an all day drinker. As
you can imagine or if you've ever been there, it's not pretty nor easy to
get away with. Every aspect of my life revolved around drinking and I knew
it was going to have to get really bad in order to sober up. I had reached
the point where I was both physically and psychologically addicted and
needed to maintain a constand level of intoxication in order to function in
society. Sounds pretty sad right, but it became the essence my existence.
I needed to get up a few hours before work to have a few drinks to stop the
shaking from DTs, then sneak out to my car for a liquid lunch. As you can
imagine life was miserable, but I was so afraid to quite or ask for help.
There's a good chance those of you who are reading this are shaking your
head saying “I'll never get that bad.” Well, I too once said the same about
myself.
Long story short, my prayers were answered one morning during my ritual
dry-heaving when I started to cough up blood. I let it go for several days
when I finally realized it wasn't going away. I had ulcers in my stomach
from the years of alcohol abuse and it didn't take the doctors long to find
out how addicted I was. There were parts of the detox process that when I
think back I wonder if it was real. Lots of hallucinations and embarrassing
moments. Well that was almost 6 years ago and a lot has changed. I've
read many of the posting and it really takes me back to the struggles that I
encountered the first days, weeks and years of sobriety. To you I say it
can be done and to hang on. A bad day sober beats any day intoxicated.
As I've mentioned, these days are much different for me. Since I quit
drinking I've gone back to college, got remarried and had my first child, a
son who's incredible and just turned 2! Looking at him, I ask myself how I
could have ever been so selfish and so self-absorbed, but I thank God for
showing me the way and helping me through the dark days.
I mentioned in the opening title that I'd be asking for your help, well help
from eight of you to be exact. When I said I went back to college, it was
to study the science of addiction psychology. Seeing I had first-hand
knowledge of the subject, I wanted to understand every aspect of why I
became what I did and how it happens to people. While I had many questions
answered, I'm still left with many more. Currently I'm working on my
dissertation that's looking at the ways people recover from substance abuse
or dependence. Below is the official invitation that's been reviewed and
approved by my school. Please take a moment and see if you can help me by
taking some time and sharing your experience with me. If you have any
question about what I've said above please feel free to ask me anything you
like. I'll be glad to share with you any insights I may have. If you're
interested in the study I'm conducting please use my contact info to get a
hold of me. Thank you all for your time and I wish you all the best in your
efforts of leading a drug free life.
v/r
Jeff
SURVEY INVITATION
Dear Usenet Member
I'd like to invite you to participate in a research study that's looking
at internet self-help groups. Today more and more people are getting help
online for all sorts of issues. This study will look at better
understanding the use of substance recover web sites. As a part of my
Doctor of Philosophy studies at Capella University, I hope to learn more
about people with substance abuse or dependence issues who use the
internet as a way of finding help for these problems. I hope that the
study's findings will lead to improved substance abuse services for
individuals and their families. This study has passed through rigid
review process at Capella University.
In this study, I need to interview 8 to 10 people who use internet recovery
web sites. Participants will be contacted twice via telephone. The first
phone call will take about one hour and the second phone call will take
about thirty minutes. I'm offering $25 dollars to compensate you for your
time. I will take every step possible to ensure the information you provide
is kept confidential and your identity anonymous.
For more information and to enroll please send an email to
Jeff...@cox.net or respond directly to this posting. Thank-you for your
time and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Jeff Nagy
Rule #63
>
> I'd like to invite you to participate in a research study that's looking
> at internet self-help groups.
This is a Usenet discussion group, *not* an Internet self help group.
Try here:- http://tinyurl.com/Neo-AA
--
Bob
Do not seek the truth, only cease to cherish your opinions. ..
... Zen Proverb. .... 1 Corinthians 3:19
jeff...@cox.net
Rule #63
> Thanks Bob, I'll give it a shot!
YW
You could try here too :- http://aa-intergroup.org/index.html
Here :- http://www.moderation.org/onlinegroups.shtml
and maybe
Here :- http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/news.pdf
Here :- http://www.ola-is.org/olais/chat.htm
jeff...@cox.net
Rule #63
> Thanks again Bob!
You're welcome, Jeff.
Sometimes the hand of Bob is there - even for the dreaded "Two Hatters"
None of us makes a sole vocation of this work, nor do we think its
effectiveness would be increased if we did.
http://anonpress.org/bb/Page_19.htm
“This of course will bring me a substantial income” ... Pass It On p351