It is encouraging to see that there is really someone out there that gets the whole addiction thing. Over the past few years, I have become a fan of Dr. Drew Pinsky. Dr. Drew is one of the few people involved in the world of celebrity addictions who tells it like it is. He is not hood-winked by star status, nor is he influenced by those whining parents who ramble on with denials about their children’s addictions and despicable actions. Dr. Drew is for real and he earns the respect of the famously disturbed individuals he assists into recovery. He is blatantly honest and doesn’t sugarcoat his therapeutic recommendations. I feel Dr. Drew really understands the mind-boggling state of addiction.
Before I got into recovery, I did see a therapist for a few years. He was more interested in the famous people I knew and had dated than in my current state of being. Interestingly, in our many sessions the word “alcoholism” never came up; and we’re talking years of therapy.When I look back, I can’t imagine how he missed the warning signs that I was drinking too much. He ended up prescribing medication for my anxiety. So, not only was I drinking too much but taking a medication that should never have been mixed with alcohol.
In 1989, I got into the Alcoholics Anonymous program. After several months I realized it would take more than just AA meetings to keep me on the right path. I had to make a commitment to a new way of life. This meant changing my schedule and filling my time with very different things than I did before. It also required that I make new friends and let my “party friends” go. Most importantly, I needed to have a spiritual practice to anchor the dramatic change that was taking place in my life. Through meditation and prayer, I was able to connect regularly to a different voice that was guiding me on my path of transformation.
Recovery requires honesty, commitment and in many cases a stay in a rehabilitation center. And Dr. Drew is a strong proponent for rehab, as he encourages his celebrity clients to check into a center. He understands that the purpose of that stay is to teach the patient a new way of life – organizing their activities so that they support their recovery – not pull them away from it. Rehab helps the patient identify the significant changes required and then helps the patient create the structure.
The world could use a lot more Dr. Drew’s to help people find their path to recovery. Sugar-coating the issue doesn’t get you there nor does the sensationalism of the press.
Live Faithfully,
Mal Duane
Alpha Chick
Mal Duane is a certified Personal Life Coach with more than 23 years in recovery from alcoholism, who has overcome devastating life challenges using the steps in the Alpha Chick Process. Her personal mission is to help women excel in all areas of their lives from business to personal relationships and attract that which they most desire, as she has, through a connection to the divine power within. Her book Alpha Chick, Five Steps for Moving from Pain to Power is coming in February 2012.
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