Resource Board

We have had a little success with this, but I want more. I think a very good means to an end from here is to hear from addicts, hear thier stories so that others can learn from our expierances. I cant fill this page myself, so I hope other will start adding, and thank you sonya for everything you posted and you as well Rhonda

My absence

With me hitting harsher climates my PC time will be more limited, please do not feel or think I am withdrawing from this blog or giving up as that is not the case please continue to post, continue to think on subjects posted or add new posts. The temp here is dropping like a lead balloon so I am trying to get some miles behind me to warmer climates, I shouldnt post this next bit but hey, comparison to addiction; I am fooling myself into thinking I control the substance while maintaining it in my everyday life, yeah sure thing Rik you just keep thinking that and uhhh share the results. Please dont get confused the substance I speak of above is the cold and the rain not an illicit. well HI-HO HI-HO its off to walk I go. Rik

Just a sandman Idea

Should not the first step in any program not be to admit anything, but instead to develop the idea that we are stronger than we give ourselfs credit for, that we are tired of being weak, tired of being preyed upon? That we once again are ready to take control of our lives? The first step should be to start empowering ourselves to make that journey back to sanity? To bolster our ego's in the effect that if we want to become sober again, we as addicts, individuals, must nurture our desire to break free from the chains that bind, until it is more powerful then the alluring draw of meth use? Yeah I know this acceptance idea needs some work, but I truly feel this idea if not number one on the list should be near the very top of the list, okay who am I kidding I believe this needs to be number one, but as with everything I write, it is definatly open to suggestion. Baba Brinkman puts it this way Performance, Feedback, Revision. that is how everything is done from evolution to common day success in all endeavors, Why? Because it works, and I believe if we in the creation of a new recovery system remember these 3 steps we will be successful. Thank You Rik

Step 12

"Having had a spiritual awakening as the results of these steps, we tried to carry this message to Addicts (modified), and to practice these principles in all our affairs"

Step 11

"Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our concious contact with god (as we understand him), Praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out"

Step 10

"Continued to take personal inventory and and when we were wrong promptly admitted it"

Step 9

"Made direct amends to such people whereever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others"

Step 8

"Made a list of all personswe had harmedand became willing to make amends to them all"

Step 7

"Humbly asked him to removeour short comings"

Step 6

"Were entirely ready to have god remove all these defects of character"

step 5

"Admitted to god, to ourselves and toanother human being the exact nature of our wrongs"

Step 4

 "Made a searching and fearless moral inventoryof ourselves"

Step 3

"Made a desicion to turn our will and our lives over to the care of god as we understand him/her"

Step 2

"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselvescould restore us to sanity"

Step 1

We admitted we were powerless over substances-that our lives had become unmanagable. Yes I modified a word here to substances, for it is not only alcohol, or narcotics, or Meth, it is any substance that may lead to addiction.

Re-Invent the wheel

NO! that is not my intention in the least, My intention is only to give the wheel more traction. Somehow in my tiny little view of things, A wheel that only kicks out 6 of every 100 persons who pass under it is well to say the least ineffective, well not totally ineffective but not as efficient as it could be, or should be. The existing wheel needs to continue to spin, But on the slippery roads of addiction Chains are required.

Lets address those that cannot find the connection they need in other programs, lets address a self reliant program, lets address a continuously adaptable system of recovery, one that, like science is based on an ever changing world, one that grows, just as we grow as a species. I want to start by listing the 12 steppers regimen, I look for input on each of the 12 steps, what they mean to people, what they have done for people, what they have not done for people. I feel an intense inventory (yeah I know) of what these steps do and do not do is critical to creating another way. I will list each step in a separate thread, please comment on those you feel you have a valuable idea on, well any idea. This is the start, and only the start. From here we will insert our own ideas, our own concepts and do the same with them as we have the 12 steps. Rik Out

Introductory Song

OK so its not a song, but it is an intro to what I hope is a growing concept. The concept that the one size fits all ideal of the 12 step program is failing a great percentage of people seeking recovery. I have found a great variance of numbers dealing with the success rate of current groups available and the average seems to run at 6%. UNACCEPTABLE!!! Just like antibiotics treatment for addictions needs to be nurtured and grown, it must be adaptable to the current society it must reach.

My intent with your help is to break down current stepper program find what is working for people and what is not, Gather data from recovered addicts find what worked for them and why, find out what did not work and find out why, Speak to current addicts thinking about coming to the side of sanity currently unknown to them, dig into their thoughts, find what road blocks they feel are standing before them.

I'm not picking on N/A the 6%+_ they help is better than no %, but a program to work hand in hand along side of N/A with the goal of reaching those that N/A cannot make a connection with. and if this new program only reaches another 2% to start, would 8% still be better than the 6%? I know as a community of concerned caring persons this concept can grow and will to greater levels than previously achieved.

Like N/A this is not a for profit endeavor, the goal is to reach as many as possible, and free of charges other than donations to support local groups, if a true therapeutically effective outreach is developed a fee schedule for actually going through a system created will, well that will be addressed if that day ever comes. For now my main concern is to reach the masses not just the masses with money, so don't expect a profit base from this. the only profit base will be the knowledge that you helped create an effective program to help persons in need. Thank You Rik