• Hazelden Renewal Center

Materialism and Family Life: Good Intentions Gone Bad

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“Wealth is the number of things we can do without.” Leo Tolstoy If you’re one of the many people who are going overboard this holiday season, this article may not be for you. On the other hand, it may be perfect for you. So many of us express our love for others by buying things for them. We just don’t know how to do it differently. We equate love with gift giving. We exhibit the expected materialism of our culture and do so with the best of intentions. Unfortunately our best intentions can have some harmful results particularly when our … Continue reading →

Winter Blues: Finding Light During the Dark Days

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“Every mile is two in winter.” George Herbert The cold, dark days of the winter months can be a breeding ground for despair in some of us. I’ve battled a recurring low grade depression for many years. I never know when it will reappear but it often shows up in the fall when the days starts to get shorter. When a steady rain settled in for nearly two weeks, it didn’t take long for my mood to turn as dark and gloomy as the clouds above me. In my “right” mind I know I have a lot of positive things … Continue reading →

6 Tips for Staying Healthy Over the Holidays

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Taken from Ball State University press release First, there was Halloween and all its candy. Now comes Thanksgiving and turkey and all the sides. Throw in holiday parties, Christmas dinners and New Year’s Eve celebrations, and the last two months of the year becomes a calorie-laden nightmare for many Americans. But, all hope is not lost, says Christy Tunnell, a clinical lecturer of nutrition and dietetics, who believes that planning ahead is critical for good health during the holiday season. She has a few tips: Remember that not all party food is created equal “The holidays bring lots of gatherings … Continue reading →

Spiritually Speaking

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I was reflecting on community the other day and thinking back on all the people who have flowed through my life since I joined the community of recovery. There are those that have only come in and out with a face at some meeting or a chance greeting during and after in the halls. There are those that flow through our life and are indelibly posted as having great importance and then move on to other things or other places. One such person that I’ve been thing about lately is John McAndrew. Some of you surely know John or have … Continue reading →

Do Manners Still Matter?

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“Stop the insanity!” That’s what I wanted to yell at the woman who sat across from me at the beauty salon a few Saturdays ago. She insisted on having her laptop computer in her lap, which forced her stylist to work twice as hard at coloring her hair, because she had to fight to keep the dye from dripping onto the device. After this customer shut down her computer, she stayed in true self-absorbed form, placing call after call on her cell phone, and speaking in such a loud voice nearly everyone in the salon was subjected to her conversations. … Continue reading →

My First Sober Holiday

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How three leading women in the recovery community handled their first holiday season sober. Holidays aren’t always picture perfect, with families sitting around the dinner table, laughing and joyful. This is especially true of families in recovery, as the effects of addiction weave throughout the family unit: Dysfunction, codependency, stress, and burnout are common themes among recovering families. This scenario can be especially challenging for anyone in recovery to navigate, but particularly so for those in early recovery who are less practiced. It is possible, however, to get through a Holiday, maintain your recovery, and keep your sanity. Who knows … Continue reading →

Letter From the Editor: A Season For For-giving

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The Holiday season is traditionally a season of giving. But what greater gift than giving could there be but for-giving? One of the definitions of the word forgive in Webster’s New World College Dictionary is “To give up resentment against or the desire to punish; stop being angry with; pardon.” Yet, if someone has “wronged” us how can we possibly remove that sense of anger, or desire to punish, when they have created such an effect in us? How can we let go, and move on? Or, what if the person you are asking forgiveness from doesn’t give you the … Continue reading →

The Devastating Consequences of an Addiction

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It’s hard to imagine myself drinking or using again. It’s been so long since the last time I got drunk or high that it seems like an alternate life. The old me is a far away, distant memory. No more hangover headaches punishing me for the previous night. That past life of alcohol and drugs is gone and I’m so much happier for it. My battle with addiction started as a battle with depression. I started having depressive thoughts in 8th grade and, over time, those thoughts slowly ate away at me until my depression became all-encompassing. I began to … Continue reading →

Living a Better Financial Story

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In his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller tells a powerful story he calls, “How Jason Saved His Family.” After returning from Los Angeles, where he took part in a storytelling workshop, Don got together with his friend, Jason, and learned of some trouble Jason and his wife were having with their 13-year-old daughter. She was dating a guy who was bad news; she was even experimenting with drugs.With the workshop fresh on his mind, Don made an offhand comment that Jason’s daughter “wasn’t living a very good story.” Jason was intrigued and asked Don to … Continue reading →

Alcoholic’s Who Are Deaf Can Now Access A.A.’s Updated ASL Translation of “The Big Book”

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ASL interpreter for AA Big Book

With over 35 million printed copies sold, the book Alcoholics Anonymous is now available in an updated abridged translation into American Sign Language. Commonly referred to as “The Big Book” this basic text of the worldwide Fellowship that bears its name is now available on DVD to the Deaf community, the Hard-of-Hearing community and the hearing community as well. https://5c8bc2b386.site.internapcdn.net/aa/ASL-aaws/AAWS_2019_Long.mp4 DVD features: Professional ASL signers and DVD video production Updated translation inspired and reviewed by A.A. members who are Deaf Audio track and subtitles for use among ASL and non-ASL users The basic principles and practices of the Fellowship that have provided a … Continue reading →