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Opposites of Addiction
HandbookA
Say Truth
REAP WHAT YOU SOW
Share Self Give Time First Listen Touch Gently & Involve Others
The Handbook for Living Sobriety

from Greg Hall PhD & Sally Hall MS, LSAC for OATS Family Center
(private, non-profit)
Introduction
Fly free. Flitting from flower to flower. Fly free by stop putting drugs in your body. Learn to be free from drugs. Break out of the cocoon of getting high. Squeeze out of the cocoonstop using drugs. Spread your wingspractice living sobriety. Exercise those beautiful wings, beat them several timessee what power you have to keep doing everything you can to choose sobriety. Then, after a little time of learning and practice, fly off to the prettiest flowers you can findinvolve others choosing sobriety. Share the strength, the love, and the wisdom you are learning living sobriety. Let others help. When you tire, when the world seems against you, when addiction gets you thinking So what? Whats the point? Life is too hard, being drug free isnt any better than getting high. One hit, one toke, one pop, one drink, one slam wont hurt Ask for help. Most of your loved ones would much rather help you keep your sobriety than have to get you out of your latest bout of sickness, of giving power over to your addiction. Ask for help, for every bodies sake. The addict in you is not worth the effort to help, but the sober you is priceless.
Reap What You Sow
Sobriety is the beautiful colors of the Butterfly.
Living Sobriety is the Life Force that keeps the Butterfly flying.
I thank the so many people who have taught me how to think with written words. I also thank the many who taught me about how they were living sobriety. We make assumptions that most people who are reading this paragraph have had a lot of experience with drug usingalcohol is a drug. Whether as an addict, law breaker, or Helper (counselor, teacher, case manager, probation & parole, family, etc.)the odds are you are one of these, living sobriety is a primary part of your life. I hope the ideas, thoughts, and feelings shared in this handbook help you live sobriety, they help me as much as I choose to use them. I certainly dont have a corner on the market for being able to help, or know everything there is to know about sobriety. But I do know these ideasthe Opposites of Addiction, Sobriety Skills, Sobriety Effects, Living Sobriety and the skills to choose sobriety each day, have helped others, so you can be helped too. Of course, it is your choice. But support (what this handbook is about) when you choose sobriety is very nice to have. How to do that is found in this handbook. Reap What You Sow
Handbook A
The Opposites of Addiction
The Handbook of Living Sobriety

Learning About Choosing Sobriety
Reap What You Sow

How To Use This Book
This is Handbook A of Living Sobriety, Learning About Choosing Sobriety. You will first see a Table of Contents. Read it over to get an idea of what is in this Handbook A. The next page you will begin reading some directions and some ideas. I have put in as many ideas in this handbook as I could think of, ideas that helped me learn about Choosing to Live Sobriety. After reading some of the Ideas I wrote, I have put in a Leaning Activity. Read the questions for each Learning Activity, and then answer the questions. If you write down your answers they will be easier to learn and remember. If you answer the questions in your mind, and that works for you at the moment, do it. The important thing about the Handbook for Living Sobriety is, for you to make yourself a part of this handbook. What this Handbook of Living Sobriety will then do for you is to make your own, personal Handbook of Living Sobriety. If it becomes yours, then you can use the ideas you learn to find happiness, commitment, direction, sobriety, love, trust, being of worth, listened to, and simply just being nice.. There are three Handbooks of Living Sobriety A, B, C. The Handbook A of Living Sobriety includes learning to live sobriety by using the Opposites of Addiction, next Handbook B of Living Sobriety includes Using the Sobriety Skills from the Opposites of Addiction to learn Living Sobriety, and thirdly, the
Handbook C of Living Sobriety includes

Extra Learning Activities for learning and practicing the Sobriety Skills.

The Opposites of Addiction for OATS Family Center
Table of Contents
Title page.. Introduction .... How to use this book .. Table of Contents. Choice . Making your own Handbook of Living Sobriety .. Principles of Participation. Learning Activity 1Principles of Participation. PoemSobriety The Beginning of the AdventureFour Principles for Sobriety.. Authors Notethe Think, Feel, Do Learning Model... The OATS Family CenterOpposites of Addiction Therapy Services. Learning Activity 2Four Principles for Sobriety.. Note Page.. Opposites of AddictionLiving Sobrietythe Sobriety Skills... Acknowledgements.. The Sobriety Effectthe Sobriety Skills.. Learning Activity 3the Sobriety EffectSecond Chances.. Learning Activity 4the Sobriety EffectThink, Feel Do. Learning Activity 5the Sobriety Effectserenity, humility, language, learn & teach, forgiveness, service How it Works! It is Simply Simple...Stop Using!............................................................ Opposites of AddictionStarting Your Sobriety.. Learning Activity 6Starting Your Sobriety part 1. Learning Activity 7Starting Your Sobriety part 2. A Philosophy of LoveHow I Learned Sobriety. Learning Activity 8The Sobriety Effect....... The Sobriety Effect .. Learning Activity 9A Philosophy of Love What is Sobriety? What is Addiction?.............................................................................. Learning Activity 10What is Sobriety? . Learning Activity 11What is Addiction? Imagine the Possibilities . Learning Activity 12Imagine the Possibilities Our Greatest PowerTo Choose The End...Is the beginning .. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10-12 10 11-13 13 14 15-16 (top) 15-16 (bottom) 17, 19-20 18 20 (bottom) 21 (bottom) 22-23 23(bottom) & 25 24 26 27-29 30 31-32 (top) 32 (bottom) 33-34 35 (top) 35 (bottom) 36-37 (top) 37 (bottom) 38 39

The Opposites of Addiction for OATS Family Center
This Handbook came from my struggle to get and keep sobriety. I didnt want to be controlled by drugs anymore. I was choosing death. I even used enough drugs so as to actually appear deadin heart, mind, and spirit. Plus, most of the people who would have tried to save me had already been driven off by my addicted meanness. I went humbly to my God and prayed. The inspiration I was given was, stop using drugs and I needed help. Also, do the Opposites of Addiction. I needed help. My first truth in so many lies. I went and got help. My second truth in so many lies. One of the most important parts of my sobriety comes from the Opposites of Addiction. The information and materials in this handbook are very valuable to me. Everything that this handbook has crammed into it helped, and still helps, me get and keep sobrietyto live in sobriety. Reap What You Sow
Four Principles for Living Sobriety

1. I can, and I choose, to Live Sobriety, the Opposites of Addiction 2. If I practice the Sobriety Skills, I will get Living Sobriety 3. If I practice Living Sobriety, I will get the Sobriety Effects, and... 4. ...on to life. The Opposite of Addiction
Choice
Living Sobriety
If I choose the Opposites of Addiction, then, I will get sobriety. And so, I want to practice the Sobriety Skills Saying the truth, Sharing myself, Giving of my time, First listening, Touching gently (in words and deeds), and Involving others in my life. As I practice the Sobriety Skills then, I get to Live Sobriety, which gives me the Sobriety Effects in my life...they are Humilitywilling to learn Serenityknow your path Languageably communicate Learn, then teachthink, feel, do Forgivenessfor self and others Serviceproving my repentance

by Greg Hall PhD & Sally Hall MS LSAC

OATS Family CenterHeyburn, Idaho Sally Hall Verda Hutchison Greg Hall Director/Counselor Office Manager/Teacher Volunteer/Teacher
It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement.
S O B R I E T Y
6 __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Part AThis page makes you a part of the book. Who you are. Why are you here. How will you help Others in the class? This is now your book The Handbook for Living Sobriety . Dont worry the rest will come. Part BFill this page with all the best, coolest, most fun, exciting,, smartest info about you. Let your eyes fill the blanks. No wrongs here!

Sobriety Skills and Sobriety Effects
By greg hall phd and sally hall ms LSAC
.___________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________
Part CShare this with your class
_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________
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Opposites Of Addiction
Principles of Participation
in class each week, to think, feel, and do sobriety. Keep your OATS Sobriety Learning Skills Folder up to date each week in class. Complete your OATS Client Progress Report at the end of class. Call OATS about your absences before class. Make up homework for any class you miss. Attend Community Support Groups each week. Participate in your religion. Keep Probation & Parole, your Case Worker, and/or Vocation Rehabilitation, up-to-date about your
Reap What You Sow

Think, Feel, & Do Sobriety Participate in class each week. Class Learning Activities; Talk & Processing Therapy; Art & Music Therapy; Individual Processing, Group Discussion; Homework Success Sharing; Opposites of Addiction. Complete your homework from the class for which the homework is due. Learn from others in the class how they choose sobriety each day. Teach others in the class how you choose sobriety each day. Teach your family how you learn,
progress in class. Go to work, or find a job. Attend all your school classes. Get your school homework done on time. Produce for your UAs as assigned. Keep up-to-date paying fines, court costs, and probation & parole fees. Choose sobriety each day morning, noon, and night.
may help you to choose sobriety. How will you add thinking, feeling, & doing while attending your sup What is Sobriety? What is Addiction? What does it port group, to help you choose to live sobriety? How mean to live sobriety? can you help your support group by sharing how you What do each of the Sobriety Skills mean to your life? have been able to think, feel, & do to choose sobriety To your sobriety? Say Truth; Share Self; Give Time; each day. First Listen; Touch Gently; Involve What does serenity mean to you? How can serenity Others ...think If you choose the Opposites of affect and change your sobriety? How can serenity help you to choose sobriety each Addiction by living the Sobriety day? How will you think, feel, & Skills, then you will get Living do actions and behaviors that will Skillsthey include: Serenity, Huincrease your choice of serenity mility, Language Skills, the ability to each day? Learn and Teach, Forgiveness, and What does humility mean to the opportunity to Help, and to be you? How can humility affect Helped. and change your sobriety? How The power of Choice. The Opposites of Addiction can humility help you to choose teaches us that we have the power to Choose to live sobriety each day? How will you Sobriety. How do the Sobriety Skills help you to add actions and behaviors that choose to practice and live sobriety? will increase how you think, feel, & do humility each How does your family affect your choice to live in soday? briety? What choices can you make that will add to the Why is language important? Language is important power of your family to help? for being successful in society? How has your lan Opposites of Addiction teaches guage gotten you trouble? How has your language that personal spirituality is a helped you think, feel, to do sobriety? Think of the powerful way to help you choose ways you think, feel & do your best language, and then sobriety. Think of all the ways live sobriety? How will you choose worthy language you practice your personal spirwhich helps you to think, feel, & do sobriety. ituality, to choose sobriety each Learn, then teach. day? How can you add thinking, Getting forgiveness is always helped by Saying feeling, & doing to your personal ...feel Truth, Sharing Self, Giving Time, First Listen, Touch spirituality each day? Gently, & Involve Others. Forgiveness is helping, and Opposites of Addiction teaches letting others help you. that community support groups (e.g. AA/NA, etc.)
Class Learning Questions
...do
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Principles of Participation
Reap What You Sow

Class ExpectationsClass Participation
Describe the traits, the norms, the respect, the way we treat others in our class. Why do you deserve respect. and to be heard? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ What would be your nine rules for class participation? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. What expectations do you have for class? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Living Sobriety
If I choose the Opposites of Addiction, then, I will get sobriety. And so, I want to practice the Sobriety Skills Saying the truth, Sharing myself, Giving of my time, First listening, Touching gently (in words and deeds), and Involving others in my life of sobriety As I practice the Sobriety Skills then, I get to Live Sobriety. This choice brings me the Sobriety Effects in my life...they are Humilitywilling to learn Serenityknow your path Languageably communicate Learn, then teachthink, feel, do Forgivenessfor self and others Serviceproving my repentance I get to be me, and like it.
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for
Reap What You Sow
OATS Family Center

The Beginning of the Adventure
I am so happy you are here! I am excited for the opportunity to learn about you. I am excited for you to challenge and change some sad things in your life. And, I am even more excited, to share your adventure of getting and keeping Sobriety . I use the Opposites of Addiction. I am excited to learn how you will add great thoughts, feelings, and actions of Living Sobriety to the moment, to your day, and to your life. Four Principles1. Opposites of Addiction, 2. If I do the Sobriety Skills. 3. Then I get the Sobriety Effects. 4. ...on to life. These four principles make Living Sobriety very possible. If you put Living Sobriety first in your life, you will figure out how to, and to love Living Sobriety. Learning and using the Sobriety Skills give you the chance to find out what works best for you, to find out what living sobriety is all about, Practicing the Sobriety Skills equals saying truth, sharing self, Authors Note: To best understand and use the ideas presented in the Handbook of Living SobrietyThe Opposites of Addiction, we use the simple learning style of think, feel, do. You may have heard or read the words Cognitive, Affective, and Behavior used in counseling, groups, and from other professionals. Those big words are synonymous (the same) as the little words think=cognitive, feel=affective, and do=behavior. There is nothing wrong with using big words as long as everyone (those giving time, first listen, touch gently, and involve others. ThinkFeelDo Opposite of Addiction PrincipleOne The Opposites of Addiction is everything that makes up Sobriety. Living Sobriety is the goal. Opposites of Addiction is part of Living Sobriety. I was able to get and keep my sobriety through the process of the Opposites of Addiction. I was also able to write how I have chosen to live sobriety. I am able to share with you a part of something grand I learned about choosing to Live Sobriety. I can share a step by step process that has been used by many people besides myself. Since I learned such a great truth, simply sobriety, I now teach sobriety. I hope this handbook will help teach you how to live sobriety. PrincipleTwo Learn the Sobriety Skills The Sobriety Skills areSay Truth, Share Self, Give Time, First Listen, Touch Gently, Involve Others. If You choose to practice telling the truth, sharing your sober self, making time to give, first hear and listen, use words and deeds with gentle Continued on page 11top feel, and doare the seeds of the power to choose. Planting those words (seeds) is a must to reap the life living sobriety has waiting for you. It takes hard work and patience to nurture those seeds, to a plant and then, harvest. Will there be failures and pain? Yes. But as you nurture the ability to think, feel, and do sobriety, you then will reap the harvest of the power to choose sobriety. Freedom is simply the opportunity to choose. To Reap What You Sow
giving and those getting) knows what the words mean. Please forgive me if I use words which you do not understand. Or, by trying to be understood, I will use many times, the same words and the ideas those words express over and over. For me to learn, it takes repeating good ideas and actions many times over. Understanding and using words well is important to the Opposites of AddictionLiving Sobriety. Good words enlarge the power to choose Sobriety. The wordsthink,
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Opposites of Addiction Reap What You Sow

Principles of Sobriety
intentions, and let others help you choose sobriety...If you choose to add these skills to your life, then you will be choosing to live sobriety.
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ing Sobriety so no more pain is created. And if things hurt, there are ways to get healing and health through Living Sobriety H. Living the Opposites of Addiction. To Live SobrietyI think, feel, and do the Sobriety Skill: if I Share my Self, Then I learn humility (a sobriPrincipleThree The Opposites of Addiction teach the Sobriety Skills. ety effect). I say the truth, then I give time. When I First listen, I will learn to like to listen. Others can have some If I choose the Sobriety Skills, interesting experiences and some wise advice when it then I get the Sobriety Effect Choosing to live the Sobriety Skills brings about the Sobri- comes to sobriety and addiction. look for the feeling I have when I give my time to other people. Do some people ety Effect If you are choosing to Live Sobriety, and commit- abuse the time I give them? Can I stay calm and not turn to anger to make the other person tell us how good it made ted to using the Sobriety Skills, you get sobriety. Living them feel to take your time away from you. When I'm Livsobriety has the Sobriety EffectsSerenity, Humility, ing Sobriety I make sure any communication, with everyUsing Good Words, Learn, then Teach, giving and getting forgiveness, and getting to help others. To serve oth- one, is a valuable time. I also understand that I give time to myself to improve my abilities to be a husband, wife, son, ers. To be the opposite of selfish addiction. If you have those Sobriety Effects in your life, why daughter, grandparent, friend, co-worker, any role that helps my family roll. would you ever want to choose getting high, drunk, or inGiving time to others takes for-thought, planning, toxicated by drugs? practice, and love. Being prepared makes choosing easier PrincipleFour to stand by and it gives us the chance to have feelings. To ...on to life! Be willing A. to move forward. Be willing B. to take time to feel how giving time makes you feel. I can figure out how to give time the most fairly and to those I add all the things that bring sobriety enjoy giving, spending, playing, laughing time with. I can to your life. C. Never stop asking for learn to share feeling good. I can even share when things forgiveness, and more importantly, D. dont well. I learn to love my feelings, and I learn to lesson never stop giving forgiveness, and the effect of feelings that make me feel badly. willingly say I forgive you and Im 3. Sobriety Skillshare selfSobriety Effect sorry with your most generous heart. E. Never expect another to forgive you Opposites of Addiction on your time table. When getting forsupports the right to equal opportunity of education, of giveness for hurting others, never stop work and occupation, of medical and mental health serfeeling pain for the pain you caused. F. Give yourself to vices, of religious belief or lack of Continued on page 12top pay for the pain, then let the pain go. G. Move on to LivOATS Family CenterOATS Opposites of Addiction Therapeutic Services. OATS was established in Heyburn, Idaho to develop, experiment, and implement another option (for helpers and the helped) in the area of drug abuse and addiction treatment. The four people, with varying experience and education in addiction treatment, established OATS Family Center so they could help people with drug addiction in ways which most closely aligned with their moral, ethical, personal, spiritual, religious, and professional beliefs. OATS Family Center was not established to prove wrong, other programs, systems, beliefs, or processes in drug addiction treatment. OATS Family Center was established simply so we, the four of us, could do the helping our way for people with addictions, mental illness, and/or legal consequences, because of drug use. Our way of helping is founded in a process called the Opposites of Addiction. The acronym OATS stands for Opposites of Addiction Teaching Services, or Opp Continued on page 12
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religious belief, of mercy and of justice, and finally, each of us is valued simply because each of us is a human being. Or more accuratelya son or daughter of Heavenly Father.
Oppotion, or is a Each those have
sites of Addicsimply Sobriety lifestyle choice. person, not just with addiction, the right, and responsibility, to live Sobriety. Sobriety inLiving cludesThe SoSkills of briety Saying Truth (to self and all others at all times), Sharing
Self (strengths, weaknesses, desires, and fears), Giving Time (to family, friends, and strangers), First Listening (hearing others before saying what we think), of Touching Gently (in words, deeds, and to ourselves, as well as all others), and involving Others (to help us learn, and then to teach, the wisdom of living sobriety). We believe that, if each person uses each moment, of every day, desiring to have, working to add to their life, the Sobriety Skills, and striving to give to those around them, then, addiction will simply have no room to influence our choices for the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What you put into your Sobriety is exactly what you will get out of your Sobriety. It is your Sobriety as much as it is your addiction. Go, Reap What You Sow!
Choose sobriety...
sites of Addiction Therapy Services, or Opposites of AddictionTaking-back Sobriety, depending on the audience we are sharing with, and the needs of each of us, at the moment we are sharing Opposites of Addiction. Our mission statement is Reap What You Sow. Reap What You Sow implies that each of us has the power to choose what you sow, do, and get. No matter the power I chose to give addiction, I still always have the power to choose
sobriety, to just say the littlest word...no. I always have just enough left to say no, even for just five seconds. Ill worry about all that in five seconds. Ill rest for a second or two, then Ill find that little bit of power I earned for resting a couple of seconds. Now, use the power that is left to say no. Ill think about saying no in five seconds. Ill just rest for the next couple of seconds. Ahhh. eyes, enjoy slowly opening Now, my rest gives me double power. them,...nine seconds,...ten seconds I choose ten seconds of rest before I tick, tick. make any deciTake ten sions. I put my I long, as does every human more seconds to chin to my chest, rest before you close my eyes, take being, to be at home wherev- have to forget two deep breaths. I er I find myself. using drugs stop for two se- Maya Angelou again. Take anconds, no three. other ten seGo to five seconds conds. Breath of resting, then start coming around. three deep breathes. Think about your Take a second or two see what you children. Think about your parents. will see when you open your eyes. Think about your lover. Think about Dont move too fast opening your your next step to Continued on page 13bottom
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Four Principles of SobrietyFour Ideas of Living 1. 2. 3. 4. Opposites of Addiction works If I do the Sobriety Skills, then I get Sobriety If I Live Sobriety, then I get the Sobriety Effects You either choose sobriety or you choose addictionyou choose!
Learning Activity DirectionsAnswer the four questions in each of the four boxes. Your own words are best.
1. What do the words Opposites of Addiction mean to you?
_________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

2. If I do the Sobriety Skills, then I get SobrietyWhat do you need to learn and practice in Living Sobriety? 3. If I Live Sobriety, then I get the Sobriety EffectsList some of the benefits of Living Sobriety.
4. You either choose sobriety or you choose addictionyou choosewho and what, do you have planned to help you choose to live sobriety each day? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________
keep your education moving along. How to help yourself get help. Think about your Biblelook at a Bible or some other religious book, magazine. The internet has hundreds (probably millions) of places, websites to go to, if you want to read the Bible. Old Testament, and New Testament. Listen to some music. If you have some chores to do take 5-10 minutes to
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work on them. Come back and repeat breathing deep for 10 seconds, close your eyes and rest for several seconds, get ready to open your eyes by telling yourself you will be sober for ten more seconds. Open your Eyes. Deeply look around your environment and see everything like you are watching it on a dvd. Look in all directions slowly. Keep taking deep breaths. Fill your
lung to the bottom. Squeeze your lungs when you exhale to empty your lungs further. The power to choose Thoughts, to choose Feelings, and to choose Actions of living sobriety. Each of us has the right and responsibility to choose life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, or Sobriety.
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Notes
Reap What You Sow

_________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________
________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________
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and sobriety. All I have done is to open my mind to that knowledge and wisdom about addiction and sobriety, and then, put it into the form you are about explore (read). he Opposites of Addiction saved my life from death. Other than that, my boring story of addictionbad choice, after bad choice, after bad choice, after bad choice thirty-five years of bad choices using drugs, and amid failures as a father, husband, son, and church member, besides the ugliness, foolishness, and cruelty, putting addiction upon those who love you, until finally, one good choicechoosing Sobriety, is made. ow I came to make that one, monumental choice of finally wanting to live sobriety is the most wonderful story. Many others have found out the secret to living sobriety, I applaud them. But then again, too many people still choose to live addiction, even if the secret to sobriety is staring them in face, kicking them in the gut, and yelling in their ear to wake them up and then to choose. Remem-
he process to complete (never gonna happen) this project has taken over 50 years. The process being successful, has depended on Joy much help, from does many sources. I would be considered not the Author since I simply wrote (keyboarded) down all the words happen to contained within the us. following pages. We owever, this have work is mostly plagiarized because to choose joy any knowledge or wisdom, which may and be acknowledged as keep knowledge and/or wisdom, has already choosing been discovered, it created, and proevery day. claimed in the world, by many, Henri seeking enlightenment about addiction Nouwen
ber that word choose. It is more valuable than gold or diamonds. RememberCHOICEit is always yours! he story of addiction is the most boring, sad, hopeless, mean, and stupid (all and any negative adjectives are worth of use here) story ever to be conceived, let alone, actually lived, by me or any other person, choosing to choose living in addiction. he only story, that relates to addiction, of which is a interesting story, is the story of Sobrietythe Opposite of Addiction. Opposites of Addiction are simply that, the opposite of addiction. Opposites of Addiction are founded
T T
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Acknowledgements here are many who have been responsible for my heart to still be beating, and loving. My Father in Heaven, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost (I plagiarized the most from them). Those real and essential beings are the first, and last, of those I give thanks, for my learning, from addiction, and for my living, from sobriety. ext, on my list of thanks, come my parentsDarrell and Rosalie, my brotherJoel, and my sister Rebecca. Also, very important are my in-lawsPaul and Luann, including all the family who have kept loving me and showing their example of living sobriety. inally, and most importantly, are the examples given me ofpersuasion, of long-suffering, of gentleness, of meekness, and of love un-feigned. These are given me by my friend, lover, partner, and forever wife, Sally. You still send me over the rainbow. he is the real example of living sobriety. She Is the Sobriety that gives this handbook its expertise. She is
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S
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy - Francis of Assisi
the most perfect example in my life of how to live sobriety and how to enjoy sobriety. She is what makes up the words of this book. Every idea, and every thing that followsAll the Desire, Belief, Action, Direction, Command, Request, Suggestion, Copy, Inspiration, Validation, Acceptance, Gift, Acknowledgement, Teaching, Reading, Expectations, and Goals, in this handbook, help explain sobriety, and showing us how living sobriety can be fun. f you want to know sobriety, she is the expert. Many may
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Reap What You Sow
upon thoughts, feelings, and actions that include the Sobriety Skills: Say Truth, Share Self, Give Time, First Listen, Touch Gently, and Involve Others. If you want to read about all the shit I committed because I chose to let addiction control my choicesto give up my power to choose, seek elsewhere. All that is important is Sobrietyto think, feel, and do Sobriety. Sobriety is the only story to seek and care about. I guarantee you, if you spend all your time, energy, and commitment getting and keeping sobriety, that is what
you will getSobriety. I guarantee it! hat makes Opposites of Addiction of any value to people is believing in having and living sobriety anywhere, anytime, and for all time. What is in Opposites of Addiction may help you find ways to love while not feeling high, buzzed, pissed. Youre going to learn to Love being stone cold sober. You will find the basic ideas for getting and keeping your sobriety. You will find those choice by choosing the opposites of addiction start thinking, feeling, and doing the sobriety skills. Anybody and everybody can use the Sobriety Skills to add faith, hope, and charity to their life.
say, How can she know what Im going through, she never was addicted to drugs. Very true. But I reply, We arent teaching about addiction here, we are teaching Sobriety here. Dont you want to learn sobriety from the expert? Or do you want to learn sobriety from the person who argues they were the best (worst???) addict anywhere and everywhere. The addict who smoked the most, drank the most, got away with breaking the law the most, slammed the most, could handle prison the most, or had sex the most wants praise because they choose to do the minimum required in life and stop using drugs. The fallacy in the addict world that its cool, skillful, or a badge of courage to have done the most, worst things as an addict, are the people we want to lean sobriety from is using very false and foolish logic. The only expertise they have is drug use. Where is their expertise of sobriety? o you want to learn about sobriety from the 35 year active addict that pissed away (literally) hundreds of thousands of dollars, hurt loved ones with a mean, thoughtless, degraded, and humiliating self. Really hurt people badly, very badlyand did it in many ways. I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I am so, so, so, so sorry. eing like that (an ass hole), doing those kind of things (shitty), does not provide much proof I am trying to be a good man, a good husband, a good father, a good son, a good worker, a person who knows how to Live Sobriety. If you want to learn how to live addiction (lie, cheat, steal, yell, hit, & hide), I am a expert. But, you are probably an expert at living addition too! You might even be more of an expert at living addiction than I am. Im just learning to Live Sobriety. lived 35 solid years as a actively using addict. If I live to about 70 years old, I will then have as many years, finally, living sober, as I have living as an active using addict. It took me five years of practice Living Sobriety be-
D B I
fore I finally could Live Sobriety each day. I did not learn sobriety from using addicts s that who you want to learn sobriety from? From that sickening expert of addiction. Or, do you want to learn sobriety from the person who showed that ugly addict unfeigned love, long-suffering, kindness, gentleness, beauty, and the Spirit of Heavenly Father in that addict, and any other who asks for help? You want to learn sobriety from the expert of Sobriety? oman of Great LoveDonna and Verda also teach, and are experts of sobriety. I have watched these two woman grow greatly because they simply chose to give love to those who seem unlovable. It wasnt about sacrifice, or virtue, or a calling, but simply they just did what was, and is, right in their large hearts. They listened to their hearts. And though the world may never know the greatness they have shared with sad people abused by addiction. They know, as does our Father in Heaven. I thank you for your wonderful example and dedication. want to thank all the addicts who have chosen sobriety as how they want to live, love, be. I want to thank all those addicts who havent made the choice of sobriety yet. Maybe because of the darkness of addiction. Maybe because love seems to hide from your life. Maybe because addiction wants you to believe its too late to change. Maybe because you think you are good at itaddiction. Maybe its all these reasons. However, we love you and will not give up on you. This is for you!
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. - Mohandas K. Gandhi
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The Sobriety Effect
The Sobriety Effect
nderstanding what the word Sobriety means is the most important piece of the mosaic, of the big picture of Living Sobriety. Sobriety, in Opposites of Addiction, is more than just
You Do Have The Power To Choose Sobriety!

not using drugs. To stop using your drug or drugs is the first part of Sobriety. Of course, not smoking, toking, snorting, slamming, popping, drinking, etc., drugs is the important first part to getting Sobriety, but the next part keeping sobriety is the hardest part of Living Sobriety. Getting and Keeping Sobriety should become your goal for today, then for tomorrow, and then for the rest of your life. First, we will focus on right now, on today. You choose. You choose to stop using drugs now, for today. Leave worrying about choosing to stop using drugs tomorrow for tomorrow. There is plenty for you to do to make your choice to stop using drugs happen today. All you have to
the answers). You have the power to find out about a support group meeting and make a way to get there. You have the power to go for a little walk and get your body ready to move and If you have made misgroove, and work those shitty drugs takes, there is always anout of your body. You have the power other chance for you. to get a book, or a magazine, or a newspaper and read itget your mind You may have a fresh thinking againget you brain thinking start any moment you about everything but drugs. Just like choose, for this thing we muscles, if you dont exercise them they get weak and atrophy. You brain, call "failure" is not the your mind needs exercise too. falling down, but the You now have the power to do staying down. so many things since you chose to stop Mary Pickford using drugs. And this is just the first day of the rest of your life being clean and sober. You made it today. You power to find out ways to get help for have just proved that if you work on getting and keeping sobriety. getting and keeping sobriety today, You have the power to clean and you kept your sobriety today, then up your body.. is it not possible for tomorrow. Dont A. List Spiritual, Emotional, worry about tomorrow, but it is okay do Intellectual, Social and of course Phys- to plan to get and keep your sobriety is choose now, for this moment, for this day, to not use drugs. Get day one ical .; put on some clean clothes, again, tomorrow. comb and brush your hair, brush your clean and sober. Just one day. Now, get ready for bed. Wash teeth , all of which will make you feel your face, brush Believe it or not, you have Continued on page 19 gained power over the drugs you used clean and sober. You have the power your teeth, say your
to use by stopping use today. That is great power. One day clean and sober. To make it clean and sober for the first day gives you amazing power. This power to choose sobriety can be called the Sobriety Effect. It is the effect on your body from making healthy choices. It is the effect of having a clean mind. Most importantly it is an aura, a glow, an intuition, a deep countenance of honesty that only people living sobriety can have. They have the sobriety effect. Others with it can see it too. You have the power to learn about getting and keeping sobriety. You have the power to decide which family and friends will help you get and keep sobriety. You have the power to decide how you will get a job, or keep the job you have. You have the
to eat some fruit or veggies, drink some milk or juice, and begin the process of healing your body from drugs by eating nutritional food and drink. You have the power to go outside and take some deep breathes of fresh air feel your lungs opening and craving pure air. Breath in deeply and exhale slow. Breath in deeply and exhale slow. You may cough some but that is your body trying to heal itself from all the poisons in your lungs. You have the power to reach out to a higher power and ask for help, understanding, comfort, and strength (Ask a lotwait and listen for
18

The Sobriety Effect
Directions: List some mistakes you have made of which you were given a second chance to prove those mistakes will not happen again. Mistake _____________________________________ Mistake _____________________________________ Mistake _____________________________________ Mistake _____________________________________ Mistake _____________________________________ Mistake _____________________________________ Second Chance _____________________________________ Second Chance _____________________________________ Second Chance _____________________________________ Second Chance _____________________________________ Second Chance _____________________________________ Second Chance _____________________________________
List ways you have gotten up again after you have been knocked down: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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The Sobriety Effect
prayers, and go to sleep knowing that you had the power to choose to Live Sobriety for todaythat is great power. Dream of all the things you can do tomorrow if you choose to Live Sobriety tomorrow. Sweet dreams, dont let the bed bugs bite. The purpose of Opposites of Addiction is to help you Get and Keep Your Sobriety. The purpose of your counselor, teacher, or helper is to help you get and keep your Sobriety. Probation and Parole wants you to get and keep your Sobriety. Your family wants to help you get and keep your Sobriety. And most important, I hope, YOU want to get and keep your Sobriety. It is understanding and using the Sobriety Effect which you will use to help you keep your sobriety. When a person with drug addiction finally reaches that place in their drug using life, sometimes called hitting rock bottom when using drugs is not working, the high almost impossible to get or enjoy. Where using drugs is making their life profoundly worse, unmanageable, they become sick and tired of being sick and tired. and when looking in the mirror, the addict only sees what living death means. The addict at this place in life has one of two choices to makeboth choices, at that moment, are going to be difficult, painful, full of animosity, blaming, and anger. One choice is keep using drugs. The other choice is to stop using drugs. Call it cold turkey or another name, but it is simply stop putting drugs in your body. Each choice will demand commitment and dedication, in fact, either path to be chosen will be hard on the addict, the family, friends, and the community. But only one will finally lead to the happiness we each seek. The choice to stop using drugs and learn to Live Sobriety, are of course, what this handbook is all about. There are two parts to Living Sobriety, 1. To get Sobriety, and 2. To keep Sobriety. I believe that any addict, any time, no matter how much, or how long, you have put drugs into your body, you can instantly stop-Stop putting drugs in your body. We, the addicts, always have a choice, to use, or to not use. It does not matter if you are in drug treatment (in-patient or out patient), are in prison, jail, on probation and parole, have lots of family support or none, you will not stop using drugs until you exercise your right to choose. To choose using drugs, or, choose to stop using drugs. That choice is your right, and it is also, your responsibility. As has been said before, If you choose Living Sobriety, Then you get the Sobriety Effect.
The Sobriety Effect
obriety Effectfor me, is living humbleI willingly listen and learn. I dont have to know it all, just a desire to know all. For The Sobriety Effect that to happen I must ask others to teach me. I will hear the Serenityknow your life path messages of those who Sobriety. I will want to listen to my Humilitybe teachable family, my friends, and all who care for me and my SobrieGood Wordsothers can know the ty. Once I learn some wisdom of Sobriety, I will then want real you to share and lovingly teach another the grace I have Learn, then Teachshare sobriety learned. I had three total knee replacement operations (I onwisdom ly have two legs). I had all three operations in the space of Forgivenessfor self and for others fifteen months. I had four other knee operations before havServicehelping is the best tool of ing the three knee replacement operations. I have broken almost one of every bone in my bodytibia, fibula, ribs, clavicle, skull, fingers, thumb, radius, ulna. I have damaged ligaments in my knees, ankle, shoulders. Miscellaneous injuries include a torn Pectoral muscle, removal of two tumors from my neck (biggest was golf ball size), rattle snake bite, cat bite hand infection (operation to clean the knuckle of my hand with 1 month of IV antibiotics four times each day), three kidney/urinary tract operations (when I was a child), epileptic seizures, asthma, diabetes, reflux, and debilitating deterioration of many discs in my spine. Continued on page 20top
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The Sobriety Effect
Every one of those physical injuries is a blessing in my life. Yep, the crippling effect, the severe chronic and progressive pain in most parts of my body, and the inability to simply move, are horriblebut they are a blessing. Whatever you believe a blessing is, the disability and discomfort I have is it. It took me being made immobile, crippled, almost helpless, to get me to choose sobriety for my life. I had to have my body destroyed and rendered broken before my ego could be cut down to place I choose living sobriety. I have no choice but to choose to live sobriety. obriety EffectserenityI have vision of who I can be. Getting there may be tricky, lonely, ugly, sad, but I see where I am going. I can make decisions which are made of saying truth, sharing self, giving time, to first listen, touch gently in word and deed, and involve others who will help me get and keep my Sobriety. Theses skills generate serenity. I am able to see where I am going. Knowing a direction yields Serenity. obriety Effectloving languageI can use good words that get what I am trying to say, understood. I am able to understand others. I will enjoy speaking the
truth. I can hear the sweet, sacred words of my higher power bringing me peace and knowledge.
The Addict Effect Chaosnever knowing whats next Conceityou just know that you are great Confusionchoices dont turn out how you want Indifferencewho cares if you are an asshole Condemnationeveryone blames you Rejectionfinally, loving you just isnt enough
S S
S S
obriety Effectlearning, then teachinglistening well to others, reading, thinking, writing, having fun with words, and then sharing what you know with others, of course, after listening. obriety Effectforgivenessregret is so tragic and painful to live with. Addiction usually has causes lots of regretful thoughts, feelings, and actions. Always adding to that heavy, awkward ball of regret. Practice forgiving family, friends, and all fellow human beings. Practice being forgiven. Practice letting the hurt one decide when they feel safe enough to forgive. Continued on page 21top
The Sobriety EffectThinking, Feeling, Doing

Describe, in your own words, how the Sobriety Effect can change your life today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your days.
___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
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The Sobriety Effect
Practice forgiving yourself. Giving and receiving forgiveness is a powerful way to build the muscles necessary to make your ball of regret get lighter. obriety is servinghelping others, giving you and time to others and to valuable projects is great for serenity. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. As you forget yourself (and your regrets) by helping, you are doing opposites of addiction (addiction is all selfish), you are sharing self, giving time, and first listening. The opposite of being selfish is giving, serving. Service is an opposite of addiction. It is Sobriety. The Opposite of Sobriety includes Addiction skills and/or Dependence skills. Those skills include Lie, Cheat, Steal, Yell, Hit, Hide Those are the skills you learn through addiction. None of those addiction skills will help you choose sobriety, and you will have to work hard to eliminate those habitslie, cheat, steal, yell, hit, hide. If you choose addiction...Then you get The Addict Affect. When I must evaluate a persons addiction, I use those six habitslie, cheat, steal, hit, and hide to help me know how advanced or severe their addiction is. They more those habits are a part of a persons life correlates strongly to how bad or severe their addiction is. On the other hand, when I make an assessment of sobriety, I use the sobriety skills as my criteria. The less Sobriety Skills are in a persons life, generally addiction is bad. The more Sobriety Skills they already have, the greater their chance to get and keep sobriety for the rest of their life. Its simplechoose living sobriety! Reap What You Sow
Continued from page 20top
What do you get from the Sobriety effects? What does each of the Sobriety Effects mean to you? Serenityknow your path Humilitywilling to learn Good Wordsthe best message Learn, then Teachthink, feel, do Forgivenessfor yourself and for others Helpinggiving back
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How It Works! It is Simply Simple...Stop Using!
etting and keeping Sobriety starts by making a simple choicestop putting drugs and/or alcohol in your body! Do you have problems with addiction, or dependence (DSM IV-TR) if you will, on drugs and alcohol. Alcohol is a drug!the word drug will be used from now on as including alcohol. If you are undecided, at the moment, about being addicted or dependent on drugs and you are reading this or are attending a group, If you add a little to class, or counseling, because of drug use, a little, and do this ofat least accept the idea ten, soon the little that drug use has caused problems in will become great. your life. f you have used drugs and driven a Hesiod car, that is a problem. If you have used drugs and it has affected the quality of your work, that is a problem. If you have used drugs and caused physical, emotional, and/or personal hurt to someone, that is a problem. If you have used drugs and have been arrested, that is a problem. If you have used drugs to avoid thoughts and/or feelings, that is a problem. If you have to use drugs to celebrate or deal with pain (physical, emotional, social), that is a problem. If you need to use
drugs to relax, that is a problem. If drugs are used and/or needed regularly for most anything then it is drug abuse (DSM IV-TR), that is a problem. pposites of Addiction is about Sobriety. To get help, and to help yourself, from problems resulting from drug using, all you must worry about is getting and keeping Sobriety. Living Sobriety begins with abstinence from using drugs. Living Sobriety finishes with you making the choice to fulfill your measure of creation or being the potential of who you are to be. he best thing about Opposites of Addiction is that living Sobriety pretty much is the only thing you need to think about, to use, and to share with others. Acknowledging you have an addiction, or several addictions, is important, but I believe all possible time and energy should be about getting and keeping sobriety. If you spend all the rest of your time in life getting and keeping your sobriety, there is no time for drug use. There is only time for Living Sobriety. pposites of Addiction (living sobriety) is making lots of little choices. It is choosing to not lie. It is choosing to not cheat. It is choosing to not steal. It is choosing to not yell. It is choosing to not hit. It is choosing to not hide. It is choosing to not cause hurt. It is choosing to not take the first drink, toke, snort, pop, or slam. It is choosing faith, hope, and charity. It is choos-
Continued on page 23top
Sobriety
Think... Feel...

You Choose

say truth share self give time first listen touch gently involve others
addiction
lie cheat steal yell hit
Reap What You Sow

The Sobriety Effect
Reap What You Sow Serenityknow your life path Humilitybe teachable Good Wordsothers can know the real you Learn & Teach share your sobriety wisdom
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How It Works! It is Simply Simple...Stop Using!
ing acceptance, acknowledgement, and honesty. Living Sobriety is lots of little choices that keep adding up, getting bigger and bigger, becoming more powerful moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year, until a lifetime. ddiction may keep its power, which may seem overwhelming at first. But as you choose to add little choices of sobriety to your day, soon your sobriety will
ow nice it is to explore and account for all the Sobriety you have chosen in your life. How nice it is to think about all the sobriety you can choose for the rest of your life. How nice it feels to know that choosing sobriety will help those around you enjoy your living sobriety as you enjoy living sobriety. How nice it is to go to bed each night after not choosing thoughts, feelings, and actions about addiction. How nice it is to have no new regrets caused by choosing addiction for the day. A man is but the product of his thoughts. What ow nice it is to know that by choosing thoughts, feelhe thinks, he becomes. - Mohandas K. Gandhi ings, and actions, no matter how little those choices may be, those choices will add up to living a sobriety that have enough power to balance out addictions power. After becomes a great gift to yourself and those who care for a while longer, all those little choices of sobriety, add up to you. How nice it is to know that once you accept that drug a power that makes addiction seem small. Eventually, addiction (any addiction) causes un-necessary problem, even though addiction has not changed, your sobriety bethen all you have to do is simply choose thinking, feeling, comes so big and powerful, addiction becomes as nothing. and doing sobriety. One choiceLiving Sobriety! One Addictions ability to influence your choices become just a choice, made one day at a time. tiny, little annoyance. Sobriety then becomes everything.
Opposites of Addiction Starting Your Sobriety
he diagram on the previous page shows the complete philosophy of Sobriety and Addiction. This philoso-
Thinking/Feeling Starting Your Sobriety Part 1

1. List the three main reasons you believe caused you to become addicted to drugs. 2. List the three main reasons for you to stop using drugs? 3. In your own words define and/or describe addiction? 4. In your own words define and/or describe Sobriety? 5. Make a list of all the supports you have to choose to Live Sobriety at this time. 6. Make a list of all the roadblocks against you choosing to Live Sobriety at this time.
Learning Activity Worksheet on page 24
phy is the foundation of Opposites of Addiction. Thank heavens, getting and keeping, Sobriety is not Rocket Science. The idea is simple, but the living itOpposites of Addiction sobriety may be the most difficult action to achieve in your life up to this point. Saying Im never going to use drugs again! is easy. But, actually not doing drugs again has all the odds stacked against you. tatistically, the odds are, you will choose to feed your addiction againeven after an extensive stay in Sobriety. The most commonly accepted definition of addiction is, it is a diseaseit is progressive (addiction get worse over time), and it is chronic (once you are addicted, you are always addicted (or always were). Opposites of Addiction supports this definition of addiction. But, Opposites of Addiction simply focuses on, obviously, the opposites of the disease of addictionSobriety. f there is no way to eliminate addiction and it just gets worse over time, why spend time trying to get rid
of addiction? Why not spend all your time, energy, and resources on adding Opposites of Addiction to your thoughts, feelings, and actions? If all your time, energies, and resources are spent thinking, feelings, and doing Sobriety each day, you will have no time, energy, or resources to spend on
addiction. obriety is not one big thing! Sobriety is making hundreds of little choices, day by day, eventually becoming one big thing. The first choice is, of Continued on page 25top

Starting Your Sobriety Learning ActivityPart 1
24 Reap What You Sow
Learning Activity Questions Directions: Answer the question in your own words. Be prepared to share your answers to your class.
1. List the three main reasons you believe caused you to become addicted to drugs. A.______________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ B.______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ C.______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. List the three main reasons for you to stop using drugs? A.______________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ B.______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ C. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. In your own words define and/or describe addiction? ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. In your own words define and/or describe Sobriety? ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Make a list of all the helps you have, or need to add, which will support you choosing to Live Sobriety. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Make a list of all the roadblocks against you choosing to Live Sobriety at this time. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Starting Your Sobriety
Reap What You Sow
Continued from page 23bottom course, Stop Using
Drugs! At the beginning of Sobriety, that may be the only choice you are able to make. had to literally count the secondsone one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four onethousand, five one-thousand. Okay, I made it! Im going to choose sobriety for another five seconds. I can, at least, last that long, five measly seconds. hen Ill make the choice again. One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four onethousand, five one-thousand. Whew! I made is again. I guess Ill choose sobriety for another five seconds. One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand. I made it again. Man, I wish I could take one more hit. Just one little hit. It would feel so good. I could make it with just one little hit. ut, Ill decide in five seconds. I can wait for five seconds. Then Ill choose again. One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand. I made it again. Five measly seconds of sobriety. So what! How stupid is this? Just one hit and all my troubles will go away. But, Ill go five more seconds before I choose. One
one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand. I wonder whats on TV? Ill watch for a few minutes to keep my mind occupied. Ill find the dumbest show and count out all the stupid things humans will watch on TV. Then Ill make the choice to use, or not use again. I can last at least a few minutes longer without taking a hit. Bullshit! Will this day ever end? One one-thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand. obriety is just that simple, but it is just that hard. Making sobriety is lots of little choices, all in a row. It is sometimes the only way to make it work. I can guarantee that if you can make the little choices, it gets better. Till finally, one day, living sobriety seems normal, easy, and all the addiction shit I chose before becomes just that, shit! You will live days, weeks, months, years without thinking about drugs and getting high. Youll be living sobriety. It will be good. Even bad days will pass by. Youll realize they were not so bad as the living hell addiction gave for a few seconds of high. o on, just choose sobriety for five seconds. See what happens. Your future relies on that five seconds. It is a lifetime. Start counting...
Starting Your SobrietyLiving Sobriety 1. What kind of activities and interests can you add to your life, or rely upon, to help you choose to Live Sobriety today, and for each day of the rest of your life? 2. Who are the people you can add to your life, or rely upon, to help you choose to Live Sobriety? 3. Who are the people you must avoid to choose to Live Sobriety. Who will make your choice to Live Sobriety more difficult? 4. What does the following saying mean to you, If you hang around the barber shop long enough you are bound to get a haircut? How will the idea from this saying affect your sobriety, and/or your addiction? 5. Describe why you are valuable to yourself as a person who chooses to Live Sobriety. 6. Describe why you are valuable to all others (family, friends, community, etc.) as a person who chooses to Live Sobriety. 7. Describe how it feels (good and bad) Living Sobriety day by day.
Starting Your Sobriety part 2Living SobrietyLearning Activity ...worksheet on page 26
addiction
think, feel, do
addiction effect Chaos Conceit Confusion Indifference Condemnation Rejection
Sobriety CHOOSE
Skills

Skills
lie cheat steal yell hit hide
Sobriety Effect Humility Serenity Good Words Learn then Teach Forgiveness Helping/Service
thinkfeeldo
say truth share self give time first listen touch gently involve others
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Starting Your SobrietyLearning ActivityPart 2
Reap What You Sow
1. List activities or interests that you can add, or rely upon, to help you choose and keep Living Sobriety today, and for each day of the rest of your life.
2. List people who you can add, or rely upon, to help you choose and keep Living Sobriety. __________________________ __________________________ ___________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________
3. List the people you must avoid if you want to choose and keep Living Sobriety. Who will make your choice to Live Sobriety more difficult? 4. Write down, in your own words, what the following saying means to you, If you hang around the barber shop long enough you are bound to get a haircut. 5. Describe, and write down, in your own words why you are valuable to yourself as a person who chooses to Live Sobriety. 6. Describe, and write down, in your own words why you are valuable to all others (family, friends, community, etc.) as a person who chooses to Live Sobriety. 7. Describe, and write down, how it feels (good and bad) Living Sobriety day by day.
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Reap What You Sow
A Philosophy of Love...How I Learned Sobriety
he philosophy of Opposites of Addiction is described with one wordChoice! This philosophy of Opposites of Addiction (which is Sobriety) is the wonderful consequence of my choice to live sobriety after thirty-five years of choosing to live for my addictions to drugs. I found that as I fought my addictions, no matter how long I chose to get rid of my addictionsone day, thirty days, six months, one year or more, I always failed to quit choosing addictions. I found I had no power to eliminate my addictions from my mind, my heart, and my spirit. hank heavens (literally) I finally was inspired, by powers greater than myself (or any other self for that matter), to give up trying to eliminate addiction from my life. I finally understood it was impossible get rid of my addiction (drug addiction is a disease progressive and chronic???). If I had no power to get rid of my addiction to drugs, what could I do? ow sad the idea was that I could never end my addiction to drugs. I hated my choice to use drugs. The fleeting pleasure of getting high (my number one reason to use drugs) had caused great amounts of damage to my family, friends, and basically, the world I was part of. I calculated that $250,000 was the cost of just my alcohol use over thirty-five years. That number was so sad that I didnt try to calculate the cost of my illicit drug use (including abuse of prescribed and OTC drugs). hat $250,000 equaled a pretty nice home, college for my kids, myself, and my wife (instead of student loans), new cars instead of used, savings for retirement, trips visiting the world, and helping other family when they are having financial bad luck. The consequences of choosing to use drugs can last a long time after you have stopped using. The consequences may last all the rest of your life. I chose selfishness. I chose drugs.
chose my addiction, no matter the consequences. How was I going to be able to stop choosing being selfish? How was I going to stop choosing to give my drug addictions power when there is no way to get rid of my drug addictions? nce again, thank heavens. I was given the answer. It was such a simple answer. It was an answer right in front of my nose. Once I looked past my education, my self belief of great knowledge, the answer was clear. Once I finally ignored all the research, training, credentials, professionalism, programs, etc., of the field of drug addiction treatment, the answer was even more clear Once I simply, chose Sobriety. looked he first casualty of addiction is past my truth. The first expectation of education, sobriety is truth. Without the founda- my store tion of truth addiction will win and so- of great knowledge, briety will lose. I need to be honest my with others, and with myself. Sadly, by certifications, the time an addict has reached the my positions, choice of actionaction choosing so- and my humble briety, truth has been used, abused, and perfections, mauled beyond recognition. Also, the my reports, my papers, truth, at this point in sobriety, can be my titles, very painful to handle, to see, to say. I my money, havent met an addict yet that found my authority, truth easy to share with others and my awards, share with themselves. Thats why it is my trophies, good to have a trusted partner to prac- My, my, my, My, my, my! tice honesty with. There was the orking with addicts, my style is answer to my quit casual, peaceful, and gen- addiction tle. When honesty is a part of the learning activities it is usually like the next Sobriety statement I never give them hell for their choices. I just tell the truth and they think its hell. The honesty of Sobriety is like a ice cold shower Continued on page 28
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of realization that I have been very stupid and wasted a lot of time being wasted. But, because love is why I choose honesty and choose to help, the hell of honesty quickly fades away, then honesty is one of the best feelings. I begin to crave honesty. I seek out honesty. I crave honesty even more desperately than getting high. I crave honesty because I finally find that I can love myself. Note: Be honest here. BE Gentle and wise with how you use and share truth with your loved ones and enemies, Not everyone you tell your truth to is ready to hear your truth. A lot of hard, sad, and fearful feelings and memories color your relationships, with many, and very close people to you and your life. We have no right to force, complain about, make fun of, put any kind of pressure on then. I finally found, what loving others is really about. I finally found, that loving others is the Opposite of Addiction. I finally found, that the Opposite of Addiction, or Sobriety, is simply loving myself, and more magically, loving others. I dont have to like what others do, but I sure can love them. When I love, I will wait as long as it takes for others to like me again. The Sobriety SkillsThe most important part! ne of the most important parts of Opposites of Addiction are the Sobriety Skills. The Sobriety Skills are six, two word, action phrases. I believe that if you choose to use them, as best you can, all the time, you will also choose to live Sobriety each day, for the rest of
your life. ddiction will always use its tenacious and devious power to get you back. Addiction will try to stimulate your cravings, manipulate your weaknesses, prompt your habits, disturb your thoughts and feelings, and trick your good intentions to not use drugs. Addiction seems to have a life of its owna life geared for never giving up on getting you to use drugs. Addiction hates you. It despises you and your sobriety. It wants you to be nothing, to feel worthless, to give up on yourself, to stay wasted. ddiction will dupe you, at first, into thinking and feeling that you can do anything, that you are beautiful, strong, smart. Or, addiction will make you believe you can hide from pain, sorrow, fear, and failures. Addiction will tell you others are to blame for mistakes, bad choices, and failures at work, in relationships, with family and friends, and any situation in your life, anywhere you want to succeed. ddiction never sleeps. Addiction does not need to eat. Addiction never tires, wears out, gives up, or will give youre a break. Addiction watches you constantly, looking for any advantage over your will. Addiction will lie, cheat, steal, yell, hit, and hide, and it will teach you to become an expert with those addiction skills. ddiction will deceive, trap, fool, mislead, con, swindle and scam you to use drugs. Addiction will try to convince you (quite convincingly) that to pretend, to corrupt, to exploit, to pervert, to debase, to harm, or to distort any situation, any person, or any idea is okay, and even heroic if you get what you want (ends justify the means). Yet, there are some simple skills that can put addiction in its place. They are the Sobriety Skills. obriety Skills are little ways we learn how to choose to add to our ability to choose Living Sobriety each day. They are skills (helps, aids, abilities, tools) that a person can actually do. They are measurable (meaning you can keep track of how well you are choosing to use them). Thereby, adding to your ability, to choose, to Live Sobriety. The Sobriety Skills include the followingSay Truth; Share Self; Give Time; First Listen; Touch Gently; Involve Others. he Sobriety Skills came about by my making a list of behaviors common to those who were in active
A A A A
S
Continued on page 29
29
Reap What You Sow

addiction. There was a long list, but I narrowed the list down to the six most common negative behaviors or skills associated with addictions. They are simply named addiction skills. since they are actual skills addicts are proficient at doing when they are high, coming down, or getting ready to get high again. The addiction skills include: lie, cheat, steal, yell, hit, hide. They correspond to their opposite counterpart of Sobriety Skillssay truth, share self, give time, first listen, touch gently, and involve others. These Sobriety Skills will be what everything we do in Opposites of Addiction revolves around. They are our lifeline to Living Sobriety The Sobriety Effect y choosing to live the Sobriety Skills there are great benefits or effects to your life. If you choose sobriety, then you get Serenityknow your life path Humilitybe willing to learn Good Wordsbegin to share who you really want to be Learn and Teachshare your sobriety wisdom with others Forgivenessfor your self and others Helpingthe best tool for learning to choose sobriety
erenity is taught in the AA Serenity Prayer. Even if you do not want to use religion in your life, the words of the Serenity Prayer still have strong value for knowing where you are going and how to get there. God, grant me courage to change the things I can, the serenity to know the things I cant change, and the wisdom to know the difference. umility or being able to listen and learn from others is actually one of the greatest powers a human can have. When ego is not making your decisions, it is easier to see and make the best decisions. They wont be decisions about proving how great you are, but how great humanity can be when it seeks to love others. It
is that simplebelieve it or not., it is still the truth. ood Words soothe a aching heart. Good words are easy to understand. Good words bring peace and contentment to yourself and those around you. Good words are just that, Good. earn and Teach what you learn about sobriety. When you share your sobriety wisdom with others it becomes more real to you. Sobriety wisdom becomes a part of you when you learn sobriety and is the best choice when you share how and what sobriety has meant to your lifehow it works in your life. If you want to really learn something well, plan on teaching it to others. Looking like we dont know what we Continued on page 31 are saying will make sure you learn
Think/Feeling Questions The Sobriety Effect

What does Serenity mean in your own words? What does Humility mean in you own words? Why does speaking Good Words help you Live Sobriety? (in your own words) Why is it important to Learn and Teach sobriety for yourself and for others? (in your own words) How will getting and giving Forgiveness help you to Live Sobriety? (in your own words) Why is helping others important to getting and keeping Sobriety? (in your own words)
Learning Activity on page 30
30

The Sobriety Effect
1. What does Serenity mean (in your own words)? ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What does Humility mean (in your own words)? ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Why does speaking Good Words help you Live Sobriety (in your own words)? ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Why is it important to Learn and Teach sobriety for yourself and for others (in your own words)? ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. How will getting and giving Forgiveness help you to Live Sobriety (in your own words)? ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Why is helping others important to getting and keeping Sobriety (in your own words)? ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________
Reap What You Sow
31

The Sobriety Effect
well. As your teach sobriety it becomes who you are. orgiveness of those who have hurt you feels good. Forgiveness from those you have hurt feels good. Forgiveness of yourself for yourself feels real good. There are no easy ways to accomplish forgiveness except by doing it, thinking it, feeling it each second of each day. Time here is essential for you, and for those who you want to forgive you. Dont demand forgiveness. Be patient. elping others is the most powerful tool for choosing sobriety. Addiction has been so selfish. It was all about what you wanted, needed, would do, would be. By helping others you forget yourself and your addiction for a time. It feels good to forget the hell of your addiction and helping others is the easiest way to forget. Over time, you will grow to a place where others in your life have great importance again. Of course, choosing sobriety may mean you have to leave some people behind, leave them out of your life. Leave them out because they are addicted to drugs or represent addiction to drugs in your life. That is one of the saddest parts about addiction, the loss of friends, family, and loved ones because choosing sobriety is the most important choice in your life. here will be some who do not want to share your sobriety with you, they will still choose addiction. Im sorry, but you will have to leave those people behind if they cause you to fret,
think about, and focus on addiction. It is too hard to be around using addicts when you are new to choosing sobriety. That is why helping other is so important. Helping others brings you into contact with people. You can make new acquaintances and friends. It puts you in a new frame of mind which will only bring growth of peace and sobriety. ere is the choicejust believe it because I say it is so. Then go out and try it for a while. If helping others doesnt help you choose sobriety, guess what, drugs will always be there. Dont worry, drugs wont disappear, if you try, your choice to use drugs will disappear. What do you have to lose by trying, you have probably lost most everything already anyway. ow is the time to start getting back what really loves you and what you really love.
N L
Addiction Skills astly, addiction always ends ugly. You may start out thinking you are something special while you are high. You are. You are specially high. You become the best addict. You drink the most. You can toke the most. You can slam the most. You win! You are the best addict. Addiction teaches the addiction skillslie, cheat, steal, yell, hit, and hide. Thats it! Thats what addiction teaches you while addiction has you by the short hairs. You become the best liar, cheater, stealer, swearer, hitter, and hider. You are the best. You excel at the addiction skills. Then you will expect others to applaud your choice of sobriety because, If I can do it (be sober), anyone can. Its no challenge to not use drugs, most people dont. But to live sobriety, to actually accomplish something of value, that is impressive. ot using drugs, being sober, is the minimum standard. It takes guts, hard work, and patience, to be something in the world of sobriety. To be someone in the world of addiction only takes the effort of putting a drug in your body. Lie, cheat, steal, yell, Continued on page 32
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The Sobriety Effect
hit, hide are actually really easy. But if you really want to prove you can succeed then say the truth, share yourself, give time, listen first, touch gently, and involve others in sobriety. If you can do those six things, Wow! Then, you can actually be worth the effort of the love so many will give you. Even better, you will be worth the love you have to share. hile addiction has you there where it wants you, addiction loves to share the consequences with you. Addiction is very giving with its consequences. You can have all you want. Besides getting high, you get...
Indifferencewho cares if you are an asshole Condemnationeveryone blames you Rejectionfinally, love just isnt enough
...The Consequences of Your Addiction Skills The addiction effect Chaosnever knowing whats next Conceityou just know that you are great Confusionchoices dont turn out how you want The Sobriety Effect Serenityknow your life path, where you are going Humilitywilling to listen and learn Good Wordssaying words that build and care Learn and Teachsharing your sobriety wisdom Forgivenessget and give for self and others Helpingpower to fix the past for the future
guarantee you that addiction will give you all of those consequences, as much as you want, and more than you will not want. Addiction is not prejudice (it does not care if you white, brown, green, blue, rich, poor, dumb, or smart). Addiction is affirmative action. Addiction is not stingy (it loves to give you all its shit). Addiction wants to give all it has. Addictions loves to hates you, and addiction wants you to love it until you to hate it back. inally, addiction always, always ends ugly. Using drugs might seem to start off fun, exciting, sexual, pretty, and cool. But, addiction always, finally, ends at death if you choose. Addiction does not leave a pretty corpse. If you wont choose sobriety now, it will be chosen for you at the end of your life. Reap What You Sow So-
The addiction affect Chaosnever knowing whats next Conceityou just know that you are great Confusionchoices dont turn out how you want Indifferencewho cares if you are an asshole Condemnationeveryone blames you Rejectionlove isnt enough for people to want you
Describe, in your own words, what is your Philosophy of Love, and how will you use it to Learn Sobriety. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________
33

What is Sobriety? What is Addiction?
What is sobriety?
Reap What You Sow
a non-smoker, a non-IV user, an non-pipe user. Use words that help you to think , feel, and do things that are living obriety is everything that is the Opposite of Addiction. sobriety. The more you think, feel, and do words that are The first step for getting and keeping sobriety is to stop about sobriety, the more you will have power over drug putting drugs into your body. Not using drugs is only the use, by choosing sobriety. That is all you have to do first step of living sobriety. Sobriety is a way of living, a dont worry about your addiction, get excited about the way of living well. Learning to live your measure of crea- sobriety your are living. Sobriety returns with new and retion.your potential. newed feelings, thoughts, and actions of living. Sobriety is here can not be sobrieliving Opposites of Addiction. Living which fills a life ty when drugs are put with lifeeach person filling their measure of creation. in our bodies. For the addict obriety is a very simple idea to graspchoose to not even taking prescription use. It is even more simple behavior to choose to do drugs from a doctor can nothing. Sobriety can easily be acted upon by not doing hurt sobriety no matter how (drugs), just stop where you are at and do nothing. Try motivated you are to not let doing nothing first, then find out how long you can do drugs, even legal drugs, nothing. After, begin to add Opposites of Addiction using to control your choices. the Sobriety Skills to your doing nothing with drugs. obriety is the most Never stop practicing your abilities to choose to do nothcommon choice. Many ing. The time for choosing Sobriety can be lengthened and more people live sobriety strengthened with Sobriety SkillsSay Truth; Share Self; than people who have drug Give Time; First Listen; Touch Gently; & Involve Others. addiction, and are actively or those who have little experience getting sobriety feeding their addiction. You just do nothing for one minute. Just sit, or stand, or lie may never not be an addict, but you have the choice to down, and do nothing. By dolive sober, to be an non-drinker, a non-toker, a non-popper, ing nothing for one minute you Continued on page 34Sobriety
T
S
What is Addiction?
ddiction is treatment, groups, counseling, jail, court, pee tests, probation, intensive out patient (IOP), relapse prevention, lie, cheat, steal, yell, hit, hide, tweeker, alcoholic, NA/AA, pill popper, snort, drink, smoke, needle, slamming, prison, dizzy, clumsy, anger, violence, death, kidney damage, liver damage, brain damage, nausea, fines, restitution, divorce, lost custody of children, powerless, cognitive behavioral therapy, Moral Reconation Therapy, Cognitive self change, BI polar, borderline personality, DSM IV, dual diagnosis, assessment, evaluation, residential treatment, acid, LSD, hallucinogens, detention, possession, intent to deliver, dealing drugs, intake, co-pay, probation violation, Drug Court, Meth Court, lawyers, bond, bail, dependence, abuse, crying, sorrow, repossession, felony, misdemeanor, arrest, police, unemployment, homeless, ASAM, prosecution
believe that I could list many more words that are a part of drug addiction world. It is a world full of every social, psychological, legal, and emotional problem. It takes
hosts of experts to control the animal of the drug addiction world. Licensed, certified, credentialed, specialists are needed to deal with addiction. Addiction is thought to be too complicated to be left to chance or to the good intentions of family and friends. he War on Drugs costs the U.S. billions of dollars each year by our government, more accurately, youthe tax payer. The majority of that money (around 10 to 1 dollars spent) goes for interdiction stopping the production and spread of drugs into the U.S. Only about ten percent is spent on Continued on page 34Addiction
34

overcome addiction, you winby doing nothing. Put an hour of minutes away doing nothing. Put a day full of hours away doing nothing, especially not doing drugs. ecause you can master one minute, you can then, master an hour. Mastering an hour, makes mastering a day possible. Mastering time by doing nothing gives you valuable moments of sobriety. By doing nothing you are able to add to your sobriety. ot using drugs is the first step of sobriety. Doing nothing with drugs actually puts you ahead by taking drug use out of personal choicethe first step of sobriety not using drugs. Sobriety is a word for an idea or principle for ways of living life.
SobrietyContinued from page 33
et lots of good people in your life to help you get and keep sobriety. Seek them out in happy places. Got to church. Attend support groups. Find a least one to attend, once a week. Play Sports Bowling, Softball, Basketball leagues. Take School ClassesEven just onehigh school, college, trade, ESL, Community.
Just do nothing! Doing nothing is halfway to living Sobriety
ive family a chanceIf you are practicing the Sobriety Skills as hard as you can each day. If you honestly keep adding to your sobriety each day (Sobriety Skills will help), eventually, sooner than later, you will trust family, and they will trust you. If trust does not come as fast you like and want, then, have the serenity to accept what you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Thinking/Feeling Questions God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage the change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 1. Although you may not believe in a God why is the Serenity Prayer important to Living Sobriety? 2. List the things you cannot change in your life and in others. 3. List the things you can change in your life and in others. 4. Explain in your own words what wisdom means, and how it will help you know the difference between the things you cannot change and the things you can change.
prevention and intervention (treatment). 80% to 90% of residents in our prisons are there for drug or drug related crimesironic I admit that I am powerless over my addictions and since drug addiction is highly touted as a disease my addiction has made my life become unmanagerug addiction is a chronic, progressive disease. Physical able. and psychological dependence upon drug addiction affects social, physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, environ1. What do you think the difference is between mental, and sexual states of being and health. Drug Addiction addiction to drugs and the abuse of drugs? is classified as a mental illness of Dependence and Abuse by the American Psychological Association and a Multi-axial 2. Do you believe that a person with drug addic- evaluation is needed to determine specific severity and type of drug addiction. tion can learn to control their using drugs or
Thinking/Feeling Questions
AddictionContinued from page 33
D H
use drugs in moderation? Why, or Why Not? 3. What does the following sentence mean to you? (in your own words) Why is it true?
ow do you know you have an addiction or dependence upon using drugs? What is it worth to be drug free? What will you sacrifice for the ability to not use drugs for the rest of your life?
35
Opposites of Addiction Learning Activity Reap What You Sow

From page 25
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage the change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 1. Although you may not believe in a God why is the Serenity Prayer important to Living Sobriety? ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. List the things you cannot change in your life and in others. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. List the things you can change in your life and in others. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Explain in your own words what wisdom means, and how it will help you know the difference between the things you cannot change and the things you can change. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ I admit that I am powerless over my addictions and my addiction has made my life become unmanageable. 1. What do you think the difference is between addiction to drugs and the abuse of drugs? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Do you believe that a person with drug addiction can learn to control their using drugs, or to use drugs in moderation? Why, or Why Not? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What does the following sentence mean to you? (in your own words) Why is it true? Reap What You Sow _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________
36
Opposites Of Addiction Reap What You Sow

Imagine the Possibilities
Imagine: Ideas of Possibilities The Addict is Not the Enemy
Federal Government to use for the War on Drugs. Nine billion dollars (or ninety percent) of that money was earmarked (mostly for the following three parts of the Drug War) 1. for law enforcement, 2. for interdiction of illegal drugs coming into the United States, and 3. for inducements of money given to drug producing countries, not the U.S., for developing farming programs for food, instead of farms currently being used for the lucrative growing of cannabis plants (marijuana), coca plants (cocaine), and poppy flowers (heroin). The remaining one billion dollars were used mainly on education, prevention, and intervention of drug use (treatment). All the activity for the war on drugs was 8 of that 9 billion dollars. Only one billion dollars were spent preventing desire, use, and glamorizing drug useprevention and intervention (helping those with active addiction) have constantly been shown to have greater effects upon people choosing to live sobriety. Can we, and should we, change how we spend such a vast amount of money.
I I I I I I I
magine a drug treatment agency having a mission with a priority for connecting with the human spirit, in each person, in any situation, at any time. magine a class or therapy group setting its prime motivation as interacting with others in a way that allows everyone's need to be equally valued. magine creating organizations and life-serving systems responsive and adaptable to individual needs and the needs of the local environment and society. magine that, as a society, we decide to quit making addiction to drugs an illegal situation, and then eliminating the process which makes a person with the disease of drug addiction a criminal.
magine that ten billion dollars were dedicated to education, prevention, and intervention of drug abuse and magine that we could take the money (billions of doladdiction. Since this is hopeful imagining, imagine our lars) used to house people, with drug addiction, in pris- government divvying up that ten billion dollars into one on and spend it instead upon, 1. Education and Prevention million dollar grant awards for small drug treatment agenof drug use, and 2. Intervention or help for those people cies. Each certified agency would provide education and already addicted to drugs. prevention programs by networking in their community, and provide treatment services with the minimum standard magine the possible results of creating a nation Living of serving 100 clients with intensive out-patient care (nine Sobriety when dollars were spent on education, preven- plus hours per weekASAM criteria) for one year. That tion, and intervention of drug abuse and drug addiction, would create ten thousand (10,000) individual drug treatinstead of so much money spent on less effective and effi- ment agencies providing services for one million people cacious drug supply and drug crime interventionpolice, with addiction treatment. Also, countless thousands more prisons, probation & parole, courts, jails, etc. people would be affected by education and prevention programs promoting abstinence from drug use and/or lessenn light of this imagining, the questions we must ask our- ing individual drug use. selves, and ask of our government are, How successful has been our War on Drugs for eliminating, or even f the one hundred clients served by the drug treatment significantly lessening, illegal drug use and illegal drug agency are kept out of prison, and if housing a criminal production? How successful have we been at eliminating costs fifty thousand dollars per year which equals five milor lessening, the demand from our population for illegal lion dollars of cost for one hundred individuals, the savings drug use, through law enforcement and interdiction of ille- is four million dollarseven accounting for the one milgal drugs entering, or being produce in the U.S. Should we lion dollar investment used for education, prevention and be warring on anyone? Is that a cruel and weak way to intervention provided by our drug treatment agencies. deal with problems? pposites of Addiction is not a platform for promoting n estimate from the early part of the 21st Century rea political agenda against using tax dollars for the vealed that ten billion dollars were budgeted by our War on Drugs, or for the decrimiContinued on page 37
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Opposites Of Addiction Reap What You Sow

Imagine the PossibilitiesReap What You Sow
nalization and/or legalization of illegal drug use and possession of illegal drugs. Opposites of Addiction, if it so has an agenda, it then, is only to prevent and intervene in individual drug addiction. eaching people with drug addiction to get and keep sobriety, through the processes of Thinking, Feeling, and Doing is the singular ambition for Opposites of Addiction.the choice of Living Sobriety each day, and for all future days. Plus saving tax payer dollars is good too! You may not be able to change society, but you can change you. You can add to yourself and those around you by making the choice to live sobriety. You can affect your future. Reap What You Sow
Imagine the PossibilitiesReap What You Sow

After abusing our bodies, minds, and spirits with drugs it may take extra time to feel valuable to family, friends, the world. Staying drug free and Living Sobriety takes a lot of time just living in the momentlearning and practicing to have power over our choice to live sobriety. Sometimes we forget (or are frightened) to have goals, to look to future choices, to plan for opportunities for living sobriety while we are counting our sober life in days, and avoiding weeks, months, years Here is a place for you to safely think about the future and make some plans, to make some commitments.
What are the three most pleasant, exciting, fun things you have learned from living sobriety? 1. 2. 3.
How have those three things youve learned helped you to choose sobriety?
How can you add more of those three things leaned about your sobriety to each day?
Name one long term (one-year) goal you want to achieve in your sobriety?
How can those three things help you reach your goal?
38

Our Greatest PowerTo Choose
Choice, option, alternative, selection, pick, preference, decide. Besides choice being an action, a deed, an achievement, choice can also be a measurement of value. Choice can mean that your choice is excellent, highquality, optimal, special, superior, worthy, top-notch, firstrate, or cream of the crop. That describes the choice of living sobrietyit is a choice decision. A well-chosen decision. An abundant decision. A choice choice. My first group experience as a drug counselor was a very choice and life changing experience. I was observing my supervising counselor run the group and dealing with the often talked about problem of relapse. This very caring counselor zeroed in on a client who had recently persistently, and even angrily, over and over, in different forms and without, it seemed, any desire to really find out the answer. It eventually ended with the client breaking down crying and out of touch with anything in the group process. At that point, the next person of interest in the group endured the same question, over, and over, and over. This group lasted about three hours of being asked this question with no one seemingly able to satisfy the supervising counselor with the correct answer to the question. I believe it was a valid question, I just am not sure that the process helped anyone to understand relapse and how to avoid relapse. After group was over and my supervising counselor and I were talking about the experience, he stated that he thought the group did great work that night, everyone learned a thing or two, and we had helped the clients be better off than they were before the group. Sadly, I didnt say how uncomfortable I was with that approach and that I believed that we might have actually caused more confusion, fear, and animosity towards sobriety by the members in the group. Whether it was caused by that particular group experience I cant definitively say, but we lost several members to relapse and jail (including the client made to cry) from that group that night. When the results of relapse and jail/prison were found out by us, the supervising counselor simply stated I guess they were close relapse and didnt want to try to understand what relapse means. The problem, for me, with that idea of how things were was, I was just as confused and misunderstanding of what relapse was from that group experience. From that night the Opposites of had a relapse. The counselor was trying to help this re- Addiction were born. You have the lapsing client to understand about relapse. However, it turned into a very ugly and saddening eye-opener for me as heart to live sobriety. Relapse is always as a new counselor. close as saying yes to This client was asked, How close are you to reusing drugs. But that lapse? It was a valid question, but after the client answered with an I dont know, my supervising counselor means sobriety is as pounced upon that answer. He, my supervising counselor, close as saying no to kept asking that question, How close are you to relapse? using. Reap What You Sow
39
The End
is the beginning.

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Opposites of Addiction

REAP WHAT YOU SOW

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

Reap What You Sow

Sobriety is the beautiful colors of the Butterfly.

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

Reap What You Sow

Handbook C of Living Sobriety includes

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

Four Principles for Living Sobriety

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

The Opposites of Addiction

6 __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

The Opposites of Addiction

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

.___________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________

Part CShare this with your class

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Reap What You Sow

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

Class Learning Questions

Reap What You Sow

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

Reap What You Sow

OATS Family Center

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

Oppotion, or is a Each those have

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

1. What do the words Opposites of Addiction mean to you?

Reap What You Sow

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

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The Handbook for Living Sobriety

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The Handbook for Living Sobriety

Reap What You Sow

Continued from page 15

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

You Do Have The Power To Choose Sobriety!

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

The Sobriety Effect

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

The Sobriety EffectThinking, Feeling, Doing

The Handbook for Living Sobriety

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

Continued on page 23top

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Reap What You Sow

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

Opposites of Addiction Starting Your Sobriety

Thinking/Feeling Starting Your Sobriety Part 1

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

24 Reap What You Sow

The Handbook of Living Sobriety

Reap What You Sow

Continued from page 23bottom course, Stop Using

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