There’s a reason Step 1 comes first. Until we quit making excuses for our addiction, we will never get well. Dr. Elizabeth Hartney offers seven common justifications for one’s addiction. Denial: “It’s not a problem.” Minimization: “I have already cut down.” Comparisons: “Uncle Ted is worse than I am.” Defiance: “I’d rather live a short…
The 1904 Olympics in St. Louis featured one of the most bizarre events in Olympic history. The first-place finisher, Fred Lorz, hitched a rid in a car to the end of the course after he cramped up. He got out shortly before the finish line and crossed the line as the winner. The guy who…
The secret to sobriety is – no more secrets. You are only as healthy as your secrets. That is why James told his readers to confess their faults to one another. And that is why Paul said, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we…
If you are seeking real, lasting sobriety, try this – take a nap. Seriously, one of your problems may be that you aren’t getting enough sleep. Jenna Fletcher offers several health benefits from simply getting enough sleep: Better productivity and concentration Lower weight gain risk Better calorie regulation Greater athletic performance Lower risk of heart…
Hope is an indispensable ingredient of recovery. Thomas Carlyle said, “He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope has everything.” Dr. Dale Archer writes, “The power of hope defines the psychological victim and psychological survivor. As long as a patient, individual, or victim has hope, they can recover from anything and everything.…
Comedian Ricky Gervais said, “I’ve never worked out what the moral of Humpty Dumpty is. I can only think of this – don’t sit on a wall if you’re an egg.” Application: If you struggle with sexually compulsive temptations, get off the fence (or wall). Put up some boundaries. This means living within predetermined guardrails.…
Two old golfers had a problem: one could still hit the ball, but could not see; the other could still see, but could not hit the ball. They came up with the perfect solution. The one who could hit would tee off, while the other golfer would tell him where the ball had gone. After…
From the comic strip, Blackadder, we read the following dialogue. Edmund Blackadder: “Baldrick, your brain is like the four-headed, man-eating haddock/fish/beast of Aberdeen.” Baldrick: “In what way?” Edmund Blackadder: “It doesn’t exist.” Porn has the same effect on the brain. In an extensive article, “Neuroscience of Internet Pornography Addiction” (2015), four authors state the conclusion…
Mrs. Johnson went to the butcher shop to buy a chicken. The butcher had just one scrawny chicken left. He put it on the scale. “Three pounds,” he said. “That’s too small,” said Mrs. Johnson. “Don’t you have something bigger?” The butcher didn’t want to lose the sale, so he pretended to rummage about, as…
It was the first toy advertised on television. On April 30, 1952, Hasbro, Inc. bought ad space to promote Mr. Potato Head. It apparently worked, as the sales of the three-year-old product went through the roof. At a cost of $0.98, the original Mr. Potato Head did not come with a potato “body,” so parents…