Alcoholism Recovery

By Boomeryearbook.com

A recovering alcoholic in stage twelve of the twelve vital steps has actively withdrawn from addiction and will have made a number of permanent changes in his or her life. Those changes will have incorporated a complete physical and mental overhaul. Attitudes will have been reviewed and adjusted in a process of painful self analysis; reparation for harm done in the past will have been made and in some cases rejected. The alcoholic, even those with elderly problems, will have gone through agonizing physical discomfort to achieve the kind of success that arriving at stage twelve entails.

The process of recovery from alcohol dependency involves utilizing an iron resolve to turn around a life scarred by alcohol and its effect on an addictive personality. The twelve stages taken as an overview are distinguished by admitting to the addiction, making amends for the harm caused to others by the addiction, being firmly resolved to make permanent changes and lastly helping other addicts to stay in recovery.

For many addicts, the key difficulty is the long term resolve required to stay sober and to refuse alcohol despite life’s temptations and the addict’s tendency to turn to alcohol in a crisis. For older addicts suffering with elderly problems, the long term solution can be even harder. Many older recovering alcoholics indulge in the self pity that features an age related condition. Some felt prior to their recovery program that in their twilight years they should be allowed one or two addictions such as smoking, or cheating at cards, or alcoholism.

The determination to stay on track with their recovery and stay resolved enough to be able to help other people with an alcohol dependency is the final and perhaps the most crucial stage of rebirth. Spiritual support is nearly always a help to a recovering alcoholic in the final stages and often an alcoholic who is deeply involved with helping others with an alcohol dependency will experience a more fulfilling final stage than one who concerns himself with his own program and withholds his support.

Older people who are involved in helping other alcoholics are often seen as a parental figure by younger addicts, although as a rule a one to one support role is generally seen as not as beneficial as group interaction. People with more serious elderly problems might also have difficulty retaining information due to forgetfulness.

The final stage of recovery from alcohol addiction is certainly not the end of the story. An addict to alcohol remains an addict for the rest of his life and invariably has a need to return to his support group to talk over issues from time to time.

The light at the end of the tunnel for a recovering alcoholic represents not only sobriety but the ability to successfully interact with others both socially and professionally. The person who emerges from stage twelve knows his (or her) limitations and knows how to help other sufferers of addiction.

Spiritual Rebirth and Sharing it With Other Addicts is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

Alcohol Recovery

By Boomeryearbook.com

An alcoholic who has reached stage three of the twelve recognized stages of recovery from alcohol addiction will already have conquered some scary demons. Alcoholics who are perhaps suffering from elderly problems tend to feel a little pressured by this stage and start questioning the justice of having to face their addiction along with all the other elderly problems that feature old age.

The secret to success when tackling alcoholism, especially when the addiction is complicated by elderly problems, is focus and resolve; focus on the problems at hand and refusing to be de-railed by outside influences and the resolve to trust in one’s own ability to succeed. Strength is a key factor when trying to overcome addiction of any kind and an alcohol addiction is particularly unsympathetic to the human condition as it plays games with a person’s desire to be sociable.

An elderly alcoholic might have spent a lifetime in social situations where any evening spent without consuming a large quantity of alcohol is deemed a failure. Alcohol for baby boomers has always been a traditional staple for any social occasion, whether it is a beer with the boys or a champagne reception for visiting dignitaries.

So many pitfalls are present in the life of a recovering alcoholic; it is hardly surprising that many feel threatened on social occasions that must include watching other people drink while mustering the will power not to drink anything alcoholic. Even worse; many alcoholics are ‘pressured’ into drinking alcohol by well meaning hosts and hostesses who are unaware of their problem. It is an unfair minefield of temptation and one that is trodden daily in pursuit of addiction recovery.

There is definitely a spiritual aspect to recovering from addiction and particularly alcohol addiction. Being ‘only human’, many alcoholics turn successfully to spiritual support to help them through the most difficult stages of recovery. Some might have a church network of support and others might believe only in their own spiritual strength: most medical experts will profess neutrality and sensibly advise the addict: ‘whatever helps you kick the habit’.

During the forties, fifties and sixties (the baby boomer years) alcohol was held in almost reverent esteem. A man who ‘could not hold his drink’ was thought to be weak, prissy, almost feminine. A man with an alcohol addiction might even be viewed as more masculine than someone who abstained from drink for whatever reason. Nowadays, a refusal to drink alcohol is not unusual and is sometimes seen as a healthy attitude. The pressure once put on drinkers is not as prevalent.

Baby boomers, therefore, and even boomers with elderly problems, have been subject to this kind of warped attitude and need to not only change their lifestyle but also their entire concept of drinking alcohol. Turning around the habits formed over a lifetime is no small achievement and alcoholics with elderly problems might need spiritual help to guide them through a challenging recovery process.

Entrusting Your Life to Spirituality Trusting that You Will Succeed is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

Alcoholism

By Boomeryearbook.com

During the last two stages of recovery, an alcoholic is deeply involved in personal growth and the importance of complete and permanent reform. For alcoholics with elderly problems, stage ten can be an epiphany. Someone with elderly problems and also an alcoholic dependency will have probably suffered under the control of addiction for many years. The last stages of recovery offer the alcoholic a chance to resolve that the changes made are going to be unshakeable.

For those with a deep religious belief, stage ten can provide an inner peace that escaped the addict in the early stages. When a person with alcohol addiction first seeks help, the withdrawal from dependency leaves them unable to function normally and unable to appreciate the changes that have been brought about.

The early condition of alcohol withdrawal is painful, with physical discomforts that leave the addict unable to think clearly about anything other than their own will to survive the physical punishment of being deprived of alcohol. As the craving for alcohol becomes easier to control, the addict is able to consider other aspects of his or her dependency and how it may be kept in check. By stage ten, many of these issues have been conquered or at least satisfactorily addressed.

Alcoholics with elderly problems might have other matters to resolve. Some elderly addicts do not live in a conventional family home but in an assisted accommodation where their addiction might have caused all manner of difficulties. While some of these issues might have been resolved, the addict with elderly problems still requires a period of reflection in which to toughen their resolve that the changes they have made are unbreakable and permanent.

Some addicts who regularly attended a weekly religious service before their addiction overturned their faith, return to a regime of spiritual enlightenment during their recovery from alcohol dependency, becoming heavily involved with their religion again and enjoying a ‘return to grace’. They are invariably welcomed with open arms by congregation members and this in turn helps to strengthen their resolve for permanent change.

In this way, a spiritual support system is always seen as a positive aspect of recovery and is viewed by many as crucial to total reform from addiction. Many recovering alcoholics also develop a strong resolve to attend their church or other regular spiritual venue and some go on to form alcoholic support groups within their religious community.

It is paramount for any addict in the final stages of recovery to face the problems of their addiction, recognize where they went wrong and resolve to never travel the same path again. An admission to weakness need not necessarily be an admission to failure. What is more important is taking control of that weakness and rendering it powerless to regain its hold. The recovering addict’s resolve at stage ten should be a thing of iron and often a spiritual support is brought into play at this vital stage.

Alcoholic Recovery

Alcohol Recovery Stage Ten: Seeking Contact with our Spirituality: Resolving to be a Better Person is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

Alcoholism

By Boomeryearbook.com

Any honest alcoholic, even one suffering from elderly problems such as absent mindedness or dementia, will most likely remember the people they hurt in the throes of their addiction. An alcoholic stupor is a great excuse for being obnoxious to the people you love and hurting the friends who have stuck by you through all your problems.

During stage seven of the recovery program, an alcoholic might reflect on the number of people they hurt both physically and emotionally during their ugly encounter with alcohol dependency. Some of these people will be long term friends and some will be members of the family, even a wife or husband. In the case of elderly addicts, harm may have been inflicted on elderly companions suffering with elderly problems, pets, neighbors, or even work colleagues.

Stage seven brings with it a certain measure of shame. Although an addict is to a degree not responsible for what he does within the dark days of his addiction, he must nonetheless recognize what he did; face up to his commitment to apologize unreservedly for his actions and hope to be forgiven by those he likes and loves.

This stage can be more than slightly depressing for a recovering alcoholic who is still steeped in the euphoria of his success, having come through stage one to six relatively intact. Suddenly, he is confronted with the misdeeds that he had hoped to be able to forget and is told in no uncertain terms to go and atone for them.

Contrary to what some may believe, the presence of regret is a healthy confrontation of misdoing and helps to reinforce the process of resolve. Taking the attitude ‘You didn’t know what you were doing, of course we understand that and anyway you are elderly, you have elderly problems, nobody expects you to…’ etc is unhelpful, unproductive and will only help the addict to make excuses for his own behavior in the future.

Stage seven is approached with gentle calm and resolve. You did it: you fix it.

Every addict will know who he has offended and perhaps also have a collection of acquaintances that he cannot ever approach again. For some people, the damage cannot ever be repaired and the addict will need to face this, know he has inflicted a pain that cannot be healed, and walk away. For addicts who also have elderly problems, this can be a painful process which might seem pointless, especially if the people concerned are also elderly and suffering with their own elderly problems which might make apologies difficult.

It is not until the process of apology begins and has achieved some measure of success that the alcoholic begins to see the healing process taking place and appreciate the true value of stage seven. Friendships that have long been consigned to ruin might suddenly be recovered as a result of the addict’s ability to admit he was wrong and sincerely apologize. The reappearance of old friendships has a remarkable effect on the recovery program. By the time he enters stage eight, the alcoholic is beginning to see the light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Alcohol Recovery

Alcoholic Recovery: Who Did We Hurt? What Can We Do About It? Asking to be Forgiven is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

Alcoholism

By Boomeryearbook.com

Alcoholics are as human as anyone else. They lie to themselves about who they are and what they do. They fool themselves into believing they are doing well, when in fact they have had a drink and lied about it. They fail.
Alcoholics who have reached the fifth stage of recovery have usually learned a lot about their addiction. They will have learned about dangerous situations to be avoided and about other social situations which must be tackled with caution. By now they should have admitted that they cannot ever have another drink again. Others will have agreed within the group that alcohol is their downfall but secretly still drink and lie to themselves and everyone else.
Elderly alcoholics tend to be a little more stubborn than their younger companions. Likely they feel that they have many more years experience of life and feel they are experts on what they should and should not do. Some have elderly problems and feel handicapped in terms of making a full recovery from alcohol addiction. Almost without fail, however, stage five of the twelve stages to recovery involves big steps toward an honest admission of wrong doing or making huge mistakes.
People with elderly problems who are also addicted to alcohol are invariably faced with a situation where they must confess they are wrong to a much younger listener. We all feel we are wiser than the younger members of our society. Perhaps we are. However, alcohol addiction has no respect for age and dignity. It is as necessary for baby boomers and older people who suffer with elderly problems to be as ‘up front’ about their addiction as anyone else.
Step five is about taking that responsibility. When we look back on our lives, it is easy to see where wrong turns were made but often we blame other elements for the disasters that occurred. A bankrupt will blame the stock market or a bad deal over property, a divorcee will blame their ex spouse for their unhappiness, and an alcoholic is not different in that they rarely blame their problems on alcohol! They see alcohol as their friend; their saviour; their cushion against unhappiness. They rarely admit that alcohol and their addiction to it is the root of their poor decision making, their alienation from loved ones, and their poor health.
In step five, a recovering alcoholic will examine where the wrong turns were made and take the first step toward redemption. Those with elderly problems might scrutinize their difficulties at this stage and try to separate their alcohol addiction from their elderly problems and see each one as a separate issue to be dealt with differently.

Step five very much involves taking the bull by the horns. Self analysis should by now be an issue that is confronted head on by the recovering alcoholic. Step fivers are firmly on the road toward redemption and a successful withdrawal from addiction.

Alcohol Recovery Step 5: Knowing Where We Went Wrong and Taking the First Steps to Redemption is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Alcohol Recovery

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!