Recovering Addicts Add Value to Workplace

 

Recovering Addicts Often a Workplace Plus and Add Value to Business.

Treatment helps employees come back stronger, insiders say

Employees on the road to recovery deserve a second chance.

That’s the mantra of Mark Elliot (pictured), a Toronto radio talk show host who is also a recovering addict.

Elliot is open about his past addictions and his downfall in the radio realm, but his recovery story shows he has also climbed back up the ladder and now dedicates his time to helping others who have taken the wrong detour.

He will be the first to admit that drugs, alcohol and the workplace don’t mix. But he’s also a staunch defender of recovering addicts who want to return to the workforce.

“I think most employers seem to get it today, they seem to understand that employees who go into treatment come back as better employees for the most part,” says Elliot. “Employers like it because they get back an employee they don’t have to retrain. They (recovering addicts) don’t take as many sick days. They are dependable, reliable and sober.”

Full story at; Business Edge

Woman’s story inspires alcoholics

Woman’s story inspires alcoholics

Nagpur, India: More than 80 families in Nagpur got a ray of hope recently as they heard how an ordinary housewife had succeeded in de-addicting her husband, who had been an alcoholic for 15 long years.

The woman, who gave a stunning speech at the recent gathering of Al-anon - a worldwide support group for families of alcoholics-said that she had convinced her husband to accept his problem and show willingness to break the vicious cycle. "The entire family was behind him and we got great support and help from Al-anon and the techniques taught by them," she stated.

More at; Times of India

Public Humiliation

I was a member of a youth group as an adult leader. One of my duties was to set up a public awareness display at the local exhibition day. All the equipment was delivered on time and was sitting in a heap at the site.

I had taken a day off work to organize everything on the day before the show. However, I decided to have a few beers as well and that ended everything.

That evening I passed out in the Darwin casino and was awakened by a security man kicking me in the thigh. I got up and went back to the bar. Eventually I somehow got home and woke up late in the morning.

Going to the exhibition site I noticed that my skin had no memory. I could pinch a piece of skin and it would stay puckered, not returning to its normal shape. I had drunk so much I was dehydrated with little moisture in my skin. I was as dry as a bone – so to speak.

When I got to the site I began to put things in place. I was alone until another leader turned up. He took one look at me and said I was in no condition to represent the youth group. He left. I then began to vomit violently while being watched by people attending the show. I put away all the gear and left.

On the same day I had to see my lawyer about my divorce. He took one look at me and asked if I was an alcoholic. My eyes were red and watery, my skin was clammy and smelly and I was finding it hard to focus. “Of course not,” I replied, “I thought I was once, but I can control it now.” He shook his head and finished the interview.

I left and went to have a hair-of-the-dog at the nearest bar.

I never went back to the youth group and my divorce was finalised quickly.

The next week I went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I was ‘nearly’ ready to stop drinking.

Alcoholism takes away all the things that are nearest and dearest to the alcoholic. I loved my wife and kids, I had a great affection and respect for the work of the youth group. But, I still had more to lose.

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Challenged to Drink More

I was too young to legally drink. So one day after work I found the seediest bar in town and sneaked in the side door. I ordered 2 cans of beer to take away. The barman said “What 2 cans, that’s not the way to become a man. You need much more.”

I had reasoned that if I only ordered 2 cans it would not be challenged and I would go to another bar and get some more.

I drank alone on the banks of the River Torrens keeping an eye out for the police. One walked past and said nothing. I was OK. I knew I looked older that I was. I bought some more and got drunk.

Another time a mate and I were away on a fishing trip. He bought some grog and I was going to buy a small bottle. He said, “That will not last you long, get a big bottle.” I did and enjoyed the nights fishing, drinking and mateship.

A mate told me he was going out to the winery to get some wine in casks as it was too expensive at hotels and bars. I went with him and bought several casks of second grade wine. We were drinking for two weeks before we went back to the winery for more.

About age 19 a friend asked me to have dinner with him and his wife. I thought that was unusual but bought some beer and went. When I arrived he said “You can leave that (the beer) in the car, we don’t drink in this house.” I thought I never knew they were religious.” But I left the beer and had dinner.

After awhile he said to me “You have been drinking a bit lately Fred.” I said “So what?”

“Well, my father used to drink a lot and he ended up in a terrible state.” He said.

I replied, somewhat taken back, “What’s that got to do with me?”

“We were wondering if you know what your getting into?”

“I sure do.” Was my indignant reply and left to drink the hot beer in my car – alone.

I never returned to that friendship.

By challenging my drinking they had challenged me to drink more. But, the friendship I felt in that particular challenge never left me. From that time on I somehow knew that I had a drinking problem but I wasn’t ready to do anything about at that stage.

This experience reminds me of the saying that I have heard many times in sobriety – ‘First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes the man.’

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I Drank Too Much with Wrong Effect

When I was drinking it was simply terrible.

I was playing the drums with a group of mates and a bottle of port was passed around. I would have been about 16 years old and still at high school. A girl who had shown interest and I was interested in her came around to hear our music (such as it was). I went up to her and talked for a bit and then told her I was drinking. She shrugged her shoulders as if to say ‘So what?’ and walked off. I was not bothered and took another swig at the bottle.

When I look back that was a sign of things to come. On that occasion I distinctly preferred drinking to a relationship with a girl.

The next time I drank I had a blackout. The same mates and we were at a beach party. I remember the early part of the night, then nothing until I found myself vomiting several hours later.

A family party next saw me being the life of the party. Trouble is I don’t remember anything for several hours. I came to as we were leaving and everyone was giving me compliments and asking me not to leave. Mum and Dad bundled me into the car and I wanted to go back.

After awhile Dad said “Fred, you drink too much and it has the wrong affect on you.” Well, I dismissed that as coming from an old man who no longer knew how to enjoy himself – the generation gap.

What I didn’t know was that his father was probably an alcoholic and he really did know what he was talking about. Dad’s words were to be a prophesy of my life story for the next 17 years. I drank too much and it had the wrong affect on me.

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Drop The Rock: Removing Character Defects, Steps Six and Seven, Second Edition

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