#that anyone can change. Which as a system well was Highly depressed and hopeless and

[hydor-soa]

Every time you reblog This a TERF has an Amazing day because of an amazing person and when the TERF finds out that amazing person is trans they rethink their values on trans people because they've already decided that person was awesome.

Everytime you reblog this a terf has a bad day

[meibemeibelline]

highlights from that 32k word doc i wrote when i marathoned gazette’s songs (2002-2007)

PART 2 | PART 3

Some quick notes:

This is a combo of thoughts on music, lyrics and sometimes just funny things I found while I was hurriedly typing at 11pm listening to these songs. Not every song will be featured in these, sorry

At times I directly quote translations and when I do I’ll specify who I’m quoting, but just so you know first they are all either Defective Tragedy, Heresiarchy or Trauma Radio

Also, I’m planning on writing some longer essay-type things with these notes so there might be some things I skip over (such as a recurring theme in their songs) bc I want to use them elsewhere

CONTENT WARNING FOR LYRIC DISCUSSIONS: suicide (Ganges ni Akai Bara). i will bold the title so you can skip it if you want. it’s one paragraph long

HHHH this is already 2k words but anyway hope u enjoy my ramblings

 “I’d have to take a break from feminism to appreciate [Akai One Piece]”

“His delivery is still highly emotional and [Okuribi] overall is really emotional. Like the fact you can still hear and FEEL the sheer bittersweet feelings (mostly sadness) of someone you love passing away is like...really telling of 2002 gazette’s potential”

(Doro Darake no Seishun) “Bitch Aoi and Uruha are serving LOOKS like the red tartan blazer with the black shorts???? And Uruha with the red tank top and the pleather skirt with the garters THE OTHER GIRLS WISH THEY WERE HIM”

(Haru ni Chirikeri, Mi wa Kareru de Gozaimasu) “it’s about a flower that’s in love with a one-winged butterfly, and i imagine the point is that even though they sing songs for each other, they’re just so different that they don’t understand each other and they can’t be together. and they’re just...fated to end, and maybe try again next spring. and you can see that in human relationships too.”

“Akuyuukai i think is such a significant turning point musically like i just FELT a significant shift where they were really painting with their music and having it be more closely connected with the lyrics”

“[Linda Candydive Pinky Heaven] is a happy and fun song!! it’s doro darake no seishun’s cuter and cooler older sister. this also gave me a lot of serotonin and i’m glad this is a classic. it’s also this band’s first fan song (or closest to a fan song) and i think it’s quite meaningful because they were picking up as a band and were starting to really connect with people which is always so so great. and i think it’s cool that many songs before this were fun songs to jam out to but linda is specially DEDICATED to that. it’s so carefree and i think like...this is the exact thing many musicians love about performing and what fans love about concerts. it’s the escapism and just the SPACE to be yourself and have fun. it’s so freeing.”

(Black Spangle Gang) “I can’t believe GazettE were doing 2005 Miyavi before Miyavi did 2005 Miyavi”

(The Murder’s TV) “I think it’s cool how playful they make it sound -> like a creepy show that kids might see and the last chorus is pretty good. it’s a bop AND THE BASS AND GUITAR SOLOS SLAP. The lyrics are really interesting too and I LOVE the way Ruki embodies them with his voice”

“BITCHHH MAD MARBLE HELL VISION SLAPS. THIS IS WHAT I CALL NOISE MUSIC!!!!!!!”

“The composition on Kawareta Haru, Kawaneru Haru is actually SO good (and the costumes are fucking ICONIC). And Ruki is STILL getting better at singing. The chorus is melodic and the effects on the guitar just go so well like I think the others (probably since Akuyuukai actually) have been really getting to play with all sorts of effects on their instruments to make this new variety of sounds which is super rad. AOI SOLO SUPERIORITY BTW.”

“Indie gazette really love their key changes in the bittersweet songs in the last choruses.”

“Comparing the lyrics of [Sumire] to many of the last ‘goodbye’ songs, there’s a lot more imagery and scene-painting as opposed to like, just direct thoughts and feelings. And that’s really Ruki developing as a writer, I think, as his lyrics are becoming more subtle and open to different interpretations which is super cool! Like this is really him finding his voice and I know he’s going to be doing more of this over the years.”

“ANATA NO TAME NO KONO INOCHI SLAPS BUT THE LYRICS ARE FUCKED. LIKE, I KNEW THIS FROM THE BEGINNING BUT I REALLY WISH I WAS JARED, 19.”

“I LOVE MISEINEN SO FUCKING MUCHHHHH. I can only begin to imagine just HOW significant this song is for Ruki. This is him acknowledging his weaknesses and his flaws, looking around him and seeing the people he has, he writes about what he’s afraid of, he writes about how he’s going to change and move forward, what is MOST VALUABLE to him. This is A LOT. This is A LOT for anyone. It is a song about GROWTH – how he wants to grow yet is terrified of change, but even so is going to do it with the help of his support system. This is EVERYTHING. It’s raw and brave and so very beautiful. It has Wakaremichi and BEST FRIENDS energy. These three songs are best friends. And also like, for the last couple of releases Ruki’s been doing lots of wordplay and metaphors and using euphemisms, but this set of lyrics is just completely honest and STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART. Like, there ARE metaphors and symbols but he’s talking COMPLETELY about himself and his FEELINGS. I get emo whenever I listen to this song.”

(Carry?) “Apparently it’s about Frankenstein’s monster, so I guess this is another Concept Song. So this explains the flat vocals – the monster is undead but also…very sad and confused about what it is and its place in the world. ISN’T THAT ALL OF US ON SOME LEVEL…HAHA…”

“Zakurogata no Yuutsu is that 2010 fb meme where someone sees their partner right before going into a heart surgery only to wake up to find they’re gone and the doctor is like ‘omg who do you think gave you the heart😔’”

“WHAT THE FUCK WHY DID I SLEEP ON HANAKOTOBA. THIS IS AOI SONG SUPERIORITY. THE GUITAR SOLO IS ALSO GORGEOUS. Also love what he did with the melody getting higher in the end when the narrator questions the existence of the love they lost. AND THEY DIDN’T RESOLVE THE FUCKING CHORD PROGRESSION OHHH MY GODDDD BECAUSE “I’LL WITHER AWAY, NEVER KNOWING THE ANSWER” //THROWS. THESE GENIUSES. THIS IS THE BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM SO FAR AND THAT’S👏ON👏AOI👏SUPERIORITY👏Also I know that, literally, Hanakotoba is a flower on the side of the road but LISTEN. This is a soul that just wants love...This is the anthem for us lonely invisible bitches <3 This song has the MOST yearning. Thank u Aoi for my life. Like he is TRULY the composer with the most emotionality.”

(Tokyo Shinjuu) “I LOVEEEE THE BASS. This has a very old, classic Japanese style and it’s just…so good. You can really hear it in the melody. Also there’s just something SO feminine about it and I KNOW it’s that classic Japanese sound and like…god I love this gender bending with music. I adore the guitars too I think there’s such a good balance between them.”

(Shichigatsu no Youka) “I love how the lyrics are between sections too – the most emotional parts are in the big, emotional chorus, and the verses are more mellow when the narrator is sort of…more detached and Not Crying… The guitar melodies are really pretty and the solo is just GORGEOUS. It’s such a bittersweet song as well (god GazettE just do bittersweet EXTREMELY WELL) like bruh…already being sad over a breakup and OH DOUBLE WHAMMY THEY’VE MOVED ON like. Ruki sweetie I’m so sorry.”

[a rant about how I know Saraba is well-meaning and is about the peace and unity of a nation and is EXPLICITLY anti-war which I can definitely appreciate but my Chinese ass was just NOT having the whole painting the Japanese army as heroes deal]

(Reila) “Ruki’s vocals are SO GOOD here. ALSO YELLING AT THE BASS AND KICK DRUM BEFORE THE SECOND VERSE WITH THE PIANO. THE WAY THE KICK DRUM PANS THRU THE EARS. MOTHERFUCKER. AND THEN TO COME IN WITH THE GUITAR SOLO HOW DARE!!!!! YOU PLAY WITH MY EMOTIONS LIKE THIS!!!!!”

“COCKROACH SLAPS. Love that he reframes being compared to a cockroach as like, resilient (I’ll never break through -> I want to believe I’ll break through), and he’s embracing his crudeness and taking a huge dose of PHUCEMOL.” (Cr: Defective Tragedy)

(Sugar Pain) “God Aoi’s intro though………..I HATE THE BREATHING SO MUCH. No I’m actually really angry right now why is it actually good. YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO BE GOOD.” (I then had to stop after the first chorus for obvious reasons)

“Idk why the first thing I thought of when Bite to All started was ‘yeehaw’…[Also] I hate how I know exactly who is screaming at the end and when.”

“BTS 🤝 GazettE Gunshots in songs”

[My personal interpretation of Nausea & Shudder is not that it’s about the pressure of being true to oneself in the face of success, but rather that success itself is not what Ruki expected it to be and he’s figuring out how to navigate that and move forward. It is also just a really good set of lyrics.]

“There’s just a hopelessness that’s so profound in [Bath Room]. Like if depression was a song IT WOULD SOUND A LOT LIKE THIS… Up until this point this is the Darkest song AND WE’RE ONLY GONNA GET DARKER FROM HERE *sweats in DIM*”

“I love these unsaid words Ruki leaves in the booklets. Adds layers and messages for the listener (usually of hope)”

(Silly God Disco) “After reading the lyrics I love this song soo much more. Like it’s actually really nice to think about dancing and living life because you have rock music and it makes you happy. Also the FUNK. The flavour. Not only that, but the way Ruki SWEARS he will live happily, without fear, and always moving past pain and towards freedom and glory. And he INVITES the listener with him. This is just SO nice.”

“I think it’s interesting that like…for an album that is sort of Known to be depressing as hell, there are quite a lot of songs about resilience and just…living and moving forward. Depending on what the rest of the albums are about, NIL might actually be, weirdly, the one with the most hope in it.”

(Worthless War) ““Do you shoot first so you won’t get hurt? / Do you call that sort of thing ‘justice’” damn Worthless War spilled. This sounds like a whole lot of anxiety surrounding war, and a very strong criticism against the government for caring more about power than people. Even though violence is despair, he also says that this age of political tension and FEAR is also despair. And he is correct. Ruki: ALSO THE EARTH IS DYING???” (Cr: Defective Tragedy)

(Rich Excrement) ““Lyric killer is erectile dysfunction” + “Biters should check it out too” -> you’re a limp dick who rips off other people’s work I AM SCREAMINGGGGGG.”” (Cr: Defective Tragedy)

(Crucify Sorrow) “The main metaphor here is someone who is an insect with a broken shell – an empty person. With depression, probably…And I cannot help but think about Utsusemi, in which he uses this EXACT metaphor to describe himself and his own depression, his loneliness and his desire to disappear. Was this a coincidence??🤔”

(GANGES NI AKAI BARA) “I really like this song – music and lyrics both. Like even though it’s sad that the girl was in a lot of pain, kills herself and is condemned by her church, the narrator bringing her to Ganges and doing a sacred ritual for her so that she can find salvation is actually really really kind and meaningful??? Not only because it’s an act of kindness but also because the pain she was experiencing was emotional/mental (with the constant tsu-tsu-tsura-tsura-tsurai), salvation could relieve her soul from exactly that.” (Apparently Ruki said the narrator is Buddhist but in the context of the song Hindu makes more sense, so I’m just going with that)

(Calm Envy) ““If you could love even these words I’ve thrown your way / I could keep trusting only you as you stand in front of me / It hurts every time you bring up the past you’ve suddenly shown me / I want to love even that empty space where I don’t exist / I’ll wipe away my tears so you wouldn’t notice them / So don’t smile in front of me anymore than this” – SHUT UP THIS SHIT IS REALLY UNCONDITIONAL BUT THEY’RE TIRED OF BEING HURT. GOODBYE. GOODBYEEEEE.” (Cr: Heresiarchy)

(Circle of Swindler) “Ruki writing "how much do you buy us for? let's negotiate [the] value of pain" in circle of swindler to demand respect and acknowledgement of his worth from the higher ups of the music industry because it's the music born from his pain that's making their money is Quite sexy” (Cr: Defective Tragedy)

“[Stacked Rubbish] is about the baggage we have, the baggage we give each other, the Errors we make precisely because we are People who have souls. I think the point (of this album being like an anthology) is that everyone could find something in this album that speaks to them.”

[typometrics]

Socionics: (+/− Functions)

(source) - Russian translation

"The sign of a function in socioanalysis transmits the following aspects. First, it indicates the quality of the function: "+" a positive assessment of the quality, "−" a negative evaluation. Second, it indicates the scale of function: "+" means details, specifics, "−" means large scale, a general plan, a global consideration. Third, it indicates the distance of the effect of the function: "+" means that the function manifests at a short distance from the reference point, "−" means at a far distance. Fourth, the sign reflects the direction of the function: "+" means addition, acceptance, movement towards oneself, "−" means separation, return, movement away from oneself [1]. The term "aspects", used by V. V. Gulenko here, carries the connotation of "the contextual side of properties of functions."

Quality 

+ sign - the "positive", competence in the positive zone of properties and incompetence in the negative zone; 

− sign - withdrawal from the "negative", leaving negative properties for positive ones, competence in both positive and negative zones; 

Scale 

+ sign - locality, the "big plan", concretization, detalization within the sphere of the function; 

− sign - globality, "the general plan," universality of the function; 

Direction 

+ sign - the orientation into the sphere of the responsibility of the function (interest in protection of "own circle"); 

− sign - the orientation outside of the sphere of responsibility of the function (influence, "pressure" exerted on other "localities"); 

Distance 

+ sign - "close" psychological distance; 

− sign - "far" psychological distance.

Basing on the proposed placement of signs of functions, we can decipher the meaning of each of combination. Socionic functions ... carry, in our view, the following semantic content:

+ Fe  - positive emotions, joy, merriment, emotional elation, excitement, a smile, laughter, enthusiasm, optimism, good mood, the experience of happiness; 

− Fe  - negative emotions, grief, sorrow, sadness, emotional recession, depression, crying, tears, frustration, pessimism, poor mood, the experience of unhappiness;

+ Fi  - good relations, love, friendship, affection, attraction, warmth in relations, sociability, close psychological distance, goodness, compassion; 

− Fi  - poor relations, hatred, animosity, antipathy, repulsion, indifference in relations, alienation, unsociability, remote psychological distance, wickedness, mercilessness;

+ Te  - useful, beneficial, economical, technology, facts, acquisition, stockpiling, purchases, savings, bringing order, practicality; 

− Te  - useless, unprofitable, wasteful, utilization, deterioration, exhaustion, costs, expenses, risk-taking, experimentation, sales, trade, action in atmosphere of chaos, ingenuity;

+ Ti  - specificity, itemization, detailed study, thoroughness, accuracy, strictness, place in hierarchy, regulations, instructions, choosing the best option, precision of function, logic of organization, indicators, reporting; 

− Ti  - abstractness, generality, universality, system, classification, typology, general regularities, objectivity, truth, justice, comprehensive review, analysis, dissection, the logic of science, criteria;

+ Ne  - prospects, opportunities, positive potential, core meaning, essence, principle, new ideas, advancing hypotheses, theory, insight, interest, originality, unusual, fantastical, hopefulness;

− Ne  - hopelessness, alternatives, negative potential, meaninglessness, absurdity, paradox, the forgotten and the old, insight, mediocrity, commonness, repressed possibilities, reality, disbelief, sensation[hit];

+ Ni  - future, change in the situation over time, prediction, premonition, gradual development, evolution, gradual ascent, the dynamics of change, the flow of time, imagination, harmonious description, subtle step-by-step changes, convergence, confluence; 

− Ni  - past, accounting for errors, avoidance of danger, anxiety, a worrying premonition, a warning, the ripening of a crisis, revolution, a leap in time, ability to hedge against troubles, sudden shifts, discordant description, the moment of decisive action, divergence, deviation;

+ Se  - retention of power, insubordination, defense, cover, countermove, counterattack, firmness, defense of one's interests, strong-willed pressure from the bottom upwards, strength, will, possession; 

− Se  - capture of power, subjugation, offensive attack, initiative, perseverance, determination, demands, strong-willed pressure from top downwards, the assertion of own interests at the expense of others, overthrowing, appropriating, weakness, passivity;

+ Si  - pleasant sensations, comfort, convenience, harmony, beauty, attraction, leisure, health, relaxation, well-being, pleasure, enjoyment, sensitivity; 

− Si  - unpleasant thrill sensations, discomfort, inconvenience, disharmony, ugliness, unattractiveness, work, fatigue, stress, illness, suffering, pain [1].

"The plus (+) sign is usually associated with a trait of sustainability, immobility, while minus (–) sign is associated with a trait of transience, mobility. An example from physics: negatively charged electrons are in motion around the positively charged atomic nucleus. Consequently, the static trait is positive and dynamic trait is negative”

“I will be considering the top ring of model A, irrespective of which sociotype is being considered, as the static one, and the bottom ring – as the dynamic one. The ring of stabilization (top ring) is, therefore, a carrier of positive charge, and the ring of development (lower ring) is thus negatively charged. The ring of stabilization can thus be considered functional, and the ring of development – dysfunctional."

ALPHA: (-)Judging/(+)Perceiving

LII (-Ti/+Ne), ESE (-Fe/+Si), SEI (+Si/-Fe), ILE (+Ne/-Ti)

-Fe = minimization or avoidance of negative emotions, prevention of quarrels, scandals, and other situations causing emotional instability, which is valued as more important than creation of positive emotional effect.

-Ti = global structural logic. Systematic analysis is the instrument that they use in understanding the world. They are primarily interested in the universal laws that govern its workings. To that end, all traditions, conventions and restrictions are discarded. Everything is subjected to analysis, redefinition, analogies. Their main goal that they are pursuing is the creation of a comprehensive, breathtaking, singular picture of the world. The idea of unity, reasonableness and the fairness in all things permeates their vision completely.

+Si = positive feelings of comfort. They cannot effectively realize their potential if their lifestyle is full of hardships. Style of activity is characterized by relaxation, freedom, by conveniences. Relations with the external environment, where their activities unfold, must be friendly and pleasant. Their groups are always comfortable, relaxed as if at home, and never rough or eccentric.

+Ne = promising ideas. In this quadra, which can be attributed the element of air, there are frequent talks about the future, the unexplored and unknown possibilities. They may seem to be incorrigible dreamers. And this is so: they look out further than anyone, beyond the horizon, they put forward "crazy" theories and discuss them with pleasure. Some of these theories, however, are destined to have long lives, so long that they will outlast their creators.

BETA: (+)Judging/(-)Perceiving

LSI (+Ti/-Se), EIE (+Fe/-Ni), IEI (-Ni/+Fe), SLE (-Se/+Ti)

+Fe = maximization of positive emotions. Even small doses are enjoyed. Against the backdrop of the dramatic, turbulent emotions that always accompany this quadra, every small occurrence deserving a positive response is seen as an occasion for joy and uplifts their spirits.

+Ti = organizational logic. They have a developed sense of duty, citizenship, loyalty to the elected project. It is therefore the most disciplined and organized quadra that knows how to quickly rally its forces in the event of imminent danger or emergency situations.

-Se = minimization of weaknesses, i.e. steadfastness in the struggle against deprivation and resistance against the enemy. In this quadra, the force of will is an indispensable condition for effective operation. Persistence, determination, endurance and firmness are always the supreme authority.

-Ni = desire to bypass danger. They aim to avoid previously committed mistakes. In their groups, experience, skill, know-how, sophistication are highly valued. They feel confident in extreme situations.

GAMMA: (-)Judging/(+)Perceiving

ESI (-Fi/+Se), LIE (-Te/+Ni), ILI (+Ni/-Te), SEE (+Se/-Fi)

-Fi = minimization of negative relationships. This element is critical of evil. They desire to get away from bad people and poor relationships, and to protect themselves from enemies and adversaries. They want to minimize negative experiences, because as we know from psychoanalysis, all extruded problems are liable to generate an emotional reaction one way or another, with a physical cost for the purification of the subconscious.

-Te = business logic of risk and entrepreneurship. For them it is characteristic to reject that which is useless, insignificant, mundane. This aspect is valued as more important than accumulation and rational consumption. Gammas successfully operate in environments of economic scarcity, where in order to survive it is necessary to use something that may appear useless at first glace, but which is present in abundance.

+Se = durability and resistance. This quadra is well capable of defending itself and its position. For them power is not easy to acquire, as to do this they must resist the volitional Beta quadra. However, once it is seized, they can hold on to it despite all attempts at restoration. Protectiveness, ability to defend themselves against all force, ability to keep that which was acquired - these are the principles that they respect. This quadra can be called the quadra of criticism and reforms. In contrast to the 'fire' Beta quadra, which is oriented primarily politically, this quadra is oriented more socially.

+Ni = constraining their hot temper, these sociotypes prefer to advance gradually into the future, though they may sharply reject obsolete ideas, criticizing past mistakes. Advancing step by step, they generally believe in the linearity of development, i.e. according to their deep convictions, it is only necessary to remove obstacles, remnants of the past, and immediately this will open endless possibilities for growth. This quadra is not afraid of chaos and upheavals: they know how to conduct their work under conditions of change, risk and confusion.

DELTA: (+)Judging/(-)Perceiving

EII (+Fi/-Ne), LSE (+Te/-Si), SLI (-Si/+Te), IEE (-Ne/+Fi)

+Fi = positive, warm relationships. Psychological factors play a vital role for them. Without recognition of ethical values such as individuality and the uniqueness of others, religion and spirituality, non-interference in others lives, concrete humanism, etc., the stability they strongly desire is hardly possible.

+Te = logic of use and rational management of resources. This is the most cost-conscious quadra that consumes rationally and prefers high-quality long-lasting products. Risk, rushed jobs, economic chaos and manipulation are not characteristic of this quadra. The society of quality consumption should be stable.

-Si = minimization of discomfort. They value good working conditions and are reluctant to change their routines. This element excludes harmful influences from external environment. This quadra cannot work during emergencies. They highly value convenience, comfort at their workplace, and good coordination at work.

-Ne = the unusual, alternative and bizarre. Despite its groundedness, this quadra respects unusual and talented people who offer creative alternative possibilities. The spread of new information is not impeded, no matter how avant-garde it might be. In Delta groups, there occur periodic flashes of sensationalism and spikes of interest centered around original people who put forward alternative ideas of development.

[marvmacdonald]

“she's fucking impetuous and daring, a little too bold and way too fucking fearless.”

MARY MACDONALD is 21 years old and works as an JUNIOR AUROR and is loyal to THE OOTP they were an GRYFFINDOR and are a MUGGLEBORN. SHE look like CHRISTIAN SERRATOS. 

CHARACTER PARALLELS: jessica jones ( jessica jones ), leia organa ( star wars ), arya stark ( asoiaf ), johanna mason ( the hunger games ), nancy wheeler ( stranger things ), rosa diaz ( b99 ), ellie ( the last of us ), raven reyes ( the 100 ), kat edison ( the bold type ), nina zenik ( six of crows ) AESTHETIC: red lipstick stains on drained cups of tea, leather jackets, cigarette bums crushed under doc martens, sitting down in the shower and letting time pass by, always wearing your gold cross necklace, messy ponytails, beer burps, laughter that’s filled with desperation, jean dungarees, screaming in your pillow, mud stained clothes, denim on denim on denim. LINKS: stats. pinboard. character tag. playlist.

history

mary had a little lamb? WRONG. mary had a little calf. because she was born on a dairy farm in the highlands of scotland ( laugh at my joke pls i worked hard on it ). she was born third to two muggles – a scottish father and a mexican mother, who loved each other deeply – and would eventually become their middle child. she could have become overlooked, but mary never felt discounted at home: while her parents were very often busy with the cows, their love ran deep.

her youth consisted of this: running through fields of grass, attending a muggle elementary where people sang songs at her ( old macdonald had a farm and mary had a little lamb, the former of which was, of course, accurate ), playing with the animals, building tree houses with her brothers and sister and playing football every spare moment she got. it was good and simple and wholesome.

of course, strange things happened, as they tend to with muggleborns: she’d explode her brother’s toy when she got angry, or let things fly around the room when she was laughing. when she found out she was a witch at age eleven, things fell in its place. and the macdonalds, while traditional catholics, accepted mary, which is the most important thing of it all. her parents were shocked, yes, but they squeezed her shoulder and promised to discover this all together.

which?? very much influenced mary greatly? because it went against a lot of things they – and she, too – believed in. magic was deemed evil by the church they attended. everything about this was supposed to be wrong, but her parents shifted their views because their love for their daughter was greater than their desire to cling to all the rules the church laid down for them, this has allowed her to have a faith in people, and while she may be cynical and bitter at times, that faith is still there.

i mean --- her parents accepted her, they were capable of openmindedness despite being traditional people in most other situations. other people can too.

hogwarts was as chaotic as home, and mary settled in quite nicely. sorted into gryffindor ( she guessed it was for her rambunctious nature, but who knew ), she found herself a second home and loved it. as it turned out, she was rather good with a wand as well – she didn’t do so good at essays, though – and genuinely liked learning ( except for history of magic. fuck that. ).

being a muggleborn had its downsides, of course, but mary never really allowed herself to feel discouraged. hurt? yes, definitely, but never discouraged. she wasn’t going to let it get to her, she told herself, but it did, especially when the harsh words turned into something more. it was during her confrontation with mulciber that mary felt true, harsh fear for the first time. she felt shut down, paralysed, depressed —– but then, after a while, she got up and took some important steps. she reported mulciber, which led to nothing, which caused her to feel angry, which in turn caused her to feel determination. if the system wasn’t going to be on her side, she’d just have to fucking change it, right? mary started throwing herself in her schoolwork, determined to join the dmle – hopefully as an auror, but any position would do. she suppressed her fear and the trauma that was there, and kept her head straight.

this entire situation is up for change and stuff when/if we get a mulciber! 

graduation rolled around and mary got the five required NEWTs to even apply. it was a nervewracking process, but once she got into auror training, she cried. like. for a full ass day. she was so proud of herself and she felt so determined and !! man. it was such a good, defining moment. around the same time, mary joined the order; she knew the ministry was corrupt, and that it’d not allow her to do everything she wanted to, when the order DID. mary had too much anger, too much determination to fight this bullshit to just stick with the ministry, and so the order seemed like the right place.

it’s only recently that mary graduated from her training and became a junior auror. it’s ... infuriating, at times, but also amazing. she hates the ministry and most of the people in it, feels paranoid in those walls, but knows that there are good people, too. people who want to better that place, like she does.

kaz brekker voice: brick by brick, i will destroy you.

also --- mary is ... very quite involved in the war. her time is divided between the order and work, and her dog. she’s determined to get this war to end. she doesn’t even care if she destroys herself in the process --- what does her life mean, if she could help save numerous people?

so right now, she’s fighting. she’s gritting her teeth and keeping her goals in the back in her mind and is focusing. and she does not always feel brave or confident or self assured, but that does not matter: mary macdonald always gets the fuck back up, and that’s what she will keep doing until she’s completely knocked down.

personality & tidbits.

mary is a human espresso. she’s so. damn. bitter?? despite the fact that she keeps on going and that she’s fighting her ass off, she’s tired and angry that things don’t seem to be moving in the right direction, she’s feeling bitter about the fact that this kind of discrimination is happening right in front of her eyes and that she does not have enough power to stop it. she feels powerless, which makes her feel bitter, which makes her cynical.

still! mary is not necessarily a debbie downer to be around. she keeps her bitterness ( and hopelessness, even ) carefully hidden in boxes in her mind. on the outside, she’s filled with quips and smiles and quick comments! just a sociable bean, but just a bitter one.

is a dog person and will fight anyone who prefers cats. has a cairn terrier called bowie. she loves him more than anyone.

obsessed with tea, tbh. her ma always said that ‘there’s nothing a cuppa can’t fix’ and mary definitely agrees with this statement.

though is also a ‘whiskey in a teacup’ kinda gal

can be spotted wearing either a rly nice ass blazer or a jean jacket, no inbetween. either office-fancy or farmer-chique

fucking loves muggle culture and loves fellow muggleborns and !!!!!! she loves it!!!

very much in a take-no-prisoners mindset at this point re: death eaters. it kind of scares her, tbh, but mary is very much capable of murdering a death eater, even if she could stun them — she’s just done. she’s very. done. with them. and this whole shbang? will only feed into this.

mary is ruthless, that’s what it boils down to. she’s a lot more than that, of course, but she’s ruthless — in small things ( football matches & boardgames ) but also in bigger ones, and of course the war is the main way it shows. mary is so angry. she’s so angry and scared and tired of feeling that way and tired of being scared to lose people and herself and of death and she’s so angry that people really are this way and that they really do these things — she wants it to stop. she wants the world to be right. and sometimes she thinks the ends do justify the means.

this is why she’s chaotic neutral and not chaotic good.

like ive had her turned to dark arts before just bc she’s so desperate to. fucking win. tbh i’m sure she has a growing interest rn. stop it mary :(

and she’s also like — mary doesnt care if she ruins herself? if she becomes a bad person who’s unable to live with the shit she’s done? as long as the world is better for it, as long as kids can go to hogwarts and feel safe and the world is a safe place for everyone. what does her soul matter in the grand scheme of things? she’d burn in hell forever if it meant the rest of the world changed for the better.

emotionally driven mess of a being

is catholic but struggles a lot with religion and feeling faithful, but she does still identify is a catholic, it’s just? complicated. it’s rly complicated and she hates it.

is a bit flighty when it comes to romance, def has a lot of one night stands/fwb situations though??? she’s just like??? i dont have time for romance its a WAR

has been trying to stop smoking for five years, but alas

a proud scot. a proud latina. proud proud proud. such a fucking lionness.

mary was a beater during her time at hogwarts and was Highly competitive. threw herself into the sport tbh after the mulciber incident. she still thinks football is superior, but you know, it isnt in the air.

she’s pan and out of the closet --- something that did put a strain on her relationship with her family. ( the fact that they could accept her magic but not her sexuality ... baffles mary, but bigots have never been very reasonable. ) she’s not very open about it at home, but otherwise ... she’s out here lovin everyone.

plot ideas!

roomies —– so mary is not Earning A Whole Lot Right Now but does not want to live at home any more because 1. its in the middle of nowhere and 2. most importantly, she’s afraid of endangering her family. she needs roomies! i’d love for her to live in glasgow/edinburgh/london/idk a city!!!

hook ups/fwb’s/etc —– mary is what the old ppl call promiscuous and she sleeps around. so ! let’s talk! former hook ups! booty calls! friends with benefits! etc etc etc!

party pals —- mary likes going to pubs and clubs in the muggle part of town bc it is a LIT way to escape the reality of the wizarding world and also, muggle clubs have better music. come party w her!!!!

in the dragon’s den together —- fellow ministry employees who side eye the ministry and whom mary can sip tea and judge their colleagues with

mudbloods club —- mary loves her fellow muggleborns and i would love some muggleborn friends that she can be buds with. ranting about dumb pureblood names and traditions and the fact that wizards dont have movies

general friendship ideas —- im just going to a bunch of ideas here: hogwarts friends, ride or dies, order pals, friendly exes, fellow tea drinkers that she can go on coffee/tea dates with, friends who are growing apart bc of the war (my fave), etc.

etc —- some other ideas i want to spitball: purists who h8 on mary’s life, fellow diagon alley employees, fellow order members, Annoyances, there is solidarity in being scottish, ministry connections, etc etc etc HIT ME UP

[paganchristian]

Underneath the pier, on the white sand beaches where I once lived nearby.  A place where sharks dwell.  No swimming within a certain distance, because of that reason, the sharks coming after the fish attracted by the fishermen on the pier.  This also reminds me of the torii gates of Shinto shrines, which torii gates mark the entrance to Shinto shrines, the gate from the mundane into the spiritual realms.  This looks like a slanted, swaying or knocked off balance path of torii gates, many doorway after doorway.  In the torii gates where there are many in a trail, the ones further along are said to lead to higher spiritual levels or something like that, and I think there are three levels.  Putting all these images together it makes me think of a crooked path to spirituality, where sharks roam, and an initiation that is dangerous and foolish, because of the slantedness of the pillars and the sharks.  Then I think, of the left-hand path when I think of a crooked path to spirit, but though that is often conceived of as being harmful and selfish in Western spiritual paths or paganism, and such, with Hinduism, it is not thought of as being harmful so much as just taboo, and using unconventional, sometimes stigmatized ways to reach higher states.  It is thought that some peoples’ nature requires them to use the left-hand path because they can’t abide or follow the same path that the sattvic, more peaceful practices of other Hindu sects require.  The left-hand path is not about really hurting anyone or being totally self-centered in every way.  It still considers morals, compassion, and things like that.  But it’s taboo in a few ways that general mainstream Hinduism avoids.  In the dark you can find answers, in the shadow like the ouroboros, eating its own tail, becoming a self-regulating, self-feeding system in and of oneself, by integrating the dark, the confusion, the limits and weaknesses, problems and biases of oneself and of life in this world, ...  as oneself where you meet the world, the life and world where we have to live and you have to be you living in this world. 

The path I can’t walk that my family, my husband and religions ask me to walk, or can I swim and can I transcend instead, float, above, find the way out by flipping the whole thing upside down, seeing outside the paradigm.  These are thoughts that come to my mind now.  If people can’t let me find them, because they put themselves too beyond my reach or my ability to ever reach, then I don’t have to make my life about reaching them.  My husband might demand more than I can give, try to take more than is fair, control more than is right, stifle what is good, fail to appreciate my gifts, silence my reality, make me fake my whole reality because I can’t speak it but not only that I can’t even feel it.  The things I need to do to live when I am just being myself lead to his anger and attack and control.  So even if I don’t tell him about it, the way it makes me feel makes me have to act in certain ways to deal with my feelings, my worries, my confusions, questions, and needs, but when I try to just act in those ways, even trying the best I can to keep it all out of his sight, it causes me to have to act in ways that end up triggering his attack, his control, his strangling away of my life, my mind, my voice, my self-expression.  He demands for me to give him things that I can’t give him if I’m to be true to my own reality, because it takes more than I can muster up, however I try.  I have to revolve my life around fakeness to give him what he wants.  But it’s not so much that he’s incredibly wrong and bad and extreme, but more than I’m incredibly abnormal and can’t give and can’t conform and can’t fake it and can’t hide things and can’t hold back in the ways that others do, ...  And this extends into my relationships with my family, my relationships with religions, my relationships with society, and culture, too. I have tried to change myself, heal myself, give myself therapy or seek that outside of myself in the available forms, follow spiritual and self-help paths and positivity and natural healing and meditation and hobbies and new age things and whatever, so many things, I have tried so much and it’s helped me so much but still I can’t help but be what others can’t even stand to be around, and what many others would try to distort, contort me into a shrunken person, a distortion, a shadow, a pale fog of who I might have ever been, ...  People like my husband would try.  They would engage me in endless hateful verbal abuse and severe crazy-making, manipulative abuse, to truly make me feel I’m losing my mind, my heart, every shred of energy, dignity, hope, joy, meaning, and sense in my world.  Narcissistic, sociopathic-seeming abuse and manipulation.  He seems far worse than the average covert manipulator, because from what I’ve read the others’ tricks are more clearly visible to me, but his tricks are very devious indeed, impossible to argue against, hateful and trickier than any examples I’ve seen given in books and websites about manipulative abuse.  He is extremely intelligent, but it seems that this part of his personality is operating at some kind of subconscious or altered state of consciousness.  It makes no sense, but it’s highly intelligent.  He is capable of seeming like a totally different person, caring, considerate, loving, responsible, normal in every way, mostly, but when this side of him comes up, it’s like a monster has been unleashed, and like he’s lost his mind entirely.  Before I had my daughter, for many years, he was so abusive in this way.  It really started getting bad a few years after we married.  And he was this way for so much of the time then that it left me paralyzed and despairing, miserable, lost, totally out of touch with myself, my deep inner true self.  Hiding from him, hiding who I was, to stay a bit safer, but I still was not safe and was totally miserable.  Now it’s much better but remnants of this kind of abuse still linger enough to stifle my true self, sometimes, somewhat.  Yet I know that the world would not let my true self exist either, because it doesn’t fit in the world, either, and so it would die, not always from abuse, but often from neglect, from mockery, a much milder form of abuse than narcissistic, entrapped abuse in an abusive marriage, but still mockery, yes if you want to call that abuse, or worse than mockery but still, the kind of cruelty that you can escape because you’re not married to the person.  And the world gives me abandonment and neglect and mockery and scorn and attacks and complete misunderstanding, and being completely ignored at best, in my deeper self, oftentimes.  I can’t live this way because my social needs, my needs for supporting myself, for work that I can tolerate, without becoming depressed or physically ill with my many sensitivities, those needs aren’t met nor even seen as valid by this world.  Religions, society, culture, my family member, my marriage, all say I’m not acceptable, not worthy, not wanted, have to follow rules I can’t follow, can’t be who I am because it’s hated and untolerated.  But I’m not some horrible person, it’s just that I have fragile, subtle, delicate needs that the world is not willing or ready to make a place for.  So there is a witch-hunt, demonizing things and people who are really harmless and good, and this is something that happens sometimes when you’re too far outside the norms of culture, norms, society or typical human nature either. 

Maybe I could make or find a life or patch a life together in which I can have what I need, a safe place to be, to be well, to be myself, for my mental and physical health needs, and personality and self-expression needs, and spiritual self and soul and the needs for my psyche, my self-exploration, the drives I can’t let go of to find answers and meaning and self-expression, absolutely compelled to do these things, so life better find a place for me or I might just not make it.  

But when there are too many things trying to make me take care of them all at once, and there is no way to move because I’m crowded in on all sides by others shoving and pushing, holding me down, forcing me along in directions I didn’t need or want to go, or holding me in place, unable to move where i need to go to get done what I need to do, or even trampling me over in the rush to do what they need or want to do but what I need and want to do are left rotting in the dust of nothingness.  There is no room.  All the hopes that sooner or later the peaceful harmony of life with my daughter, of homeschool, and housework, and arts and crafts and of my spiritual path and of nature, and whatever else, these little things that help me hold on for another day and try to find what I may as realizations rise up when and if they do and how they do if I can hold on to them before they sink down under the murkiness once more and are drowned again.  All that which is supposed to let me just make it, maybe it will become trampled too in time.  Sometimes there is not enough relief, enough peace or hope, love or joy or meaning, not enough of any of that to have faith, to feel anything worth feeling, or to do anything worth doing, or know anything worth knowing, and not enough to believe in anything worth what feels like it is worth believing in at all. And I’ve been there before.  

And so I can’t help but feel like I need to vent about this, I need to say it like it is.  I need to admit the full array of slowness, stagnation, completely covered in nothingness, drowned, unconsciousness and going crazy, forgetting who I am, losing my heart, that seems to get lowered down over me, choking out my life and mind and heart, against my will, powerless, and I don’t have to lessen the pain of that reality, by pretending it’s not how it is, not as bad, not as potentially hopeless.  I know that it might be hopeful too, but it’s not the guarantee people try to make it out to be.  

There often will be this extremely compromised state I am put into where the best thing I can have or do or be or try or even dream about trying, the very best I could hope or aim for is still horribly much lower than what anyone is willing to accept as tolerable, acceptable and valid.  Religions, moral systems, cultural norms, advice, friendship and family, marriage, whatever, none of these things accept a place for me and role for me where I am able to exit just as I am.  Where I’m able to be who I really am, take my time, process things as I need, go so slowly as I need, be stuck however long I need, focus on the earthy things if I need (like religions say not to), get down to that earthy level and the survival issues like the root chakra, and that analytical level like the third chakra, and the sacral chakra, childhood issue and inner child, and sensuality and pleasure, creativity and happiness. And the dreamy, surreal and otherworldly, ungrounded self too, the whatever chakra that would be.  lol  And the throat chakra, the self-expression, my uniqueness.  And my heart chakra, my need for love, for interaction, relationship, in the ways I need, the kind of love I need, not just this totally selfless love, but an interactive love that meets the needs of my personality and passions and preferences and a really compatible kind of fulfilling love.  And sexuality, to need to have that part of my identity fulfilled in a way that is healthy and loving for me, when the world seems to not have the kind of romantic relationship I would need that I can see, but only much misleading, much use and abuse and much mistaken feeling of love which leads to wrongness, hurt and use and abandonment.  Finding my romantic and sexual needs met safely and happily only by spirit and astral love, because all human love in that way feels extremely using and hurtful and unpleasant, totally not enjoyable to me at all, the opposite of that, disgusting.  So I’m totally traumatized in that way after all I’ve seen and learned of people and relationships, but I still have to be a wife to my husband and his expectations, demands, and anyway, ..  the world doesn’t have what I need, but only seems to want to use and twist me into something I can’t be, am not, choke the very life out of me, and then throw me away.  Or to throw me away before all the abuse, for the less damaging ones.  But throw me away, either with living decay, thrown away, desecrated, a living death, though not literally thrown away or actual literal abandonment.  

[withasmoothroundstone]

Hope that is conditional upon the impossible is not real hope.

And hope that is conditional upon the impossible, or even the highly improbable, can do a great deal more harm than good.

But also.

Living without hope for a long time can render you unable to see or even conceive of certain possibilities.  Depression, for instance, can completely warp your thinking until every single train of thought ends in “Everything’s hopeless, nothing bad ever changes except maybe to get worse, and I might as well die.”  And it can cause you to rationalize that feeling by explaining to yourself over and over again why every single path you could take is horrible or impossible.  

Made worse by people massively overgeneralizing “depressive realism” into the idea that they’re actually seeing everything more clearly all the time than people without depression.  Made worse by certain kinds of advocacy that teach you should never tell someone their thinking is massively distorted, and never believe anyone who tells you yours is, because that would be ableist or something.

(No.  What’s ableist is assuming that everyone who’s ever been labeled with a psychiatric condition is constantly so distorted in their thinking that they can’t perceive anything accurately without you there to interpret it for them.  It is not ableist to notice someone has distorted thinking patterns in some areas at some times.  Although you should always be careful to be aware everyone has distortions in their thinking including you, and that you might not always have the full story.)

All of these things at once in my life converged into something massively fucked up.  Where I was told that the only hope for my future rested on the disappearance of a movement disorder that had not even been named even in professional literature��when this was going on.  And that if this did not make me hopeful that was the fault of my mental illness and if I only believed hard enough in the cure of something that had no name let alone treatment or cure (there were one or two case studies in existence at that time, there is still no real treatment), then the hopelessness would disappear and I would live totally independently by my twenties.

Nobody told me about SSI.

Nobody told me about communication devices even after it was known and in writing in my records that when I couldn’t speak I could still usually write.  And even after someone devised a method for nonspeaking communication on the phone that was basically her running through the alphabet and me tapping the phone when she hit the right letter, along with one tap for yes, two taps for no, and three taps for “something else”.  All of which mimics the scanning feature on many communication devices. 

Nobody told me about the services that existed in my area for disabled adults.

My neighbor as a kid who got MS and vanished into a nursing home overnight (which was seen as totally normal and inevitable, and people wonder why disabled people lose hope) was still in a nursing home when I was in my twenties, and had still never heard of in-home services that existed in our state for people with the same kind of disabilities she had.  She was reportedly suicidal.  This was seen as inevitable if sad.  I hate inevitable if sad.  It masks too many things that everyone ought to be angry about because they’re not natural and inevitable, they are injustices done to some people by other people. People act like institutions are a consequence of disabilities.  They’re not.  They can’t exist without a whole society deciding to turn the other way as part of society forces people into them based on characteristics that don’t inevitably lead to them.  One woman who workd in the California DD system for a long time said it best -- the populations of people inside and outside of institutions are identical.

Of course it’s also important to be aware that the shape of the building and the number of people involved don’t make something stop being an institution.  

And it’s also important to know that people’s lives don’t stop when they enter an institution and that part of the whole hope thing can involve making life inside better.  Because not everyone will get out.  And people who don’t get out don’t deserve to be treated even more like nonpersons because people are afraid if we make institutions better for people inside them then nobody will ever be allowed to leave.  Just never delude yourself that making it better is a substitute for stopping institutions from existing.  No improvement on the inside can create real freedom.  But if it’s genuine improvement and not just cosmetic, it will change people’s lives.  I remember finding out that the best institution I ever stayed in was so good because it was while I was there being investigated by Protection and Advocacy after deaths occurred.  I found this out over ten years later.  That explained why they never used the isolation room (solitary confinement, often with restraints) on us -- people had died in their isolation rooms and they were being investigated.

Anyway.  I’m scared of institutions now more than I ever have been in years.  I’m scared of changes not happening because most people still don’t realize institutions aren’t inevitable.  I’m not depressed -- because I’ve got enough life experiences to know you never know what to expect really -- but if all this happened during my periods of depression in the past, it would already be unbearably awful.

But the thing that scares me most is more children growing up like I did, convinced their only hope of even marginal freedom is to come as close to functioning like a nondisabled person as possible.  And both children and adults thinking you have to be cured or damn close to it to be happy.  And that goes for things that you would really feel better if they were cured, like arthritis -- it doesn’t mean cure is the only possible way to be happy.  Because people treat it like the cure for ableism is just to make people stop being disabled so they won’t be subject to it.  Which is why ~hope for a cure~ is so often poisonous and tainted.

[kendrixtermina]

Oldham Personality Styles/Traits Test Results

(Clicky Clicky)

For comparision, here’s my results from other typology systems: INTP (LII-Ne), 5w4 sp/sx (548), RULAI, Chaotic Neutral, Lunar, Melancholic, Ravenclaw, Horned Serpent

Idiosyncratic types are tuned in to and sustained by their own feelings and belief systems, whether or not others accept or understand their particular worldview or approach to life. They are self-directed and independent, requiring few close relationships. Though they are inner-directed and follow their own hearts and minds, Idiosyncratic men and women are keen observers of others and particularly sensitive to how other people react to them. They tend to question common beliefs and expectations. They are highly spiritual and do not close their minds to any possibility, always asking what if?' They tend to have a deep inner life, act eccentrically, and live in their own world. They may be interested in the occult or the supernatural and are drawn to abstract and speculative thinking. Fitting into everyday, conventional life can be difficult for Idiosyncratic people. Others may view them as strange, which can be a problem in jobs and relationships. They must live life their own way and sometimes regret they cannot do things in the orthodox fashion. The pressure to conform presents intolerable stress for them. Two key factors affect the quality of Idiosyncratic lives: whether they can find an accepting environment and how well they adapt to others' expectations. Few work settings tolerate eccentricities of behavior, unless the individual has a great deal to offer by way of intelligence or talent. Some Idiosyncratics do well with one ear tuned in to their own personal worlds and one outward to what the boss expects of them. Others, however, have a hard time understanding or accepting authority. Idiosyncratic people do not need other people to give their lives direction or meaning. If they can't find partners who accept their unconventionality, they usually do well on their own. Some are content to experience several relationships in their lives without necessarily finding their one and only.

Everything except the superstitions bit (I’m actually an atheist), though I did have an esoteric phase in my teens and enjoy mythology and random speculation (as just that, stories)

Solitary types have little need of companionship and are most comfortable alone. They do not need interaction with others to enjoy life. Self-possessed and self-controlled, these individuals are alone because they want to be alone, not because they feel left out. Free of the passionate need for others, they can be quite content standing back and watching others. Indeed, they are often gifted observers of nature and of other people. Emotionally, highly Solitary people are even-tempered, calm, dispassionate, unsentimental, and unflappable. They display an apparent indifference to pain and pleasure and are not driven by sexual needs. They are not greatly influenced by either praise or criticism. They function well at work. They get down to work quickly and don't spend much time fraternizing at the water cooler. While they usually do not do well within the political framework of larger companies, when left alone to do their work, they can put their mind to it with unusual concentration. Solitary individuals can be content within relationships as long as their partner accepts their need for solitude. However, even moderately Solitary people may not intuitively comprehend others' feelings or respond to their emotional cues. 'You don't love me!' is a common lament of partners of Solitary people. The more the partner pushes for emotional reactions and a depth of intimate feeling, the greater the stress on the Solitary person. To cope, he or she will retreat. The partner would be better off recognizing signs of caring that are different from the usual I-want-you, I-need-you, l-love-you's.

Ugh that last paragraph, that exact same relationship problem. I don’t often hear the concept of “So introverted even your loved ones sometimes stress you out” in a way that doesn’t conflate it with misanthropy. Like I don’t want to make anyone feel bad or ignored (thats a horrible thing to do) but im not good at this. 

I wouldn’t describe myself as self-controlled or good-at-work (probably due to other traits in the mix) though I can concentrate when the time & subject are right. (otherwise im more on the distractable side tho. or it depends on what it is.) I distinctly remember taking some test/assesment and getting a high score specifically for concentration, i think it was the highest overall (the lowest was motor function. 11 year old me could not catch a ball to save her life.)

As a child or teen I would often start reading at noon and be so concentrated on the book I’d fail to notice the passage of time until my mom came in to get me for supper and asked why I hadn’t turned the light on. 

I don’t think I’m unflappable at all but again it depends on what and the situation and i dont really know what others see, like, I obviously know I have feels but its my own head. 

Serious types are solemn and not given to emotional expression. They are realistically aware of their own capabilities but they are also aware of their limitations. They are not tempted by vanity or self-importance. They hold themselves responsible for their actions. They=re thinkers, analyzers, evaluators, ruminators and will always play things over in their minds before they acting. Serious individuals anticipate problems and when the worst happens, they=re prepared to deal with it. Serious individuals are realists. They see the hard, harsh nature of life clearly. They have no illusions and are incapable of imagining a silver lining. They are no-nonsense people particularly suited to hard times, when their ability to push on can help everyone to survive. They always work hard and provide for others without any sense of heroism or pride in their efforts. Even though they can seem joyless, Serious types are not necessarily unhappy. They take great satisfaction in their view of the universe. They are interested in serious subjects, which they find reassuring, and they find no need to escape into pleasure. Serious people are intensely hard workers, dependable, and trustworthy. They persevere whether or not they are enthusiastic or well rewarded. This can make it all too easy for employers to take advantage of them. They do not expect encouragement or to be treated well by others. Although they are not socially outgoing, once they do connect with others they form very stable, long-term attachments. They tolerate the rough spots in relationships well. They are as critical of others as they are of themselves, but their fault-finding gives them no pleasure. They deeply regret causing any pain . Others who continually insist that they change into optimistic outgoing, happy-go-lucky people cause them great stress but their characteristic cynicism helps them to cope.

ARGH  that “I’d rather see the world as it is than sugercoat it for feelgoodsyness” thing can be so hard to explain to people. I try to be realistic about my abilities & place in the world and aspire toward realism. (and when I’m already stressed out optimism will only serve to make me feel pissed or misunderstood. Unfortunately my mom is the exact opposite, leading to a few regrettable outbursts and isunderstandings, though not major ones. )

The work ethics part doesn’t really apply tho.

Conclusion: Ugh I am such an INTP 5.

I also scored somewhat high for ‘Leisurely’ (Fuck authority sweetheart ~ ) and ‘Vigilant’ (Yay self-sufficiency, though it’s more a horizon to strive for than something I’ve fully realized yet)

That was the 14 trait model tho, the 16 trait one also has this:

Artistic

·                   Mood swings. Shifts from a moderately upbeat, outgoing, creative character to a withdrawn and sullen depressive one. When in a high state, they can be highly productive, original, humorous, and engaging. During a low state they become self-absorbed, pessimistic, apathetic, and may resort to substance abuse. The mood swings happen regularly in cycles, are similar to bipolar (manic-depression) disorder, but not as extreme in the polarity, and also the mood changes in the Artistic personality are usually more so the result of within the person and not triggered by external circumstances.

·                   Artistic inclinations. People of this style often involve themselves in some sort of creative output. They may go into a state of inspiration where artistic production is strong then fall into an apathetic daze, where it becomes difficult, almost unbearable to create art. Since they have a grasp on many corners of the human personality, they have an advantage at expressing the nuances of a particular viewpoint. Many of the world's great artists have had this character style.

·                   Unpredictability. They may take up new plans, jobs, residences, etc. out of impulse. They despise routine and love improvising, stimulation, and new experiences.

·                   Feeling-oriented. Their impulses and feelings control their lives and dictate their appearance and decisions. They rarely make decisions through a systematic, logical follow-through approach but instead base it on their current mood.

·                   Relationship difficulties. Relationships can be trying for these people. They may become promiscuous, unfaithful, or difficult to handle.

·                   Low self-control. They have a difficulty saying "no" to themselves with their appetite. They may go on shopping sprees, binge on food or drink, give into sexual compulsions, etc. Afterwards, they may feel guilty about it and restrict themselves from pleasure.

·                   Shaky self-confidence. Can swing from delusions of grandeur and superiority, and feeling very confident in oneself, to a loss of self-esteem and hopeless despair.

Aaah now here’s a place for my inner emo child and inner gushy nerd fangirl to find a home. I’d wedge it in lower than ‘Idiosyncratic’ but higher than serious. It actually coexists with the above stuff surprisingly well (It’s called “TiNe” or “5w4″)

On the positive, this personality test is the first (except maybe Divergent, but the tests do give me Erudite nearly as often as Candor depending on how absolute the questions are worded. ) to refrain from outright calling me a NEEERD.

So, thanks oldham? 

Also, now I know the precise kind mad I might end up as if I happened across severe trauma, brain chemistry goof-ups or lovecraftian abominations (Please let it be the latter). That is one interesting tidbit of information.  

[mountainpostgazette]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

The post Spirituality and Long-term Recovery appeared first on Mountain Post.

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[newsperception]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

The post Spirituality and Long-term Recovery appeared first on NewsPerception.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/32Oe5ar via News Perception

[allthetimenews]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

The post Spirituality and Long-term Recovery appeared first on AllTheTimeNews.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2Qujxtc via All The Time News

[dailyposttribune]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

The post Spirituality and Long-term Recovery appeared first on Daily Post Tribune.

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[lakeviewgazette]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

The post Spirituality and Long-term Recovery appeared first on LakeviewGazette.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3kJhXl9 via Lakeview Gazette

[newsrecording]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

The post Spirituality and Long-term Recovery appeared first on NewsRecording.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3iE17C6 via News Recording

[businesstribune]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

The post Spirituality and Long-term Recovery appeared first on Business Tribune.

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[newstvstation]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

The post Spirituality and Long-term Recovery appeared first on News TV Station.

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[midwestregister]

Spirituality and Long-term Recovery

Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare

Spirituality. It seems to be a word that is used more often today than 10, 15, or 20 years ago. This term, that invokes different thoughts and feelings for everyone, has become quite the buzzword today. But what exactly is spirituality? How is it different—or the same as—from religion? And more importantly how is spirituality related to long-lasting recovery, joy, and peace of mind?

Spirituality, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is ‘something in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or cleric; the quality or state of being spiritual.’ And spiritual is defined as ‘relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.’ The spirit is also known as one’s soul.

Understanding the Differences between Religion and Spirituality

So what is the difference between religion and spirituality? While there are many religious people who are spiritual and vice versa, these two sometimes incorrectly interchanged words are not the same. Someone can be religious and not spiritual and a person can be deeply spiritual and not religious.

The more common definition of religion is a set or institutionalized system of texts, practices, and beliefs related to God or the supernatural. When people think of religions generally churches, faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Isalm, etc. come to mind.

Spirituality is about an individual’s relationship with basic human transcendent questions. Transcendent is something that is beyond the material world, for many this is God. Spirituality can be highly personal and not conforming to one set of religions or religious beliefs.

For many in recovery, both early recovery and those with years of sobriety, spirituality is a fundamental part and building block of not only staying sober but of having a life with peace of mind, happiness, and joy.

RECOVERY AND SPIRITUALITY: UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION

The spiritual experience or spiritual awakening is not a new concept in recovery. In fact, when Alcoholics Anonymous began in the 1930s, the spiritual principle was a fundamental part of this movement now found in more than 180 nations with an estimated membership upwards of 2 million.

This vital spiritual awakening, is what one of the founding members, Bill W., credited with saving his life and halting his alcoholism. As Bill sat at his kitchen table talking to a friend in recovery, he put aside his former beliefs about God (which included doubt and scorn) and became willing to believe simply in the concept of a power greater than himself or as it’s now more commonly called a Higher Power.

For Bill and so many more, this belief in something greater than themselves opened the door for a spiritual experience and began the road of long-lasting, joyful recovery. This initial concept of a Higher Power and spiritual experience has become a vital part of sobriety and recovery for many seeking a life free from the bonds of alcohol or another substance.

There are many who believe that AA is a God-based program and while for some in AA this is what they lean on, there are many too who have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and are just as successful in recovery and life.

So what is it about this spirituality and recovery that seem to work so well for so many? For many who have alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD), they have been running their lives (and often the lives of their loved ones) solely on their own will, agendas, and often with self-centered motives.

This type of ego-driven life can actually wreak havoc on one’s mental, spiritual, and ultimately physical health. Relying on one’s own will, resources, and plans can be exhausting, stressful, and ultimately unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. Living life in this way means an individual is always trying to run the show, often resists changes or when things aren’t going as he or she wants, and has a hard time accepting when others don’t do or behave in expected or desired ways.

All of these experiences can often cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, anger, and depression. All states of mind and being that propel many to not only first pick up a drink or drug but also to continue to rely on substances to ease these uncomfortable feelings and states of mind.

AUD, SUD, and Letting Go

In order for many—most everyone—to begin the road to recovery and sobriety, acceptance of being powerless when it comes to their alcohol or substance addiction is the first step. This first step is the most crucial to recovery according to many experts.

An honest look back on life when using and abusing alcohol and other substances usually is quick to reveal that the power to stop, cut down, and have good consequences happen is out of one’s hands.

One way to check this is to make a list of all the ‘mishaps’ and negative experiences incurred since you began drinking heavily or regularly or using a substance. For some, this list will include broken relationships, legal issues, and health troubles. There are those too who function at very high levels even in the midst of an AUD or SUD. Maintaining high profile occupations, keeping families intact, nice cars in the garage, boast-worthy vacations and accomplishments may all be on the list, however, it’s vital to look at the feelings you have been feeling during these times. For many high functioning individuals, the outside life doesn’t reflect the inside feelings.

Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness (even in the midst of friends), and despair are common for anyone struggling with addiction issues. This, for many, is where spirituality has radically changed their journey. However, for many, this isn’t an easy first step.

Admitting powerlessness over these feelings and alcohol or substances isn’t an easy feat. Often being powerless is misconstrued for being weak. When it comes to recovery, this simply isn’t the case and this is where spirituality comes into play.

When an individual realizes they are truly powerless in these areas they are able to look at relying on a power greater than themselves to give them the power needed to begin to recover from an AUD or  SUD. Letting go of the reliance solely on oneself is the first step. Who or what an individual wants to believe in is personal and they are the only ones who need to know about this and define it for themselves.

Today, many do rely on God, however many others have formed their own concept of a Higher Power and this has been enough to get them started in recovery and sustain them for many years in long-lasting recovery, happiness, and peace of mind. All it takes is the willingness to believe in something greater than one’s self. The rest will fall into place with the right addiction treatment program, honesty, and the courage to begin recovery.

There are aspects of both religions, spirituality, and long-lasting recovery that are the same. Many of these are concepts and practices that can immediately improve one’s life and well being. If you think you may have an AUD or SUD, are living with feelings of loneliness, fear, and helplessness, or just want to improve your life and happiness, consider incorporating some of these spiritual practices into your life today.

Five Spiritual Practices for Long-lasting Recovery, Peace of Mind, and Happiness

Gratitude Being grateful and giving thanks are fundamental parts of all religious and spiritual practices. Having the humility and graciousness to not only see the blessings on one’s life but to also thank the Universe, God, or a Higher Power for these not only promotes happiness, but it also opens the door to receive more to be grateful for on a daily basis. When you are truly able to see the good in your life, your life will begin to look better.

Meditation or Prayer Most every recovery support group, like AA, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and more, promote the use of either meditation, prayer, or both. The regular practice of one or both of these helps to settle and calm the mind, facilitates a greater sense of peace and serenity, and enables one to look for guidance outside of the self and ego. All of these lead to happier, healthier lives.

Connection to a Higher Power Within Both religions and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universe, the Divine Creator, God, or whatever power one believes in is something that is a part of us. Religions such as Christianity often refer to the Holy Spirit being part of us here in the world and spiritual leaders tell us that the Universal Source or Life Source is also within us. Taking time to connect with our ‘higher self’ is vital to overcoming ego-driven agendas which often lead to pain and fear.

Mindfulness Living in the present moment is being mindful or living in mindfulness. From the simple awareness of what your hands and feet are touching and the sounds you hear to becoming aware of what thoughts are running through your mind, the art of mindfulness can quickly diminish anxiety, depression, and fear. There is a quote which states, “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace you are living in the present.’ The ability to stay connected in the present moment reaps tremendous rewards of peace of mind, happiness, and gratitude. This is also reflected in the well-known  AA saying, “One day at a time.”

Giving Back When it comes to recovery as well as any other gifts of life such as wealth, it is said you have to give it away to keep it. Giving back is a key component of both long-term sobriety and living a fulfilling, happy life. When you are able to give of yourself, your talents, and your time to others, it will satisfy you in a way nothing else does. And with this sharing of love and kindness you, in turn, will also be the receiver of more of those same things.

Whether you believe in God, Buddha, the Divine Creator, or a Higher Power of your own these five basic practices can help you in the early stages of recovery and sustain long-lasting recovery and a happy life. And while spirituality can be a powerful part of recovery, taking the first step and asking for help is all that is needed to begin the journey. If you or someone you love is living with an AUD or SUD Futures Recovery Healthcare offers help and hope. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804. Recovery, serenity, and happiness await you.

  About Futures Recovery Healthcare

Futures Recovery Healthcare is a specialized addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Contact Futures Recovery Healthcare

701 Old Dixie Hwy Tequesta FL 33469 United States

(561) 475-1804

Website: https://futuresrecoveryhealthcare.com/

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