to those who are weak (reflections in recovery)

TO THOSE
To those who are weak

Be their strength

To those lonely and friendless

Be their friend

To those lost in confusion

Be their guidance

To those who are hurting

Be their comfort, ease their pain

To those mentally incapable

Help them decide, be their decision maker

To those who are illiterate

Help them understand

To those crying in torment

Dry their eyes with comfort

To those whose balance is unstable

Show them stability

Don't take what has'nt been given

Give what clearly they need

Sow the seeds in humanity

Through words, actions and deeds

by john carcerano

this blog is written for you, in conjunction with "A NEW JOURNEY" RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION by john carcerano http://www.newjourneyrecovery.com/

chemical imbalace does not always mean mental illness

when people hear chemical imbalance they right away assume that it means mental illness. well it doesn't. a chemical imbalance can come from stress, an over burdened schedule, or even worry. an underliing cause to most, if not all addictions seem to be a chemical imbalance in the brain. a chemical imbalance that leads to an unquiet mind. now anxiety can often lead to self medication through addiction. i view addiction sort of as a way for the mind to protect itself from the damages that stress can cause. alcohol, drug addiction, food addiction, gambling etc. may be an unhealthy reaction to stress and anxiety, but a continuing addiction does help alleviate the uneasy and unquiet stresses in the brain. unfortunatly too, addiction is quite damaging in that it refocuses the addicts time and attention away from the people, things and responsibilities that matter most in ones life. and when addiction involves substances such as drugs and alcohol, these substances can and usually do cause severe health problems. anj





learning to calm the effects of chemical imbalances on the brain will help one steer away from getting caught up in the addiction process. mental illness has an effect on the seratonin and dopamine levels in the brain. and a good number of medications for mental ilness are designed to control the levels of these brain chemicals. the part of the brain most responsible for addiction deal with the pleasure/reward centers of the brain.