FIRST CALL STORIES OF RECOVERY
Be a part of the Solution
Drug Free State of Mind
Daevion Caves, age 18, Alton High School, Alton, IL and Jordan Earle Atkins, age 16, Alton High School.
Background:
We, Jordan and Daevion, made this song to encourage kids and adults to rise above their circumstances. There are a lot of people who turn to drugs, instead of chasing their dream. They let poverty, violence, and drugs rob them of their dreams and they stop believing in them. We know our two voices can inspire others to join us. Instead of two, lets multiply to 200 and let 200 multiply on. Believing is the key to all dreams, and all things our possible so keep believing and stay strong.
http://drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov/contestWinners.php
A Story of Recovery from First Call I am a twenty-five year old recovering alcoholic and How To Cope alum. My participation in How To Cope was happenstance, unlike my sobriety, but similar to my recovery, it was more fulfilling and elicited more personal growth than I could have ever anticipated. My psychology class this Fall required that I choose an organization with which to undertake a service learning project. For obvious reasons, I googled "alcohol and non profit in Kansas City" to narrow down my options: the National Council was the first hit. My official project with First Call was to facilitate the C.A.R.E. class. In order to prepare to teach the class, it was suggested that I participate in How To Cope. Not only did the experience help me better understand the material which I would then be expected to present during C.A.R.E., it was an incredible opportunity for healing – to feel that my experience as an alcoholic was not for naught. Due to my near daily attendance at a support group for alcoholics for the last seven months, I am witness to the power of group healing. I walked into the first How To Cope session knowing that I was entering a room of caring, compassionate people who, like me, had experienced the pain of living with addiction and alcoholism. My expectations for the course were to become familiar with the other side, to better understand what it might have been like for my own family and friends to live through my active drinking problem. What I never expected was the opportunity to shed some light on what my classmates’ loved ones might be feeling by recounting my experience with alcohol. Our How To Cope leader facilitated an honest and warm environment for sharing, education and discussion. With assumptions aside and defenses down, I heard my story in our facilitator’s instruction materials about addiction and my classmates’ anecdotes about their loved ones. I took for granted that not everyone understands how miserable, insecure and trapped an alcoholic feels. At the same time, I could not understand why my mom would get so upset with me about trivial matters while ignoring my deepening dark circles and weekend disappearing act. How To Cope showed me that just as I put up unconscious defenses to protect my wounded alcoholic self, my parents exerted inconsistent controlling behaviors to protect themselves from the reality that alcohol was destroying their daughter. The class also discussed how arresting co-dependent behavior can give the alcoholic or addict the chance to hit bottom. This rings true in my case. My mom’s participation in a support group for family members of alcoholics played a significant role in my admission of defeat against alcohol. I cannot do justice to my experience during How To Cope in these few short paragraphs. It was the first time that I felt a sense of peace about my alcoholism - that perhaps the pain I had endured and chaos I caused could be turned into something positive. How To Cope was an invaluable gift. |
