David, David, David

[U2]

A good friend of mine wrote this poem. Hope some of you get a kick out of it.

Carpool Mom

She's a carpool mom. A Revlon blonde.
And she thinks that she's so real.
So then why does she conceal
the color of her hair?
And wear fake fingernails
and tell tale rumors
of a boob job, too.
So who's she tryin' to fool?
The other mom's that drive the pool?
Or maybe just herself.
Because her mental health
is what keeps her looking young.
She just turned forty-one.
Has two daughters and a son.
And a husband, his name's Tom.
And she's a carpool mom.
Sports some NO DRUG bumper sticker
on the bumper of her van.
She's got Prozac in her purse
and a cigarette in her hand.
Drinks black coffee every morning.
Gin tonic after dark.
Keeps her Sleep-ease in the nightstand.
Love's her husband. He's a NARC
And she's a carpool mom.
Chaperoned the ninth grade prom.
Wore a ribbon on her dress
that says that she protests
the use of drugs like smack and cannabis.
Because to her they're both the same.
And she pops a pill into her brain.
Who let her in this game anyway?
They've told her what to say.
And besides her Valium keep her calm.
And she's a carpool mom,
with diet pills clenched in her palm.
And with that tight clenched fist
insist drug users should be jailed.
Denied bail. Nailed to the cross.
That'll show 'em who's the boss.
Toss away the key.
Then maybe they'll see
that we mean business.
And she witnesses at her church.
Can recite every single verse
of chapter 23 book of Psalms.
And she's a carpool mom.
A real human time bomb
in this WAR ON DRUGS.
She serves icy mugs of beer
and cheery wine coolers,
with fruity flavors.
Takes some pills her neighbor
gave her. Cures whatever ails ya.
Hell she doesn't even know
where they come from.
And she's a carpool mom.
Any slight doldrum
requires a quick pick-me-up.
A cup of caffeine in between
drags of nicotine
give her hands something to do.
And-she still hasn't got a clue
that she's a drug user too!
So my question is the same.
Who let her in this game anyway?
And don't say shame on you
and tell me to stay calm,
when there are hypocrites out there
like the carpool mom.

Paul Bullock

[jim stone]

Just want to add the obvious thing we probably
all know: one positive and truly helpful
addiction is to endorphines.
Getting into shape, and vigorous
exercise,
can make a real difference
to whatever. I have read, though
I don't know it's true, that running
has about the impact of
meds.

[Forrest Aguirre]

chas wrote:
mcfeeley wrote:
I've told this to alcoholics, who have replied to me, "I *have* to do it, I have kids," showing me pictures of their kids.


They have kids so they have to drink? I find this absolutely bizarre, but it's not uncommon in the US.


Sorry I wasn't clear here -- they were saying "I have to do it," i.e., have to give up the alcohol, for the sake of their children.

Follow through is so important -- it didn't happen, in spite of their very sincere vows. Like I said, they're dead now.
_________________
-- Dan M.


I'm wondering, Dan, what kind of counseling was available for them? Giving up on sheer willpower is, as I understand it, next to impossible. I gave up drinking, drugs (a wide variety, all illegal) and smoking all at once, but I had to move from one continent to another and get great counseling (on both continents) to make it stick. I can't imagine what it must be like to try to quit on a promise and a prayer - there's not much hope there.

Forrest

[U2]

There are thousands of Vietnam era soldiers who were addicts in-country, yet never touched heroin again after return to the US. It is something well documented, but rarely discussed. They quit cold turkey when their environment changed. Perhaps addiction isn't quite as well understood as those who claim to understand it perceive it to be.

[Monster]

Just want to add the obvious thing we probably
all know: one positive and truly helpful
addiction is to endorphines.
Getting into shape, and vigorous
exercise,
can make a real difference
to whatever. I have read, though
I don't know it's true, that running
has about the impact of
meds.

There may be some truth in the exercise bit, it does seem to perk one up, especially right after, endorphines kicking in, but it doesn't seem to last all day.

[U2]

There are thousands of Vietnam era soldiers who were addicts in-country, yet never touched heroin again after return to the US. It is something well documented, but rarely discussed. They quit cold turkey when their environment changed. Perhaps addiction isn't quite as well understood as those who claim to understand it perceive it to be.

Like I said March 8 without response: It's rarely discussed.

[Monster]

There are thousands of Vietnam era soldiers who were addicts in-country, yet never touched heroin again after return to the US. It is something well documented, but rarely discussed. They quit cold turkey when their environment changed. Perhaps addiction isn't quite as well understood as those who claim to understand it perceive it to be.

Like I said March 8 without response: It's rarely discussed.

Probably nasty withdrawels I would imagine.

[cowtime]

There are thousands of Vietnam era soldiers who were addicts in-country, yet never touched heroin again after return to the US. It is something well documented, but rarely discussed. They quit cold turkey when their environment changed. Perhaps addiction isn't quite as well understood as those who claim to understand it perceive it to be.

Like I said March 8 without response: It's rarely discussed.

Probably nasty withdrawels I would imagine.

According to those who have first hand knowledge that I know personally, the MENTAL part of addiction is the hardest to kick. Returning to the same environment has a great deal to do with failure to recover. They speak of "triggers". This could be a place, a song/tune, a person. The fact that when these vets got out of the environment where they were using, and that the new one was a totally different environment (wartime Viet Nam as opposed to coming home to the U.S.) would have been a great boost to any attempt to clean up. Remember , I'm saying this would be a help to some, not all.

The physical withdrawals from hard drugs are terrible. I've seen it and it's not a pretty sight. But it's the MENTAL withdrawal that will make or break. Either way, the alternative is self-destruction on the fast track.

[mcfeeley]

chas wrote:
mcfeeley wrote:
I've told this to alcoholics, who have replied to me, "I *have* to do it, I have kids," showing me pictures of their kids.


They have kids so they have to drink? I find this absolutely bizarre, but it's not uncommon in the US.


Sorry I wasn't clear here -- they were saying "I have to do it," i.e., have to give up the alcohol, for the sake of their children.

Follow through is so important -- it didn't happen, in spite of their very sincere vows. Like I said, they're dead now.
_________________
-- Dan M.


I'm wondering, Dan, what kind of counseling was available for them? Giving up on sheer willpower is, as I understand it, next to impossible. I gave up drinking, drugs (a wide variety, all illegal) and smoking all at once, but I had to move from one continent to another and get great counseling (on both continents) to make it stick. I can't imagine what it must be like to try to quit on a promise and a prayer - there's not much hope there.

Forrest

Sorry -- late response, I haven't been keeping up with this thread.

Everything possible was offered -- I keep a packet of referral sources with me that covers everything, from A.A. meetings, to intensive outpatient, to long term residential. For the really hard core people, for example the ones drinking a fifth of vodka daily, every day without letup, I strongly urged going through detoxification and then signing in for long term residential treatment. The setting was a hospital emergency room, my working abode.

Addiction is really hard to beat, and even more so when the levels of abuse get terribly high.