Lakeview Health Systems' program of recovery is based upon the concept that one alcoholic or addict can help another stay clean and sober. You can play an important role in helping others stay sober by sharing your own experience, strength, struggles, and hopes 'your story. Sharing your story might just help another struggling alcoholic or addict to enter or re-enter treatment. It might also give another addict or alcoholic the strength to continue to maintain recovery.

If you would like to share your story, please call Joanna Painton-Hathaway at 1-800-833-9057, or e-mail her at jpainton@lakeviewhealth.us.

We are looking for ideas and suggestions for additional topics for our newsletter that will help you in the ongoing process of recovery.

What is your sober/clean date?
November 15th, 2010

What are you recovering from?
Chemical Dependency, Family Dependency, Sex and Love Addiction, Borderline Traits, and, Histrionic Features

What made you decide to come to Lakeview Health for inpatient treatment?
To detox and try to get sober again

Did you make the decision on your own, or did your family, work, courts, church help you with the decision?
I was the last person who wanted to go back to LVH, my family and house manager of my halfway house convinced me to go

What did you learn about yourself and your disease while you were at Lakeview Health?
I learned that after 50 days I was still not ready for life...so I committed to a long term treatment environment located in Boca Raton, Florida for the last 6 months.

While in treatment you were introduced to the idea of changing people, places and things? What changes have you had to make on your journey of recovery?
I have cut all ties with my past life...all I have is my family. I threw out my phone and all the numbers in it. I deleted my Facebook account and I changed my phone number and my address and I have been disconnected from everyone [I knew] for the last 7 months.

How do you maintain your sobriety today?
I put God as number one in my life. I believe that I am a passenger and he is the driver in my life. I follow where ever he takes me. I have amazing friends who love me and who are there for me. They are sober. I have fun and I laugh today. I live a sober life today with the help of AA [meetings] and my Sponsor.

What would you say to someone to help them make the decision to go to in-patient treatment?
I would say to fake it until you make it. [Once you go to treatment], if nothing else, a seed is planted. If you decide to go back out, and IF you make it back, at least you have some knowledge that you have a disease and you can't beat it alone.

Give an example of a situation you have done differently since maintaining your recovery.
Every aspect of my life is different...from my friends, how I act, how I speak, how I carry myself, my self worth, integrity, and respect. I know what I deserve and how I want to be treated today. I know that I am worth something and that I am capable of anything I set my mind to! I am someone that people can depend on and trust today...I have done everything suggested to me without missing a beat...That is the only way to do it. "Half measures avail us nothing".

How has the experience of inpatient treatment helped you transition into the real world as a sober productive adult free from alcohol and drugs? And, would you recommend inpatient treatment to someone?
I am a "long term patient". I couldn't manage to get it all in just 30-50 days. I needed a place where they taught me to change my pathologies and defects. But I suggest inpatient to any and everyone...we should be grateful that this is all available to us today. When AA first came out, they had Insane Asylums for the hopeless.

 

I work in this field of dual diagnosis treatment because it is a gift to witness the astounding growth that that can occur in just 6 weeks. Treatment at Lakeview is a luxury that few people have in a lifetime-the opportunity to learn and work and focus on themselves in a safe environment.

I benefit because my role allows me to challenge and inspire others on a daily basis. I get to be creative as I address each unique situation with tailored interventions and suggestions. Most rewarding of all, I witness the miracle of patients' journeys out of darkness and despair and into the simple beauty of feeling alive and free again.

Patients often tell me that they used drugs and alcohol to fill a void or a longing for something they couldn't identify. I have the privilege to walk alongside them as they find the solutions, gratitude, acceptance, and peace to fill that emptiness and bring them to a life of hope and possibility. That is why I come to work every day to share these moments of enlightenment, and to be a witness as addicts make the deliberate choice to live, each day, one day at a time.

Erin Kelley, M.Ed., NCC

Help Yourself by Helping Others

If a family member or friend is in need of help, call an Admissions Coordinator for advice. They can get you a copy of our Intervention Guide, a 'how-to' kit for convincing a loved one to get treatment. Call 1-800-884-1727.

When I think of summer today, it is different than the summers when I was trapped in addiction. Then, every day was just another day run by addiction. In recovery, summer time is a time for family, fun, and the great outdoors. Now, in recovery, I think of parks and swimming and going through the lazy river at 'Typhoon Lagoon' while basking in the rays of the sun.

Summer is a wonderful season. It is another chance to create a fresh start. In 12 step programs, there is an expression: 'You can start your day over at anytime.' Well, isn't that expression applicable to our daily lives? If I don't like the course that my life is taking, I can re-evaluate what it is that is not working and then I can make the necessary changes; I can start fresh. I learned many years ago in my recovery that I can make a decision and I can change my mind if it doesn't work for me anymore.

Summer is yet another opportunity to reap the benefits of living a clean and sober life. Beach and pool parties, barbeques, meetings, fellowship, family and friend's are all great reason's to enjoy this summer. Learning how to have balance in our lives is part of the journey of recovery. We work so we can enjoy our lives, pay our bills and save for the future while living in the present.

Make this summer the best summer yet. Find the time to stop and enjoy the great outdoor's; and spend some time with others in recovery. Being sober affords us the lives we never thought possible while using, enjoy each moment as it is a gift of the present.

LVH Recovery Webinars Series

Lakeview Health Systems in partnership with Stepping Stone Center for Recovery and Recovery Connection has launched a new recovery webinar outreach program for graduates of the treatment facility and those in recovery.

This webinar series, coordinated by Alumni Services, is available to all graduates and anyone working on recovery.

The focus throughout the series will be maintaining sobriety, providing new drug and alcohol information, offering tips and exercises, guest speakers, and other issues of concern to our viewers. The webinars are designed to help recovering addicts weather the daily stressors of living, strengthen their sobriety and continue to grow personally.

Viewers can mark their calendars in advance for the last Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm. This project was designed to help graduates and their friends stay connected to Lakeview Health Systems as a vehicle for ongoing support.

We look forward to your comments, suggestions, and questions. In addition, the link below will allow you to review any webinars that you wish. They are always free.

Should you ever need help with recovery, please give us a call at 1-800-884-1727.

We are in the process of building a buddy program and need alumni to help.  This program is designed to connect newly discharged patients with recovering alumni. The buddy system will help those just out of treatment stay focused while they build their local support group. If you are interested in becoming a buddy volunteer, you must have at least a year clean and sober, be attending meetings, and working the 12-step program. If you are interested, please contact Joanna Painton-Hathaway at 1-800-833-9057, or e-mail her at jpainton@lakeviewhealth.us .

Your participation will help you and others stay clean and sober. “You have to give it away to keep it.”