Author: kathleenmc1953@sbcglobal.net

Circling the globe: The case for social media

Posted on by kathleenmc1953@sbcglobal.net

boy with social media

People say the world is moving too fast. Too much too soon. Globalization. Technology. Social mores. I say that we are very lucky that things are changing. We have so much opportunity at our fingertips, literally. We have the internet. It promotes change. It promotes understanding.

When I was young in the 60’s it was popular to have pen pals from other parts of the world. We wrote our hearts out about what life was like for us in our little part of the USA and waited expectantly for a response encased in distinctive crinkly air mail envelopes with exotic stamps from, what were to us, very foreign countries. We had a real curiosity about the world and our place in it. We were driven to reach out to kids in other countries and from different cultures.

Now this desire has been fully realized through social media. I am presently in contact with people from all over the world: the Middle East, Pakistan, India, Japan, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Australia, France, the Netherlands, England, Ireland and Canada.We communicate instantaneously. We open ourselves and our cultures up to scrutiny, support and, at times, ridicule. We are made to think, learn and emote. We develop understanding and tolerance which reaches beneath history and the world news and anchors us to everyday life.

This is a world community. We can no longer avoid our connection to each other unless we shun this medium altogether. And I couldn’t be happier with this turn of events.

Negative emotions in recovery: Fear, sadness and everything inbetween

Posted on by kathleenmc1953@sbcglobal.net

negativecontrastmoon1

We all have our go-to negative emotions. For many of us it’s sadness, for others it’s fear. In my experience these are the two primary negative emotions with other negative emotions being contained in the continuum between them. Feelings of hurt, jealousy, desperation, disappointment, boredom, irritation- they all contribute to a sense of being on the emotional seesaw. Tip it too much toward one end and the feeling builds up and becomes overwhelming.

When you have a substance use problem emotions are not your friend. Abusing substances really is the elusive antidote to negative emotions. But it backfires. The sadness and fear build; sadness is transformed into depression and fear into anger. It’s no wonder that depression and antisocial behavior often go hand-in-hand with drinking and drug use.

In my view, when people go into recovery they are not only making a conscious decision to stop using drugs and/or alcohol but, whether they know it at the time or not, they are also committing to encountering their emotions fully. This is very courageous. Imagine how hard it would be to face years, and sometimes a lifetime, of misplaced emotions. For many, it really is almost too much to bear.

Consequently, accepting and expressing emotions are as much a part of recovery as not using. These skills are learned with time through developing self-awareness. In the end, the goal is emotional maturity.

So the next time someone you know stops using drugs or alcohol, treat them with tremendous respect. They are not the product of their past anymore. They are facing the past in the blinding light of their present, alone and vulnerable. All they want and need is your understanding and support.

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For some practical strategies on how to cope with negative emotions the following link is extremely helpful:

www.choosehelp.com/topics/recovery/how-to-handle-negative-emotions-without-drugs-or-alcohol-using-mindfulness-and-mental-imagery-to-cope-with-uncomfortable-feelings

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DISCLAIMER
This information is for educational purposes only and should not in any way be considered a substitute for professional help. If you feel that you need immediate assistance please call your local psychiatric emergency services.