Gentle Sobriety
The bridge between addiction and healing

 

White Knuckle Sobriety   

You Might be an Addict

General Questions  

Am I an Addict?

Bar Stool Dreamer

Facing Secrets

I Gave Up

Mama Died Drunk

                  

                                      

 

                            

 

 

 

 
 
Gentle Sobriety believes that for millions of addicts, addiction is not a disease but a response to keeping early childhood trauma secret. It may be a single traumatic event such as child rape, or repetitive sexual abuse, brutality and/or torture over months or years.  Whatever the cause, the child spends every waking minute holding on the the secret. (see http://privatefamilymatter.com for specific acts)
 
Regardless of the root of addiction, Gentle Sobriety recognizes how difficult it becomes to live sober in a country (USA) that worships addictive substances and behaviors!
 
The most common root of addiction in adults is child sexual abuse, between the ages of birth and 13 years old.  This includes incest, brutality, sexual bullying, torture, captive and both kin and non-kin torture. 
 
Secrets prevent healing. The longer a secret is kept the more chemical or outrageous behavior it requires to block the memory.

  • Memories of child abuse trigger cravings (food, cigarettes, alcohol, shopping, hoarding, etc)

  • Chemicals block recall; suppress feelings; numb the pain; mask the shame; ease the fear

  • Chemical make you feel "normal"

  • The reason "white-knuckle” sobriety fails to stop the cravings

  •  Addicted relatives undermine your sobriety

  • Feel free to avoid abusive family members

  • Accept sobriety as a permanent life style

  • Heal the Chi-ult within

"Did anyone ever threaten you, "not to tell?"  A child who is threatened with harm will carry this fear into adulthood. Once they discover a chemical or behavior that makes them feel "normal" they are hooked.
 
It is easy to get sober.  The real challenge is staying sober!   Recognize the subtle temptations in a society that worships alcohol, prescription drugs and quick solutions to life's stresses. There are many alternatives methods available to reach permanent sobriety.  Keep searching until you find the one that fits you.
 
Relapse indicates there is unhealed trauma. Once the secret is revealed there is nothing to hide.  Then you merely address the addiction ritual.
 
 

Vocabulary

Prepare for Sobriety

Healing  

                                            Help for Family               

                              

Spirit Ranch - Oregon    

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© 1991- 2009 Sue Christensen, All rights reserved. Write:  PO Box 1188, Nome, Alaska, 99762.  Links to this site are welcomed, but wholesale downloading for reproduction elsewhere by any means, print or electronic, is expressly prohibited and will be prosecuted under relevant Federal statutes. Written permission is required to mass produce, copy or reprint by any method. No permission is implied or granted to duplicate or distribute pages or graphics in any manner, either electronically or in printed form. No reprint in any form is allowed including storage in a retrieval system, transmitted or copied for public or private use other than for “fair use” as a brief quotation without prior written permission of the author.

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