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LifeRing and Other 12-Step Alternatives Featured in Professional Journal
A recent magazine article on Alternatives to 12-Step Addiction Recovery in “Social Work Today” magazine not only is the lead story for that issue, but features LifeRing as an organization and quotes Executive Director Robert Stump. The article deals with the current situation faced by nearly everyone who seeks treatment for addiction: “there is something that…
The Role of Abstinence in Treating Addiction
LifeRing believes strongly that abstinence from all alcohol and other non-medically indicated drugs is the only acceptable goal once addiction has occurred. All of our members accept that as the goal of our approach, and many of our members have years of successful abstinence to point to along with a vastly improved quality of life.…
Addiction: Is It a Disease, or … Something Else
The question of whether addiction constitutes a “disease” is a perennial source of disagreement among the “experts’ and among addicts themselves. Much depends on the definition of “disease.” Used casually, the term implies some sort of breakdown in the body, stemming from bacteria, or viruses or things like cancer which have a clear and negative…
LifeRing Recognized in Professional Journal
Martin Nicolaus, LifeRing’s founding leader and author of our three LifeRing books, passes along this mention of LifeRing in a recent article co-authored by the widely-respected writer on addiction William L. White. John Kelly was the other author and the passage appeared in the Journal of Groups in Addiction and Recovery under the title “Broadening…
‘We look at red wine like it’s dark chocolate’ — New Book Examines Women and Alcohol
Anne Dowsett Johnston is the author of a new book entitled Drink that explores the relationship between women and alcohol. In a recent interview, Johnston said, “‘We look at red wine like it’s dark chocolate, … We know the downsides of the tanning bed and trans fats, but not the downside of our favorite drug.’…
A View on LifeRing’s “Structure”
LifeRing member Byron Kerr shares some thoughts on LifeRing’s approach to providing structure in recovery: I recently heard a proposal in a LifeRing forum that, “some people just need the structure of 12-Step.” This reflects an assumption that LifeRing is somehow unstructured. While it is true that we do not offer a single “official” structure as to…
On Counting Sober Time
A member of the LifeRing board of directors writes about the issue of ‘counting the days’ since one’s last use of alcohol or other drug: It was helpful for me to tally the years from birth to about 35 and include them in my sober time, an idea I kind of gleaned (perhaps taking some liberties…
LifeRing is present at Treatment Professionals’ Annual Conference
LifeRing board member Jeff K. submitted the following report about his attendance at the annual CAADAC conference in Sacramento: The 2013 Annual Conference of the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors was held in Sacramento earlier in October and LifeRing was there! As in several past years, we set up a table in the Exhibit Hall,…
You are NOT powerless!
One of the most-read items on this website is an essay by long-time LifeRing supporter Dr. Candice Shelby, an Associate Professor of Philosopy at the University of Colorado. I thought it might be worthwhile to draw your attention to it again. It encapsulates an important part of what LifeRing stands for. See it Here.