Step 11

I woke up this morning feeling rested after a night of good sleep. My routine is to wake early, fix my coffee, curl up on my couch, pray, meditate and bring my God into my day. This is my favorite time of the day. It is my time for me, alone. My time of pure peace! Everything was going great until I sat down on the couch…panic set in! How is one person going to get everything done that needs to be done? Especially between the hours of 3:30 and 10pm; 3 schools to pick up from, 2 baseball games, […]

Enslaved to Drugs

…“though he came to scoff, he may remain to pray.” –Big book, pg. xxxii Recently, the Austin Stone Community Church Story Team published an article written about one of BRC Recovery’s alumnus, Alex. His story, “Enslaved to Drugs”, is one which is  heard too often. Alex’s drug addiction began in high school after a string of injuries ended his possibilities for a college football career. He attempted sobriety many times, but each attempt was quickly met by relapse and mounting disappointment until eventually he checked into BRC Recovery in January 2013. While he was a resident at BRC, Alex started […]

BRC Life Skills with Marsha Stone

After the 90-day residential program, residents who successfully complete the first phase of the BRC Recovery program are offered the opportunity to continue with extended levels of care. Most of the residents who come through this Austin rehabilitation center move into their sober living residences and participate in Segue, a 12-month aftercare monitoring program. This is the continuum of care so essential to long-term sobriety. Through guidance, accountability, and the learning of new skills, BRC residents prepare to re-enter society. Life skills is a critical part of learning to live sober. Many men and women struggling with alcohol and drug addiction lack adequate role […]

Maladacious

I have heard the terms malady, spiritual malady, internal condition, untreated alcoholism, but until recently I had never heard the word “maladacious“! Even as I type, my spellcheck doesn’t recognize it. My friend, in defense of her use of the word said to me- its in urban dictionary – look it up! Restless, irritable, discontent- words and experiences and feelings common to most alcoholics and addicts. My belief and my experience show me that the illnesses of alcoholism and addiction manifest in mind, body and spirit. But how do we address these manifestations? And how can such a complicated and […]

Unity and Community: Vital Components of the Recovery Process

Community – a unified body of individuals; an interacting population of various individuals with a common characteristic or interest. At BRC Recovery, a culture of therapeutic community was established in 2006 and thrives to this day. During their stay as residents, each individual has an opportunity to help one another, and also opportunities to serve the greater Austin community at larger. During the summer months, our gender-specific men’s and women’s programs provide cleaning and maintenance services for the Barton Springs Pool. A staple of summer recreation, Barton Springs Pool has a rich history and is filled by the fourth largest […]

Delusion and Alcoholism: Cunning, Baffling and Powerful

“Remember that we deal with alcohol- cunning, baffling, powerful.” The Big Book, 4th edition, Chapter 5, How it Works, page 58 Chronic relapse help for her daughter I had an occasion recently to be on the phone with a distraught mother seeking chronic relapse help for her daughter. Tearfully the mother described the progression of her child’s alcoholism, and with much candor and courage detailed the impact the disease has had on her entire family. She told of the little girl she raised, and of the hopes and dreams she had for her. She described her daughter as a teenager […]

Celebrity Overdose Opens Door for Education on Addiction

Philip Seymour Hoffman It is not uncommon for a celebrity death from a drug overdose to quickly thrust the dangers of drugs back into the news. With the recent death of actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, of a reported heroin overdose, we wanted to address the dangers of this drug and the importance for remembering that addiction does not discriminate. Heroin, a highly addictive “downer” drug, is derived from morphine and affects the brain’s pleasure systems and interferes with the brain’s ability to perceive pain. Several effects of the drug can be: Clouded mental functions due to depression Slurred speech, pulmonary […]

Marijuana Legalization: A Catalyst for Substance Abuse Disorders

A rehabilitation center for adolescents, age 12-21, located in Denver Colorado, reports 95% of their admissions are for marijuana use. Due to the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado this year, the center has had to double its staff, bracing for an increase in referrals. While you must be 21 or older to purchase the recreational drug, officials are concerned that it will fall more easily into the hands of teens. Marijuana, or cannabis, is a gateway drug, which means its addictive nature can lead users down a path to other drugs like cocaine and heroin. Parents and guardians should […]