Beating addiction and alcohol

Genetic dysfunction is by definition, trauma, inherited trauma is trauma, nonetheless

We inherit the sins of our fathers and our mothers is quite literal not just metaphorical.

All human behavior is a function of biology and environment. Imbalance or entropy, trauma leads to an imbalance in leverage, love, whatever you might want to call it.

Stability is a natural state if we are not in alignment something is out of balance and it isn’t some mystical thing.

There are four pillars to alignment, body, mind, spirit, and environment. When they’re in dynamic balance, we thrive when they’re out of balance, we don’t.

Disease , dysfunction, whatever you want to call it all fall into one of these four categories and usually breaches boundaries of each.

The medicalization of all illness is an artifact of a scarcity based economy that looks to profit in order to heal. It’s absurd in the extreme.

It is and will change because of people like you who committed to making a difference. I’m happy for your sobriety and thrilled to know you found purpose in your suffering just as I have.

May you enjoy peace and good health all of your days.

Thank you and you as well.

What type of meds for this did you use?

Hello @sophie55. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

@joeyjensen1959- Any period of sobriety after 30 years of use is truly remarkable—and 15 months is an incredible achievement. I’m sure your comment about some days being a challenge is an understatement.

@sisyphus has some great insights. I agree that making friends seems to get harder over time—though you'd think it would get easier with experience. Watching my kids strike up conversations and invite other kids to play, even if they've never met before, is a reminder that we can learn a lot from them.

“The opposite of addiction is not sobriety—it’s connection."

This quote is often attributed to Johann Hari, a journalist and author who explores the roots of addiction. The idea is that addiction thrives in isolation, whereas recovery is supported and sustained through meaningful human connection—with others, with oneself, and with a sense of purpose or community. It's a powerful concept that reframes addiction not just as a chemical dependency but as a response to disconnection and emotional pain.

@joeyjensen1959, if you are comfortable doing so, can you share what you have learned over these last 15 months about recovery for you?

@sophie55- @dfb raised several points—was there one in particular that stood out to you?

Hello @gailmalloy. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

@heartbeatz22- What specific medication did you try for alcohol? How have things been going for you over the past couple of years?

@gailmalloy- Are you asking about medications for yourself or someone else?

You can't even imagine how much your support means to me...my family gave up on meits been many many years since I heard from them...but the good news is that I'm clean and still in good health. Thank you and God bless you.

Haven't been on in a while...I've fallen off the wagon...so to speak...sorry to disappoint myself ...i fight so many 😈 demons..ashamed is an understatement.. will I ever get it together.....#pitiful #addiction #struggling

It takes time to get clean...it's hard at first...sometimes, actually many times I failed, but I didn't give up, you have to have a purpose and make goals ,try to stay positive pray for strength...have faith, hope and charity....my battle is not over yet.

Hey, as long as you are alive, there is hope. You can start again. I have relapsed over and over since I was 14 years old. My last relapse lasted almost a decade and I am grateful to have survived. Do not beat yourself up. There is only today. Hang in there. You are not alone. Many of us have tried, picked back up, gotten sober only to relapse again. This disease is "cunning, baffling and powerful" as the AA Big Book states. Just for today!!! Just the fact that you reached out is YOU, the stronger part of YOU.

Jeff, you can be mad at yourself, ashamed, embarrassed, disappointed. But don’t dwell on that. This is the time to get up, dust yourself off and get back on that horse. With new vigor. This would be a good time to grab onto your buddies at AA. We’re all in the same lifeboat and if you fall overboard there’s guaranteed to be many arms outstretched to help you back in, help you get over your shame and embarrassment for falling overboard, and help you keep your balance for your future. Go for it!