Disclaimer

*Results may vary. The information in this site is NOT to be construed as medical advice. Cirrhosis of the liver is a serious condition and if you have it, you should see a doctor. I am not a doctor and am not able to dispense medical advice. My husband saw a doctor (many of them) and they were able to do things for him that I could not. However, they were unable to recommend alternative treatments, and in MY OPINION they were VERY beneficial to my husband, so I am providing some of that information here. My husband and I tried all of these alternative therapies at our own risk, and if you try them you will be doing the same. At your own risk. No promises are made in this blog. I am not saying there is a cure for cirrhosis or any other condition. However, I believe most people can get well, like my husband did. My husband is alive, happy, productive, functional and has his energy back. He no longer worries about having to go on disability or getting a $577,000 liver transplant. Cirrhosis is a serious condition. He is currently in the fibrosis stage (Stage 2 liver disease), which is still serious. I cannot guarantee you will have the same results. I just want you to know about what worked well for my husband. I hope you will share what you learned with others, and share your story with us as well. This blog was made for YOU! Thanks for visiting!

Thursday, December 29, 2016

If you Struggle With Alcohol Addiction - or any kind of addiction, including food - I made this page just for you!

Since I've struggled with my own addictions in my lifetime (like food, cigarettes, caffeine and sugar), and my husband got his cirrhosis from alcohol, I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping people who struggle with addiction.  Although I am not an alcoholic, I've had my own self destructive behaviors. I had an eating disorder for over a decade (but learned to overcome it). I smoked on and off for over a decade, but luckily, I was able to quit smoking over 10 years ago. I've learned to reduce my sugar intake by a lot.... but I'm still working on the caffeine : ).

I think because I am all too familiar with addiction, I feel a certain kinship with people who have a hard time with alcohol (but the resources on this page will hopefully be able to help people with other addictions, too). I really want to help, since I've gotten to see, first hand, how destructive and expensive an addiction will become, if you let it go to far! And that is especially true for someone with liver disease or cirrhosis. It's not just the person with alcohol addiction that suffers, but the entire family. So please... if there is anything I can say or do, to motivate you to quit while you're ahead... I want to do that!!! I created a video just to talk to people who are trying to quit drinking, in the hopes I might be able to give you guys some support, and keep you from going down the same road as we did!

Over the last few years I've found a lot of different resources that could be helpful to a person who struggles with alcohol, and have made different posts... but I felt it was time to put everything on ONE PAGE, so it's easier to find!  Just scroll down and you will see links for the different pages and resources I've created over the last few years. 


Basically, to me, addictions seem to come from some simple things that CAN be beat, if you make the effort. I think addiction usually boils down to:

a) Wanting a state change
b) Seeing yourself as f***ed up in some way (I talk about that in the video on this page)
c) Dealing with some kind of repression
d) An actual physical addiction to the thing, that you need to separate yourself from. You can do it, it just takes time!

Again - although I was never an alcoholic, I feel like there is a reason I went through this whole ordeal with my husband. If you listen to this video, hopefully you'll see why.  Sorry guys, it does get really long, so you may want to just listen to it in spurts. Or, as I like to do... while you're folding laundry or doing dishes :D. Also, please be sure to check out some of the links that are further down the page,



When Jake went through a divorce several years ago, he saw a therapist who highly recommended this book Jake said he really liked it a lot, and has started listening to it again.  I think this book could be helpful for anyone who has any kind of addiction, whether it's alcohol, food or cigarettes.

(Recovery Classics)

I know it is not about Anger, but I once heard that Depression is Anger Turned Inward. I believe that!

You can also download a version from Audible.com by clicking HERE. My husband actually listened to this on cassette tapes (and loved it... he just told me again recently).


8/30/16: UPDATE, For anyone who has been affected by physical or sexual abuse. This is a REALLY common thing for a lot of people. I recommend you check out this book, Landscapes of the Heart, by Gregg Tyler Milligan, whom I just saw on Oprah's website after he did a brave interview about sexual abuse by his own mother. 

I have spoken with a lot of people who turned to alcohol (or food or other substances) because they were victims of physical or sexual abuse.  If this was the case for you... obviously I don't need to tell you it's not your fault. But I'm going to say it anyway. It's not your fault!

I was a victim, to a degree, myself, and it is part of what caused me to develop self destructive behavior and an eating disorder in my teens and 20s (and I think this is why I have a certain kinship with a lot of alcoholics)! Thankfully, I no longer have an eating disorder, and I'm not going to let my abuser continue to be a negative influence on my life when he's been dead for almost 30 years. The best we can do is heal from our past and vow to become stronger and help others to not suffer or tolerate that same kind of abuse.

This is the book by Gregg Tyler Milligan. Please check it out if you can.



If you're trying to quit drinking,
these are the posts I want to share with you the most:






  




CLICK HERE TO FIND AN ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS CHAPTER IN YOUR AREA



Hope this helps! Hang in there, guys. If me and my husband could get a handle on our addictions, so can you!

Ellie

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