The Connections We Make:
This video is a must-see for everyone in the world, not just those in a relationship with drugs or alcohol. Yes, I mean the entire planet. This should be required learning for every human being in the world. The ignorance must stop. The decriminalization of sick people, those with a medically diagnosable disease. Those with cancer of another terminal illness are not criminals because they are in a disable state. Right?
What most of us know and how most of us think needs to change. Change at a level that can be accomplished. Accomplished with today’s 21st-century technology and proven through science and real-life experience. The recently experienced trauma during the COVID outbreak has driven addition through the roof. Sky rocketing across the planet.
My Real Life Experience
First I want to start with telling you of my connection which allowed to return to the UK. My best friend Adam Mitchell.
He is the guy that found out I was always a citizen of Scotland. Bred and born a pure Scotsman. Without Adam and his great connection skills, and our personal friendship I would not be where I currently live. The best place ever! My home.
He is also the main web developer and designer. His work is seen throughout the world’s recovery communities. From Australia to South Africa and beyond. The UK and Europe are also part of Adam and myself areas we cover. Together we both have established both our companies to be the go-to guys for connections and guidance.
Spoke Same Language
I met him while at the recovery residence I was helping out as a resident advocate.
He and I spoke the same language and we both had the same dreams and ambitions. What he was doing in the UK is what I was trying to do in the USA back then.
I connected with Adam after another connection referred us to each other. Andy from Cambridge, UK. Thank you, Andy! We also met guys like Duane Lawder from Radical Online Radio. I met Duane the same time I met Adam while living in Houston, Texas.
From the very first day to today our connection has not failed. Ever!
I was sitting in the home’s kitchen on my computer next to the fridge. Every time some wanted something out from it I had to move aside and let them do what they needed to do. Pretty funny if you were there.
Back in June of 2015 while living Texas and helping out my great friend, Ken Laney. Ken founded the Powerhouse Recovery Center. It’s a men’s residential sober living facility in Houston Texas. Ken offered me a position there in 2015. At that time they usually had 25 residents in their BB12Step Recovery Program.
There recovery program is mainly focused on a 12 step model. Please visit his education presentation site at https://bb12step.com/.
Discovery
While in the office working at the Powerhouse Recovery Center, I saw a video presentation from a Ted Talk. It stirred my interest a great deal.
I actually showed this to quite a few of the guys in the house as it was a great informative presentation that I could them to sit down relax and watch. I kinda used it as a tool to open up their minds top a new way of approaching their thoughts and ideas about addiction.
Please watch the video as it relates to my personal recovery and may relate to you the reader as well.
You Should Listen
The video is from Johann Hari’s talk at the TED Global London meeting on June 16th 2015. It currently has had over 17 million views. 17,575,601 views in fact!
Johann Hari’s first book, Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope, is being translated into 27 languages and has been praised by a broad range of people — from Elton John (who said it “will change your life”) to the British Journal of General Practice, who called it “one of the most important texts in recent years.” His second book, Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, has been translated into 15 languages and is currently being adapted into a major Hollywood film by Oscar-winning director Lee Daniels, and into a non-fiction documentary series. – TED Speaker Profile
Johann Hari Ted Talk
“What really causes addiction — to everything from cocaine to smart-phones? And how can we overcome it?
Johann Hari has seen our current methods fail firsthand, as he has watched loved ones struggle to manage their addictions.
He started to wonder why we treat addicts the way we do — and if there might be a better way.
As he shares in this deeply personal talk, his questions took him around the world, and unearthed some surprising and hopeful ways of thinking about an age-old problem.”
My Connections
From the very start of my addictions and alcoholism on the very first day while taking the first drink and smoking the very first joint I made the initial connection. The very first contact with the drug and drinking world. A world I would suffer through for the next 40 years. I was just 11 years old!
Of course “Age Of First Use” is a very strong indicator of future substance use disorders. As I proved it to be.
Connections I made and connections is want I craved as a young boy, pre-teen at the time of my first proper dose and drink!
It was as if the more connections you had the better things were.
Predominance
Almost immediately the main driving force behind my behavior and decision masking were highly influenced by addictions power. A power that seemed to be inside me.
It turned on the switches for desire and wanting. I started to maneuver things in my life so as to end with my satisfaction. Satisfaction and ease. I need so much to feel different as soon as I exhaled the first breath of smoke and intoxicating vapor.
Coupled with a few gulps from a bottle of Jack Daniels Whiskey. My first booze!
Sadly for me and many others, I did not know or was aware of the damage occurring to me. It was over before I even got started.
Genetics & Family History
I truly believe however that I was born with addictive indicators.
I certainly am not qualified nor educated on genetics but I can testify to one fact. The fact that my family tree is full of problem drinkers. In my mother’s family she had a few sibling that have passed directly due to alcoholism.
The Scottish have a high tendency to suffer with alcoholism as it’s a social function for many. Much of the Scottish population drink and many have issues. Merge connections with predominance and you got a big problem!
They really need a great family recovery program like what Rich Jones is currently doing. Rich is a guy that everyone should know and follow.
Rich is a guy on a different level that most everyone I know. Since 2015 I have helped Rich with his personal blog site – https://recoverycartel.com/
His new position will take him to the nation level and give him the ability to help thousands if not 100,000 of thousands!
Richard Jones MA, MBA, LCAS, CCS, SAP, CEAP, c-EMDR, CAI
Executive Vice President Heritage Health Solutions | Executive Director Heritage CARES
Damage Done
Eventually and as horrible as it sounds, I became alcohol-dependent at 13. I had insufferable detox events between long periods of continuous drinking and using.
Within only 2 weeks into my drug and drinking career, I was using Class A Federally Prohibited Substances. Marijuana, alcohol, amphetamine, LSD, and mescaline. Cocaine use started at 13. Along with my introduction to the needle. Little stick of pleasure. Pleasure is always followed by pain. Eventually ended up in full psychosis.
Today at 62 years old, I feel as if that young kid never had a chance. He was heavily primed for addiction.
I tell some folks I was a “born a junkie waiting for his first fix” and “a drunk waiting for his first drink”.
I call it “Born As Stone”. Soon I will complete my story about that specifically.
Mums and Dads, Friends and Family
My life is a great one today but I am the exception. I am the guy that didn’t overdose and die.
What I did do however was that I dragged my family through the pits and dark canyons of many substance use disorders and alcoholism, followed up nicely with a serious mental health concern.
Truth be told. I was a done deal at birth. Very little is known about the circumstance of my birth.
My young mother did not have the skills or wherewithal to give me proper care. At the age of 3, she gave me up to the Church of England’s Children’s Society
I am also sure she had the love required, and the decision to give me up I am sure was one of the most difficult decisions she ever had to make.
The Children
In today’s world, one of the most concerning issues is that children do not get the proper care and education.
They exist without the full knowledge they need to survive this world we all have created.
They are unaware of the effect and consequences of drug addiction and alcoholism soon enough.
When a problem arises from the beginning phases of addiction is often too late to stop without qualified help!
The Damage is done. The invisible lines of dependency have been crossed.
Your children are on their way!
I recommend educating yourselves on addition and the family as soon as you can.
Your Kids Are Dying!
Do it as if your children’s lives depend on it cause they do!
Your kids continue to die. Over 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending in May 2020.
That is the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period, according to recent provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Reports from all around the United States are extremely grim and morbid. Every day in the addiction recovery communities I connected with the come mews of another passing. Another grave dug deep.
Another gravestone is fully engraved.
Addiction is Preventable
We are all responsible to do everything we can to change the current dilemma we are all in. That’s every man and woman on earth.
Every household knows someone. We all do and we need to face it head-on without quarter.
It is estimated that 13% of the entire planet’s population has some sort of problem concerning drugs and alcohol.
You do the math. Meditate on that! Feel the burn of the loss and suffering created.
It is the most difficult information I know and have researched.
The River Runs Through It
As some of you may know I completely believe in a concept I call the Spiritual River. You can say it is my God Concept I use.
This website is based on just that. My journey. My long and perilous journey.
The journey which has led me back to my homeland.
I started my preoccupation and obsession with drugs and booze, gathering all the connections to continue on!
Regardless Of The Pain Caused
Continue on regardless of consequences. There were many and the list is long!
Again, I was just 11 years old. I was attending school during my first year of junior high, 5th grade.
I made my connections among the older students to whom I was attracted to like a moth to a flame.
Ignorance and Naivety
The uniformed and unknowing mum and dad I had become unwilling participants in my disease. They were both uninformed about anything concerning adolescent drinking and drug abuse.
Today, there are zero excuses for not making the effort to learn to understand this statement.
If if you’re dealing with addiction or alcoholism, you as a family of the afflicted, are in very serious trouble. For some its terminal.
Powerless To Stop
My mum and dad were completely powerless to stop it.
Without help, their efforts to save were only met with prolonged agony and defeat.
Eventually, my mother died, she died from the terminal results of her own perils. She held onto some things all the way to her end.
New Connections
Back to the topic on connections. In January of 2009, I drank my last drink.
It was a half-filled tall glass of hot whisky that had been sitting in the trunk of my car cooking in the hot Texas sun.
Since that fateful day, I have sought out different connections.
It’s as if I created my own “Rat Park” and I’m the Rat!
Through my recovery efforts, I have reestablished what we call Recovery Capital.
My Recovery Capital is all about my connections to the world and believe me I have many. Personally, I have met thousands of recovery folks around the states.
Recovery & Connections
I am all about connections and I learned many skills during my active addiction.
Today I use those same skills in a much better form and with an honorable purpose. I am a 40-year addiction survivor. I am very qualified to speak on this topic!
My name is Chris and feel free to reach out and connect.
I can be your very first connection on the journey along “The Spiritual River”.
Let Do Some Life-Saving!!!!
I offer guidance and can point the way back from the depths for those needing help.
Please click the link and read the article. It may be life-saving if you do!
Always in service 24/7/365, Chris Freeman | Chris France | Chris France Media