The 2nd Carnival of All Substances

Now, you may know I'm into recovery stories, and that's why I started this carnival, but I'll post everyone else, too, as long as the post or the blog host is not offensive (to me).


THE best post I've seen in ages was a post about CHOCOLATE. The carnival submission had these incredible pics of a candy display case full of chocolates, dozens upon dozens of them, you keep scrolling, and scrolling, virutally drooling.

At the very end the blogger tells you how many calories you've just consumed.

I was all set to make this THE pick of the month, but decided to take a look at his other posts. The blogger's very, very smart, and funny, but he's cavalier about serious subjects, like. . .rape. So I'm sorry, friends, I can't link to anyone who is cavalier about that. And I'm sorry, too, since this blogger's picture was so much better than the ones above. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, though, right?

THAT SAID, WE DO HAVE SOME TERRIFIC POSTS FOR YOU TODAY!

Let's start with one of my favorite recovery bloggers, ERIN, the author of Twenty-four Hours A Day at What Winners Do. Erin says, "The out-patient program taught me one of the fundamentals of addiction recovery…stay in the day."

You think that's easy? Try it. Try not looking back and not looking forward. Good luck.

Meg at You and Me are Floating on a Tidal Wave writes a fabulous post about The Little Prince (starring herself as Fox). If you haven't read the prince, you should, and if you haven't read Meg, you should read her, too. Here's the link.

Then we have an Anonymous Blogger who tells us how to overcome a pain pill addiction which has got to be valuable advice at Addiction Recovery Blog.

She has another post on the subject, adding that people who use prescription drugs will punctuate the high with alcohol (yup, tends to kill you, too).

Hueina Su thinks she can help you reconnect to your authentic self. I'm guessing she's assuming that if you're drinking and 'a drugging that you've NOT connected to your authentic self. So check it out. She might actually be in Hawaii. But I could be wrong.

Kbaggy is a new mom at Babylune and likes a very, very small drink now and then. But she's worried she'll smother the kids if she takes them into the bed and warns, Don't drink and co-sleep! Perhaps this is a British thing. Please tell me.

Anonymous blogger at Addiction Recovery Basics. tells all about being a dry drunk. Thanks. Can't be easy, we're sure, but probably even harder to live with one.

The Junky's Wife writes about the Drunky's Wife at her site, The Junky's Wife. What else? Faced with a choice between a heroin addict and an alcoholic, life's not simple. She's asking you to vote. Hmmm.

TwoDogsBlogging has a couple of great stories to share. The first one is how you really have to watch out what you pray for. Even though I'm a very rational, logical therapydoc there's a spiritual part (I know, you're just shocked) that assumes the Old Mighty is listening at all times, that He/She has nothing really more important to do, than give the nod when a person least expects it, so we may as well ask for it all, go for broke. Dogs says, Be careful.

Two Dogs has a second post about her family and how grateful she is that she straightened out her life. At AA meetings they talk about "watching the parade" which means (I think) watching people drop out of the program before they get sober, wondering why some make it and some don't. They listened to Bolero in her family--maybe that helped. (I wish I were joking-- these things matter, washing dishes with your mom while listening to Bolero matters. Oh, just read it.)

MouseTrapper at Med Journal Watch reminds us that candy cigarets are really devices to lure little children to the dangers of real cigarets. Don't buy them for your kids! Thanks, doc, for a great post.

Virginia shares her truama (dad killed mom, then himself, pretty powerful stuff) at the Centre for Emotional Well-Being. She recovered from trauma and alcoholism and shares a video interview with her son, a military officer with PTSD and alcohol on the path to recovery.

Then there's my friend Rohit over at Darpan who has words of wisdom, if nothing in particular to say about substance abuse. I like him, though, so read what he's got to say about Arthur Ashe. I think Rohit once sent me pics of the homeless in Florida, but I can't find them anymore on his blog. Maybe it was someone else.

Tracee Sioux at Go Sioux Me let's you know how easy it is to get addicted to legal medications for anxiety. She watched the second plane hit the tower on 9-11.

Tracee also tells us how she quit smoking (on her OTHER blog, Blogfabulous. She did it for the kid. Way to go.

Definitely worth a snootful is Nancy's post at the Centre for Emotional Well-Being shares an opinion piece about celebs in rehab, the "Lohan" Phenomenon. Nancy's an LISW, LICDC, an actual substance abuse counselor, and she knows what she's talking about. A pleasure, honestly, to hear the straight talk.

Phil, at Phil for Humanity (does he mean, fill???) has the Secret to Happiness, I kid you not, on his secret post. He's thinking that enthusiasm and good health are the key. But frankly, I think Phil is really smart and that makes him happy.

That's all folks. We'll do it again July 10. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks to all of you who participated. Just so you should know. When I came in from work (it's a 4 mile bike ride) I filled my glass with ice, pomegranite juice (thanks, FD) apple juice (ordinarily not my favorite, left over from Passover), a splash of lemon juice, and water. And I am in such a good place.

Oh yeah, i zapped a chocolate chip cookie in the microwave. Did you know that cookies should be served hot? There's a qualitative difference in flavor.

To your health,

Copyright 2007, therapydoc