Hello everyone, My name is Jeff, a newcomer so to speak to this site, but not so much to substance abuse and addictions. I'm writing today to tell you a bit about myself and why I could use your help. I apologize if this already posted, I'm trying to get used to using this site. My story, like most, is a long one, but I'll move along quickly. I started drinking in high school and through college like many people. As the natural course of life goes, I met someone, married and began what I thought was going to be a good life. The problem was we both like to drink, and it became the basis of our relationship. Within a few years, there were few days, if any, that we/I didn't rush home from work with one thing on my mind. Because I was so wrapped up in my little drunken world I was too blind to see what it was doing to me and my relationships. The real turning point in my alcoholic career happened once my first marriage failed. I went from an evening drinker to an all day drinker. As you can imagine or if you've ever been there, it's not pretty or easy to get away with. Every aspect of my life revolved around drinking and I knew it was going to have to get really bad in order to sober up. I had reached the point where I was both physically and psychologically addicted and needed to maintain a level of intoxication in order to function in society. Sounds pretty sad right, but it became the essence my existence. I needed to get up a few hours before work to have a few drinks to stop the shaking from DTs, then sneak out to my car for a liquid lunch. As you can imagine life was miserable, but I was so afraid to quite or ask for help. There's a good chance those of you who are reading this are shaking your head saying “I'll never get that bad.” Well, I would caution you as I used to say that about myself. Long story short, my prayers were answered one morning during my ritual dry-heaving when I started to cough up blood. I let it go for several days when I finally realized it wasn't going away. I had ulcers in my stomach from the years of alcohol abuse and it didn't take the doctors long to find out how addicted I was. There were parts of the detox process that when I think back I wonder if it was real. Lots of hallucinations and embarrassing moments. Well that was almost 6 years ago and a lot has changed. I've read many of the newcomers posting and it really takes me back to the struggles that I encountered the first days, weeks and years of sobriety. To you I say it can be done and to hang on. A bad day sober beats any day intoxicated. As I've mentioned, these days are much different for me. Since I quit drinking I've gone back to college, got remarried and had my first child, a son who's incredible and just turned 2! Looking at him, I ask myself how I could have ever been so selfish and so self-absorbed, but thank God for showing me the way and helping me through the dark days. I mentioned in the opening title that I'd be asking for your help, well help from eight of you to be exact. When I said I went back to college, it was to study the science of addiction psychology. Seeing I had first-hand knowledge of the subject, I wanted to understand every aspect of why I became what I did and how it happens to people. While I had many questions answered, I'm still left with many more. Currently I'm working on my dissertation that's looking at the ways people recover from substance abuse or dependence. Below is the official invitation that's been reviewed and approved by my school. Please take a moment and see if you can help me by taking some time and sharing your experience with me. If you have any question about what I've said above please feel free to ask me anything you like. I'll be glad to share with you any insights I may have. If you're interested in the study I'm conducting please use my contact info to get a hold of me. Thank you all for your time and I wish you all the best in your efforts of leading a drug free life. v/r Jeff
SURVEY INVITATION
Dear Usenet member
I'd like to invite you to participate in a research study that's looking at internet self-help groups. Today more and more people are getting help online for all sorts of issues. This study will look at better understanding the use of substance recover web sites. As a part of my Doctor of Philosophy studies at Capella University, I hope to learn more about people with substance abuse or dependence issues who use the internet as a way of finding help for these problems. I hope that the study's findings will lead to improved substance abuse services for individuals and their families. This study has passed through rigid review process at Capella University. In this study, I need to interview 8 to 10 people who use substance abuse recovery websites. Participants will be contacted twice via telephone. The first phone call will take about one hour and the second phone call will take about thirty minutes. I'm offering $25 dollars to compensate you for your time. I will take every step possible to ensure the information you provide is kept confidential and your identity anonymous. For more information and to enroll please send an email to Jeff.N...@cox.net . Thank-you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.
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