Talk with Trinity

February is National American Heart Month.  This month we will be seeking participation from individuals that provide counseling and support for individuals and couples.  Some people made resolutions regarding relationships.  

Substance Abuse Affects Marriages in many ways

Serenity A Companion for Twelve Step Recovery 1990 by Thomas Nelson

Codependency is an effort to control interior feelings by manipulating people, things, and events on the outside.  This need arises from childhoods—the experiences we have had in our own families of origin.  Needs such as Fun, Freedom, Power, Love and Belonging and Survival.  These needs includes a feeling of loss and alienation, but can only be filled with the love of God. 

Healing must progress through many different levels including human relationships, recovery family and growing closer to God in the spiritual family.  It is a necessity to heal our dependencies for ourselves and our children. 

The cycle of addiction is made up of 1. Pain, 2. Reaching out to an addictive agent, 3. Temporary anaesthesia, 4. Negative consequences and  5. Shame and guilt resulting in more pain or low self-esteem. 

Addiction continues to spiral as the result of fear of withdrawal and denial.  This spiral must be broken through diminishing fear and denial through realizing “bottoms”.  These “bottoms” include physical, emotional and spiritual bottom resulting from a marital crisis, a physical health crisis, confrontation by a family or lowed on, vocational or life purpose crisis, financial crisis or spiritual crisis.