Bryan Hullihen

Recently I ( Bryan Hullihen ) was working with an alcoholic in early recovery regarding the concept of clearing up the wreckage of his past when I noticed a pattern that I've seen over the years begin to emerge. This particular person began to ask my opinion on several instances that, in my opinion, required no amends at all. Details are not important here and if you are in early recovery asking your support group about the validity to your amends is strongly encouraged. What is important is the nature of extremes when dealing with alcoholism or drug addiction. For example, I remember a time when I was told by my mentor that alcoholism is a disease centered in selfishness and self-centeredness. In all of my perplexity I thought, "If I'm to give away all my belongings to become and ascetic while living a life of abnegation I'll never stay sober!" My mentor smiled and looked at me and said, " Bryan Hullihen , that is spoken like a true alcoholic and that stat...

Everybody on the planet has certain needs; the need for air, food, and water. The need to be a part of and accepted by the tribe or common needs. One of my, Bryan Hullihen 's, salient needs is self-actualization which is the attainment of my goals or the living up to my potential. In the very beginning of my personal recovery when I used to say, "My name is Bryan Hullihen and I am an alcoholic.", I would feel a sense of dignity returned to me after spending years as if I had none at all.  That's because during my active addiction I was not living up to my potential and in recovery I have a chance to reach my own self-actualization. The quandary is that although I was not living up to my potential in active addiction I was doing the absolute best I could with the tools I had at the time and the information that I was armed with. This is difficult for many people to accept but you too have done the very best you could every second of every day of your life....

My name is Bryan Hullihen and I have had the experience of early recovery more times than I’d care to admit. I often reflect on my experiences during those difficult times to aid me in assisting others who are new to the recovery process or when I need a shot of gratitude for where I am today. There exists a myriad of growing points in my journey that have contributed to my development, however, the most salient of these catalysts is the concept of “the important things”. I had a tendency to get tight at all the wrong times during early recovery. The thoughts that would enter my mind would invoke a great deal of anxiety for me due to fear that I may act on them. There were times when I was in a formal setting and someone would say something I didn't agree with and I would think to myself, “What an idiot, I'm going to tell them to either get their facts straight or shut up”! Now I knew that was not appropriate and it wouldn't earn me any friends so I ...

My name is Bryan Hullihen and I have had the pleasure of working in the field of substance abuse treatment for several years now and I have had the experience of early recovery on a personal level several times throughout my life. On a personal level the decisions I’ve made in the past were largely dictated by my subconscious or a desire to achieve some goal. Many times, those goals were in the pursuit of things ranging from pleasure to purported responsibility. Other times I was pursuing escape from fear or feelings of inadequacy and didn’t even realize that was the case. This haphazard and capricious way of making decisions ostensibly works for some people, however, for those who are in early recovery a more concrete approach to decision making is required. One method that was given to me which I use with those whom I work with in creating their recovery goals and objectives is to ask a simple question; “Is this decision going to bring me closer to, or further from, my recovery?” ...

According to Viktor Frankl in his book, Man's Search for Meaning, if one had no hope for the future or ability to find meaning in the present the chances of survival in a concentration camp was not possible (Frankl, 2006). Frankl observed fellow prisoners during the holocaust and noticed that some prisoners looked to the past, as if their best days were behind them, for inspiration while others looked for meaning in their suffering and had hope for the future. Frankl discovered that those who were stuck in the past did not have the will to live and died in much greater numbers than those who had faith in the possibility of a great future. My name is Bryan Hullihen and I too have witnessed this same deleterious mindset affect the likelihood of someone in early recovery achieving long-term sobriety. This statement is in no way comparing addiction to the horrors Frankl lived through, however, the observations are very much the same. When individuals are in early recovery and believe...