HERE'S MY STORY
I Remember the Day I Learned About the Cure to Alcoholism
I remember the day like it was yesterday I was driving in my car and listening to a YouTube video, a TED Talk I had come across from whatever I typed into the YouTube or Google search bars at the time in my search to once again try to find how I could get better from the nearly 10-year long nasty alcohol addiction I was suffering from.
I remember listening to this video and for the first time learning that you could go from full-blown alcohol addiction to a "normal drinker".
At first I thought it was way too good to be true so I initially completely discounted it.
At this point I had been suffering from a nearly 10-year long, nasty alcohol addiction where I could not get better no matter what I did and how hard I tried through the traditional approach.
I was drinking on average 2-3 bottles of wine a night, throwing back 15-20-25 drinks every time I went out and drank socially, and as a result doing or saying something that I felt such shame for the next day just about every single time.
Everytime I tried to abstain and be sober, I would get those strong and obsessive thoughts and cravings for alcohol all day every day that would not relent (if you've suffered from alcohol addiction, you know exactly what I'm talking about!) and that the tools of willpower, white knuckling, grit, accountability and fear were no match for, so I eventually gave in and drank eventually every single time.
Of course when I drank though, I would not be able to stop until I dropped, passed out cold to sleep for that evening.
I went to support groups such as AA and Celebrate Recovery, therapy and counseling, doctors and psychiatrists, the front of church after service for prayer and I prayed myself for nearly 10-long years begging God for the answer, and so so so much more. I did any and everything I could think of to seek healing for this alcohol addiction.
The only thing I was ever told was that if I could not moderate my alcohol consumption then I had to abstain and be sober for the rest of my life.
I tried this traditional approach the best I could, but as I just shared above, I could not get better no matter what I did and how hard I tried for nearly 10 long years.
To say I felt hopeless was an understatement.
So when I came across this TED Talk on YouTube, I thought it was way too good to be true, so I initially completely discounted it.
Eventually I became really desperate though, as if I wasn't already desperate enough because I was, and I resolved that if I didn't try it, it wouldn't work for me, but if I did try it, it might work for me.
So I set out to try it.
Hey you! I'm Crystal.
I'm a Social Researcher who is so passionate about helping you recover from alcohol addiction with a research-based approach when the traditional approach fails.
Although at First I Thought It Was Too Good To Be True, I Eventually Became Really Desperate and Decided to Try It, But No One Would Help Me
You would think that I would try it and it would either work for me or not, and that would be the end of the story, but it was not.
I would soon find out that to even get to try it was a whole journey in and of itself.
In order to try this approach, part of what I needed was a specific medication, so I scheduled an appointment with my family doctor at the time.
I shared my whole journey of suffering from alcohol addiction - what I had been experiencing, everything I had tried, that everything I had tried failed time and time again, and that I came across this approach to treatment and that I wanted to try it.
I will never forget the doctor's answer to me, she told me, "Just stop drinking after you have a drink or 2, I mean, you don't need to drink more than that" and she then proceeded to counsel me to keep a drink log.
It was as if she didn't hear everything I had just told her.
I reiterated to her that I had tried all that for nearly 10-long years and that had not worked no matter what I did and how hard I tried.
Her response is etched in my mind forever when she said to me, "I just don't think you need medication for this."
I asked to speak to a doctor that was more high up and so the clinical director of the practice walked in.
I repeated everything to the clinical director of the practice and I will never forget how I felt when her response was, "I just think you're trying to go in through the back door for treatment."
So I left my family doctor's office without treatment, back to keep suffering from my alcohol addiction, with my roughly 6-month old daughter at the time mind you.
I made an appointment with another family doctor who had been helpful with another condition in the past, but her response was that she thought I was, "... trying to be my own doctor and treat myself".
I left that office also without treatment, back to keep suffering from my alcohol addiction, with again my roughly 6-month old daughter at the time.
I then went to another family doctor who also refused to prescribe me the medication and also sent me away without treatment, back to keep suffering from my alcohol addiction, with my roughly 6-month old daughter at the time once more.
To say I was hopeless was an understatement.
All these doctors were okay with denying me treatment, sending me back to suffering from my alcohol addiction with my roughly 6 month old baby at the time where I was a single mother and single as a single mother could be.
I had no family of origin due to my childhood trauma and her biological father told me that if I went through with my pregnancy I would be on my own and so I went through with my pregnancy and I was on my own.
Another story for another time, but the point is that they sent me away without treatment, back to suffer from my alcohol addiction with my roughly 6 month old baby.
Words couldn't describe how I felt for her - I felt so bad for her, I just knew she deserved better, she deserved a mom who didn't suffer from this.
I even thought she deserved someone else for a mom.
I Eventually Found Professionals Who Would Help Me, I Was Able to Try It and I Finally Recovered!
I finally found a doctor who was willing to help me.
The only problem was he did not take health insurance and so I had to self pay.
At the time as a single mother, with no family of origin support whatsoever and no support from her biological father whatsoever either, I could barely afford all of our basic necessities let alone anything extra.
I'm not proud of it, but I did what I had to and robbed Peter to pay Paul, I took from my rent money and I paid this doctor because I was that financially tight.
Then a miracle happened, I met with this doctor and told him everything I told the family doctors, he prescribed me the medication and within a couple hours I had my medication!
At the 2 month mark I had 1 more episode where I drank way too much and did and said something I felt such shame for, but after that in 3 months I was completely recovered and I've been recovered ever since!
Now that's not to say that there weren't things I had to figure out and troubleshoot, and I had to do it all on my own, but the point was that what I could not do in nearly 10-long years through the traditional approach, I was able to finally recover in just 3 short months and stay recovered ever since through a research-based approach.
And now I go years without even thinking of alcohol and if and when I want, I am able to enjoy alcohol like a "normal drinker".
It's literally a miracle ✨, but it's actually not, it's actually just science 🤓.
...Oh and just in case you're wondering, I caught up on my rent!
Now I Help Others Recover from Alcohol Addiction with a Research-Based Approach through She's Recovered!
After I recovered I had questions, I wanted to know why I couldn't recover through the traditional approach.
I wanted to know if I was weak, a bad person, or if I just didn't want to get better and all the things you are told when the traditional approach does not work for you.
I also wanted to know why a research-based approach worked so well for me.
I was earning my 2 graduate degrees at the time, 1 in Social Research and Analysis and the other in Child Advocacy and Policy with a Child Public Welfare Concentration, and so I focussed all of my research on the topic of alcohol addiction recovery, the traditional approach versus a research-based approach.
I learned that there is nothing wrong with me or others like me who cannot recover through the traditional approach.
I learned that the most readily available peer reviewed studies, that research has found that this is a major systemic issue, the traditional approach which in many cases is based on sobriety and in many cases through nothing but the tools of willpower, white knuckling, grit, accountability and fear has a 90%+ failure rate whereas research-based approaches flip that failure rate on its head and more!
I learned that the science and research is settled on this, but what's in the way is the zeitgeist of our age, the widely held, deeply ingrained belief system of our time regarding alcohol addiction recovery.
Poor vulnerable people who are suffering terribly from alcohol addiction are denied life-saving, life-changing treatment because of it.
So, I created She's Recovered to help those with alcohol addiction recover through a research-based approach when the traditional approach fails!
Are You Struggling to Recover from Alcohol Addiction?
Are you struggling with alcohol addiction, unable to recover no matter what you do and how hard you try through the traditional approach?
I've been there my very self, struggling from a nasty alcohol addiction for nearly 10 long years, unable to recover no matter what I did and how hard I tried through the traditional approach until I found what I now call a research-based approach which enabled me to get better in just 3 short months, stay recovered ever since and now I go years without even thinking of alcohol and if and when I want, I am able to enjoy alcohol like a "normal drinker".
I'd love to take you by the hand and walk alongside you to find the path of alcohol recovery that will actually work for you!
Let's book a time to create your Alcohol Recovery Plan! We'll find the path of alcohol recovery that will actually work for you! 🤝💗🦋
THE LATEST
5 TOOLS to HELP YOU RECOVER from ALCOHOL ADDICTION ...that ARE RESEARCH-BASED
Do you know that recovering from an alcohol addiction does not have to be complicated, hard and feel like you're in a pitch black dark room and you have no idea where to go and what to do? Did you know recovering from an alcohol addiction can instead be simple, easy and you can know where to go and what to do every step of the way? The question is, where do you even begin? You know you need to start somewhere, you're just not sure where! Want to learn how? Here's where you start!
RECOVER
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CRYSTAL
She's Recovered
Do you suffer from alcohol addiction and the traditional approach to recovery just won't work for you no matter what you do and how hard you try? You are not alone! I've even been there my very self. Come join me in She's Recovered so we can find the research-based path of alcohol recovery that will actually work for you!
Speaking & Workshops
Help your audiences develop an opportunity mindset where they can see opportunities in the challenges they face so they can use them to their advantage to go further and higher by reframing what was seemingly meant to harm them as instead opportunities that can be used for their good and the good of others.
SHE'S RECOVERED
BLOG
Welcome to the She's Recovered Blog!
Come join me every week from my 🖥 desk for a ☕️ coffee (or tea, or water, or whatever you like!) date where we'll talk about all things recovery - 🦋 alcohol recovery, 🦋 trauma recovery, 🦋 financial recovery, 🦋 faith, 🦋 marriage & motherhood and 🦋 so so so much more! I 💗 personally share as well as 💗 have conversations with real life people who have lived and/or professional experience.
It's my very favorite way to connect with each and every one of you and my mission is to help you change your relationship with alcohol so you can change your entire life! ✨ 💪 🦋
So grab your ☕️ cup of coffee, 👓 grab those blue light glasses and let's go!
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Come join our virtual circle to get...
🦋 Information about why the traditional approach to alcohol addiction recovery doesn't work for most people and how research-based approaches do
🦋 Encouragement from others who have also suffered from alcohol addiction, haven't been able to recover through the traditional approach and who are also learning about research-based approaches
🦋 Support from a community of like-minded individuals embarking on their journey of recovery through a nontraditional, research-based approach
Register below to get all the details. We CAN'T WAIT to see you there! 💗
Want to learn how I gained complete and total power over alcohol in just 3 short months ...and how I believe you can too?!
If so, I invite you to grab your copy of a resource I have for you so you can learn how after suffering from a nearly 10-year long 📆 nasty alcohol addiction 😫 where I couldn't get better no matter what I did and how hard I tried through the traditional approach 😩, I found what I now call a research-based approach to alcohol recovery 🤓 which enabled me to get better in just 3 short months 📆 and to stay recovered ever since! ✨🦋💪
SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT ME
💗 It take me about 5-10 seconds longer to get a joke when someone tells it and they may even need to repeat it, but I guarantee you, I laugh 10x louder and longer than anyone else in the room because I genuinely think it's so funny!
💗 The beach is my FAVORITE place, has been since I was a little girl visiting LBI, NJ ever summer, and will always be!
💗 I've been avoiding small talk since 1990, seriously though I HATEEE it. If deep conversations about why things work the way they do are your thing, I'm your gal!
💗 I'm a HUGE analytical and critical thinker, and although I love this about me, I also appreciate my hubby who is the exact opposite and who is also teaching me how to relax, lay back and just have fun! (Not to mention, I'm teaching him how to do my style too!)
💗 It's taken me over 3 decades to become the woman I am, I am incredibly grateful and I can finally say with a true and open heart - I love her!
💗 I'm certainly not where I want to be, but I am SO GRATEFUL I'm not where I used to be!