isms?

[Lin]

I have heard of the ISMS for many years, but last ngiht was the first night a brand new memebr asked me to explain what they are. I really didn[t know. I told her it was the way they act...the behaviors. So I jsut did a google search . What I foudn was it is the behaviors and attitudes that cause the alcoholic to drink. They can remove the drink and still have those ISMS (unless they treat them with recovery)

It had an acronym for it- I, Self, Me.

It said it can be an ism of fear and made a long list of types of fear. It is how the coloholic copes with life. It also had three descriptive words- egotistical, self-centered, and immature.

I woudl love to have an easier way to explain the ISMS.

LIN

[caressa]

ISMS to my way of thinking is I Self and Me, it is the selfish, self-centeredness of the disease. The disease says I come first, nothing else matters. The disease comes before family, friends, job, and takes over the persons thinking and they let go of all values and things they were taught or were never taught growing up.

It is defect of character. You sober someone up, get someone clean, and make them aware of their attitudes and behaviors, they need to apply the program in order to change. This applies to Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, CoDA, ACoAs, OA, GA, etc. the same as alcoholics and drug addicts. No matter what the substance is, liquid, solid, powdered or the flesh and blood variety, it all leads to the same soul sickness.

As SG says, if nothing changes, nothing changes.

There is a joke that has gone around for years. If you sober up a drunken horse thief what do you have left. A horse thief, unless he decides to change and stop stealing horses. I take it a little bit further, and say, if he stops stealing horses and decides to steal cars (more horse power), he is still a thief. Substitution doesn't work.

[Lin]

Well said. Thanks Caressa. Now I think I understand it much better.

LINDA

[BW]

Great topic Lin

thanx

I know that for me even with the 24 hours behind me if I am not spiritually fit I can still get into the isms real quick. that ios why, I believe the 12th step includes that very powerful little 3 letter word "ALL" when it says "Practice these principles in all my affairs"

Our founder was such a visionary..I think he must have known I was coming and knew i could have justifed and rationalized anything away if he had not worded that step in that way... I could have said..."It doesn't say i have to stay away from gambling or medicines that contain such and such..." It doesn't say I have to be honest at work" It doesn't say I can't tell white lies and on and on...No it says ALL my affairs

Darn there are No loop holes....LOL

[caressa]

Was guilty of a few when in the hospital. I am afraid some of the nurses took exception to my humour. Today was a prime example. I woke up in the night and took a walk trying to get warm. I had 3 blankets (if you count sheets as blankets), and a thin bed spread and I was cold. I ran across this male nurse who was wearing a long sleeved yellow hospital gown. I had been forbidden from wearing them and was told they were ICU gowns and yet this guy was in our section. I got the sense he was keeping warm too. He told me to go back to bed if I was cold. I thought, didn't say, "Don't insult my intelligence," if I had been warm in bed, I wouldn't be up here walking around.

This morning, I ran hot and cold water taps trying to find out which was the hot in two sinks and couldn't find any warm let alone hot. I told the nurse that I was going to keep my layer of dirt, at least it was another blanket to keep me warm. She didn't appreciate my comment. Another nurse came in and found me some hot water a short time later. I think the heat had been turned off or lowered for the night. I have never been so cold in my life. I hurt from the top of my head to tip of my toes. I walked out of the hospital in more pain than when I went in.

The first nurse didn't come back around me. Another nurse got my paper work together and took off my tags. To my knowledge, a patient is always escorted off the floor in a wheel chair. I left with my walker from the 4th floor. I did have a blessing this time. When I was in a week ago, they put me in a room with Christ on the cross. This time no cross. I don't mind the cross, I just don't like seeing Christ portrayed there. His Spirit may embody this world, but He is not here. To my way of thinking, He is alive not dead.

Ironically, they said it wasn't my heart, and yet it was my heart not my kidneys that was paining when I was up and about today. When I got home, I had major muscle spasms in the front and back of my legs. I double dosed with Magnesium. Ironically, I had to bring out the frozen veggie bag again. I haven't even put on my fan since I came home. My body is still soaking up the heat.

[janetj]

Jul 29, 2011 22:29:09 GMT -5 @caressa said:

Was guilty of a few when in the hospital. I am afraid some of the nurses took exception to my humour. Today was a prime example. I woke up in the night and took a walk trying to get warm. I had 3 blankets (if you count sheets as blankets), and a thin bed spread and I was cold. I ran across this male nurse who was wearing a long sleeved yellow hospital gown. I had been forbidden from wearing them and was told they were ICU gowns and yet this guy was in our section. I got the sense he was keeping warm too. He told me to go back to bed if I was cold. I thought, didn't say, "Don't insult my intelligence," if I had been warm in bed, I wouldn't be up here walking around.

This morning, I ran hot and cold water taps trying to find out which was the hot in two sinks and couldn't find any warm let alone hot. I told the nurse that I was going to keep my layer of dirt, at least it was another blanket to keep me warm. She didn't appreciate my comment. Another nurse came in and found me some hot water a short time later. I think the heat had been turned off or lowered for the night. I have never been so cold in my life. I hurt from the top of my head to tip of my toes. I walked out of the hospital in more pain than when I went in.

The first nurse didn't come back around me. Another nurse got my paper work together and took off my tags. To my knowledge, a patient is always escorted off the floor in a wheel chair. I left with my walker from the 4th floor. I did have a blessing this time. When I was in a week ago, they put me in a room with Christ on the cross. This time no cross. I don't mind the cross, I just don't like seeing Christ portrayed there. His Spirit may embody this world, but He is not here. To my way of thinking, He is alive not dead.

Ironically, they said it wasn't my heart, and yet it was my heart not my kidneys that was paining when I was up and about today. When I got home, I had major muscle spasms in the front and back of my legs. I double dosed with Magnesium. Ironically, I had to bring out the frozen veggie bag again. I haven't even put on my fan since I came home. My body is still soaking up the heat.

Caressa,

I think I made it! I need to find my way around here a bit but I'm here.
Thank you for this site.
Janet

[caressa]

You are welcome. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

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[majestyjo]

Had a little chuckle when I read this. I no longer use veggie bags, went out and bought ice packs. There was a time I couldn't put ice near my body, but it does help with muscle spasms while waiting for the Magnesium to work. Since I have lost the weight, I have a lot of muscle spasms. I have to keep reminding myself to drink more water. I have the glass beside me all the time, I just don't remember to drink it and have to add ice cubes.

I still don't like hospitals. I have a couple of friends who were there recently and the service hasn't improved according to them.

[majestyjo]

Smiling, this is a one day at a time program. I have been using ice packs this evening.

The best way to get out of self is to help others.

This reminds me that this disease is better than all of us, and we can do what I can't do alone. I am powerless. When I surrender to the program, I am empowered to do what I need to do to stay clean and sober in today.

[caressa222]

You would think I did like hospitals because I have been in 4 in 6 months, some of them twice.

Hopefully this is the last stop.