Mental Health App for people in alcohol or addiction recovery

Posted on August 4, 2012 by paulcoholic

I discovered an interesting piece of software that might be very useful for anyone currently suffering or recovering from alcoholism and other addictions, or who have been sober and clean for a long time. It is developed for people with mental health concerns, or who are just interested in tracking their overall mental well-being. But I poked around the various functions, and feel that people in recovery can make good use of this, too.

It is called “Optimism”, and it is free for Macs, PCs, the iPhone (I guess no Android, yet) and can also be used just on the web.

(Via Optimism Apps.)

The following screenshots show some of the software’s usefulness (more screenshots and even a user manual can be found on the project’s website).

This first one depicts the Main page (what you should see when opening the app):

OptimismMainPageMainEntries

Along the left hand side you can see a panel entitled “Core Data.” This can be customized, like so:

MainPageCoreDataCustomize

Back to the Main page: there is a “Notes” button you can click on, and open up a window to write notes for the day, perhaps something like journal entries or random thoughts. The option to do this is just next to the “Main Entries” button along the right hand side of the app, this is what the “Notes” function looks like after clicking on that tab:

OptimismMainPageMainEntriesNotes

It is free. If you download the software, there are references to a trial version if you use the syncing functions. However, the website makes note that as of April 2012, it is free, for all versions. The developers intend to earn money through marketing it to clinicians and other medical personnel. For “ordinary” people, it is free. I guess not all of the software’s documentation has been updated.

I like this! I wish I was able to make use of this, or something like it, when I sobered up in 2002. According to the site, they’ve been making software since 2007. I wish I knew about it then!!

So, go ahead and download it and see how you can make use of it on your recovery path. Perhaps comment on this post what you think.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Long absence, but I’m still here; I have a writing gig, sort of!

Posted on July 23, 2012 by paulcoholic

I noticed that it has been over a month since I last blogged. No reason for it except that I found a new job, a work-at-home gig writing for an online auction startup. Per my new boss’ rules, I can’t divulge the name of the site as he is fearful or concerned that doing so will cause a deluge of spam emails and other such unsolicited offers from people who pounce on online employees. I can’t even link to it on my Facebook or other social accounts. Not a big deal, nor am I bothered. It is NOT what the Good Lord gave me whatever writing talent I possess to use it for, but it is a nice job, and it pays the bills.

It has been a month since I started, it is OK, it keeps me home and saves tons of money on gas. Not completely satisfying as it isn’t Catholic, recovery-based, or spiritual. Not even fiction or poetry. But, it is a job and for that I am deeply grateful.

I have more-or-less settled it, and the habits should bear fruit in my other writing and blogging endeavors.

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Ten Years Sober, today

Posted on May 22, 2012 by paulcoholic

Today marks the 10th anniversary of my sobriety.

I was trying to come up with some wise and profound reflections to mark the event, but nothing much came up. Kind of sad really, but ten years is still ten years. A remarkable accomplishment, if I say so myself considering what my very early period of AA meeting attendance was like and that it took about 7 months of attendance before I sobered up. And that was largely due to being physically unable to go to a liquor store to resupply myself, rather than some “spiritual awakening as a result of the Steps.”

Perhaps that is one of the reasons I relapsed in May of 2002. Not to place blame or credit where any is due, but I had just nonchalantly wandered into my favorite liquor store one May day and bought a pint of vodka. I remember feeling alternately stressed over an impending visit by a family member (a usual cause of stress in those days) but also feeling good. I puzzled over all that wayback then. I gave up trying to discern the why’s of my return to drinking after 3 1/2 months, it just happened for whatever reason. Three-and-a-half months of sobriety isn’t much to mull over.

And so I drank again for a couple of weeks. On May 21, 2002 I went to an AA meeting at my Home Group and read “How It Works” from the “Big Book” with a slurred voice. And so the meeting became about me. It is the custom that when a member relapses, the others in attendance discuss the first 3 Steps. I do not remember anything that was said, except feeling shamed and grateful.

I returned the next day, and it was a newcomer’s meeting. (My old Home Group did not have the custom of separating newcomers from old timers. All were grouped together.) I left, feeling like a hypocrite.How could I say that AA worked when I had failed? That was my thinking.I left because I felt I had zero credibility. Irresponsible, yes. But that is what I did.

I went to eat dinner at a Chinese restaurant, and afterwards stopped by my favorite liquor store again and bought a liter of vodka. I nursed myself to sleep with that, later that evening.

When I awakened the next day, that would be the last sleep I would have for 88 hours…

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Operation: Backpack at St. Francis Mission Among the Lakota

Posted on April 21, 2012 by paulcoholic

St. Francis Mission Among the Lakota is having a fund-raising activity during the month of April and early May called Operation: Backpack.

Operation: Backpack is a campaign to raise new items and funds for their “Body, Mind and Soul” camps and also their childhood education programs. According to the Mission’s website, the “Body, Mind, and Soul Camp” provides religious education and recreation to children in various communities around the reservation. Many of children who participate would otherwise never have any contact with the Church or the Mission. The Mission’s religious education teachers, young Jesuits in formation, Jesuit Volunteers, and students from Jesuit high schools from around the United States staff these sessions.

In 2012, they are scheduled to have over 200 children join them in five different locations around the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. The “Body, Mind and Soul” camp joins the children of the Rosebud Reservation with volunteers from all over the country in a week filled with learning and fun. Throughout April and part of May, they will be sharing video, photos, and testimonials from program leaders, donors and volunteers.

There are various ways you can assist. The link above enables you to follow along during the event. Also, they have the St. Francis Mission “Operation: Backpack” Wish List on Amazon.com. You can also donate directly by way of this link.

The Mission is a good friend of SoberCatholic.com, I have blogged about them before: St. Francis Mission.

Thanks to Corrie at Corrie Oberdin {dot} Net | for the heads-upon this!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Emergency Prayer Request (UPDATED)

Posted on April 11, 2012 by paulcoholic

The mother-in-law of a friend of mine on Google+ may face imminent discharge from a hospital because “she has already cost the insurance company too much money.” She has been diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor. She was due to receive surgery for it when the insurance company called and stopped all further payment due to the costs. The surgery cannot be approved. My friend issued an urgent prayer request on Google+, which has been picked up by others and posted to other social networks. The prayer request is here:

“We need prayers here! It’s been like an episode of House trying to figure out what’s wrong with my mother-in-law.

They figured out it is a pancreatic tumor and are ready to remove it and insurance called in a 100% full stop to payments saying she’s cost them too much to approve surgery now, too. We have 4.5 hours before the hospital discharges her.”

The 4.5 hours is up at about 3:00 ET (USA) or 1900 GMT/UTC.

This is grossly unconscionable to place money above the life of a person. This is a basic decency. No matter what the cost, or whatever the survival rate is, to put money before a life is pure evil.

This quantification of a human life, that after a certain point “you are just too much of a burden,” or “too much of a cost” is reprehensible and not at all defensible from any valid moral standpoint.

It is a symptom of the sickness of society, that a life has a dollar value (or Euro, Pound Sterling, whatever) and after a point, just pull the plug.

Western civilization is in a decay. It needs to be revived and the only way to do that is to get out there and evangelize. Speak the Gospel Truth, live it as best one can, and confront the forces of evil and darkness when they present their ugly agenda.

One of Christianity’s best teachings is that we are made in the image and likeness of God and that we have an inherent dignity for that reason. Plus, we are adopted children of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. No other religion claims anything like that. Judaism may be close inasmuch they are our elder family in the Faith, and they are the Chosen People of God. But, Judaism is not a faith that seeks to convert others. We Christians can go out and bring people into the fullness of Divine Truth, and in doing so heal humanity of the sickness that is going on that allows my friend’s mother-in-law to possibly die without the surgery that can enable her to live. All because she “costs too much.”

An update from my friend: “Last night I contacted their state assemblyman and I wrote the Dept. of Insurance. The surgeon has pulled major, major strings behind the scenes with the hospital as well. The phone started ringing at 8:05 this morning. The insurance company is now caving on almost everything, but it isn’t definite yet.

They approved her ICU stay.
They approved all her tests and procedures.
The surgeons are confidant that they’ll have the surgery approved, but it isn’t yet. The surgeons are saying they’re doing the surgery no matter what.
They are denying her hospital stay on the regular floor saying she did not need to be in-patient in between ICU and surgery. This is 4 days in the hospital they’re refusing to pay for.

Everyone knows if she’d left she’d not be able to get the surgery covered so that isn’t an option, and this is definite improvement as the most expensive stuff is covered, but the outstanding approval for surgery in the morning and then the insurance nightmare that will be waiting post-surgery are the big issues right now, which is such a huge relief compared to last night! Please keep up the prayers today!”

UPDATE FROM TODAY: “My mother-in-law is now recuperating from surgery! They removed her tumor and everything was as perfect as possible! We haven’t heard anything from insurance or the business office.

Please pray in gratitude for the surgery. For her swift, full, and uneventful recovery. For God’s blessings on her surgeon, Michael. For our children who are missing home. And for the financial situation to be worked out to provide for all involved as they need. Thank you prayer warriors for storming heaven!

…

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! She’s not coming to as we would hope. Over 24hrs later and she’s still pretty out of it. We were also told today that no headway has been made on the insurance.

The nurses and docs continue to be fantastic. My husband is flying home today in a lightning storm. I’m enjoying while I can that vegetarianism is taken for granted here so choices are clearly labeled and abundant. Small pleasures. 🙂 “

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

SwagCatholic

Posted on March 28, 2012 by paulcoholic

From time to time I have attempted to earn funds from this blog. Nothing much ever came of them, but I also didn’t put in tons of effort, either. I even tried a bleg (blog beg) after last American Thanksgiving. The silence was deafening. I became sad and almost quit blogging. Anyway, I’ve also tried affiliate linking (only ones left are those that link to my wife’s sites, the others didn’t pan out for one reason or another, mainly ease of use and such) and Google Adsense. Google Adsense I didn’t care for as there is no way to control what kind of ads are run: they are based on context of words in the posts and sidebar links, and since this is a Catholic blog about alcoholism, I had tons of ads, many inappropriate, on alcohol treatment and some uncertain Catholic ones.

Well, I’m trying again. I joined a site called “SwagBucks”. It is a place where you can earn points, a/k/a “SwagBucks” and redeem them for stuff. If you wish to check it out and decide to join, please go and use this referral link, or just click on the badge over on the right that says “Earn Swagbucks.” As a referral, I earn a percentage of whatever you earn. A good way to spread the joy.

Pelenaka, over at thirtyfivebyninety, a nice blog I found on homesteading and simple, frugal living, is a member of “SwagBucks”. Pelenaka writes about it here: Get Your Swag on a.k.a Swagbucks

(Via thirtyfivebyninety.)

OK, start Swaggin’. 😉

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics — A SoberCatholic.com book

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Going outside to get outside

Posted on March 7, 2012 by paulcoholic

I am taking advantage of some warm temperatures and am blogging from outside. It is near 60 degrees out, and despite being a wee bit chilly with the breeze, I am insistent upon staying outdoors with my MacBook and blogging.

I am basically saying this, that aside from being a little cabin-feverish from being inside all winter, and “enjoying” the outdoors only by rushing to the vehicles to go somewhere, or to get quickly back inside, I need to get outdoors for a bit to “get outside” myself. I think I have blogged on this theme before. The idea is that one cure for what ails you is to go outdoors. By going outdoors and into nature (or whatever passes for it where you are) you can escape for a while the narrow confines of the traps your minds sets for you. The stinkin’ thinkin’ that alcoholics and addicts find themselves in is not easily discarded. One good way is to immerse yourself in something greater than yourself.

I believe Pope Blessed John Paul II said somewhere that believers should go outside to meet God. In nature you find the Lord. He created it, and in His works you can find Him. This does not mean, of course, that you can dispense with Church. In Church (Catholic ones) He is truly really Present. But outdoors, in nature, He is spiritually there, and so you can connect with Him on a different level. Meeting Him in nature is like showing up at a friend’s house “as you are,” no need to get dressed up and be your best. (Although from the Masses I attend, people seem to take this attitude to Church.)

Going outside helps you to get outside of yourself. You get a shift in perspective. Hopefully, a perspective shift that causes a change in attitude.

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics — A SoberCatholic.com book

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Garry, Part 2: Alcoholics who still suffer

Posted on December 31, 2011 by paulcoholic

I just finished writing about Garry and I mentioned in there about how sobriety and serenity seemed elusive for him.

This does not make him any less valuable of an individual than any other. Yes, he was arrested for DWI, one of the most irresponsible of all crimes. It does not have to happen. You could stay home and safely get trashed if that is as far as you want to go with your drinking. “Lose” your car keys. To drink too much and them get behind the wheel of what essentially becomes a weapon is grossly disgusting and DWI penalties should be severe.

However, people are not disposable things to be tossed aside or thrown out if shown to be apparently useless. Alcoholics, especially those who never quite seem to “get” sobriety should be removed from harming others. Current state laws regarding repeat offenders do not yet address this quickly enough.

I write this just in case anyone who read my post on Garry felt that I was too compassionate with him, given that he was arrested for DWI and could have injured or killed an innocent person.

I am aware that could have happened. And in other times and places and with other people it has.

But, I am writing on my friend Garry, and the reactions I gleaned from the commenters in the online versions of the various news reports I found make me question people’s humanity.

Quite a few people were vicious in their attacks. None of these mentioned the possibility of the death of an innocent bystander as the basis of their acrimony. Just that Garry is a dumb drunk, a redneck wannabe and therefore is a piece of human refuse.

Bear in mind that Jesus Christ ate and preferred the company of sinners. From hookers and tax collectors to associating with lepers and who knows what other types of human “garbage,” He loved them all. He even had nice things to say about Roman soldiers.

He knew that these were people made in God’s image and likeness, and despite the low regard and station of their lives, deserved a basic respect and dignity. He came to heal them, not the righteous.

What can be done about them? Minister to them, heal them. Go out into the wilderness of the streets and alleys where they live and work and try to reach them and heal them. Show them a better way.

For chronic DWI offenders like Garry, perhaps take away their driver’s licenses much sooner and increase the penalties for driving without one. As well as more draconian DWI penalties if caught while driving illegally.

But to casually and maliciously just throw people away and disregard them is unChristian. I perhaps may feel somewhat different if I knew personally someone who was killed by a drunk. I would hope that I would, however, take the final words of the Lord’s Prayer seriously and forgive those who trespass us as we ask for forgiveness for ourselves. There is the occasional story you hear about how the family members of a crime victim do forgive the criminal. That takes a special strength. A strength drawn from a faith that is NOT convenient, but a real one that doesn’t change when things in life get too rough. A faith that is lived.

There are people out there who still suffer from an affliction that is seemingly incurable for them. I could be Garry, but somehow certain things just clicked and I sobered up and remained so for 9 1/2 years.

Some of us are painfully aware that we could have killed someone during our drinking days.

But for the grace of God, go I. And you.

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

An Introduction to the St. Francis Mission Among the Lakota

Posted on November 24, 2011 by paulcoholic

November has been Native American Heritage Month, and as a part of that I would like to bring to your attention the “St. Francis Mission Among the Lakota”, a ministry of the Society of Jesus (also known as the “Jesuits”- a Catholic religious order dating back centuries) and is located on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. It was established in 1886. It exists, to quote their website: “… to re-evangelize Catholic Lakota people and bring the Gospel of Jesus the Christ to those who have not heard it.”

The St. Francis Mission Among the Lakota is a the largest not-for-profit organization on the Reservation that is not a government -controlled or -funded program. Among their many services are programs in addiction recovery, as there is a serious alcoholism addiction crisis present. The Mission operates two centers for this on the Rosebud Reservation: the White River Recovery Center and the Icimani Ya Waste’ Recovery Center. Through these centers they offer several 12 Step Meetings and also programs from the renowned Betty Ford Institute.

There will be a series of posts here on SoberCatholic.com, starting today to highlight the incidence of alcoholism on the Reservation and to bear witness to the wonderful work the Mission is doing in response to this.

I had the opportunity to conduct interviews via email with two of the Mission’s people, Fr. John Hatcher, SJ, the President of the Mission, and Mrs. Geraldine Provencial, the Director of the Icimani Ya Waste’ Recovery Center. These were done through the services of Corrie Oberdin, Online Marketing Strategist at Corrie Oberdin {dot} Net |.

It is my hope that you will take an interest in the Mission and its work. The following links contain information pertinent to the Mission and the Reservation.

For information on the recovery programs: Recovery programs at the St. Francis Mission

St. Francis Mission Main Page

Mission Headquarters