Paula Davies Scimeca

What Does Thanksgiving Have To Do With Sobriety?


By Paula Davies Scimeca, RN, MS

Actually, there are quite a few aspects of Thanksgiving that mirror sobriety.  Had the Pilgrims not been the recipients of the utmost kindness, hospitality and tutelage of the Native Americans, they would never have survived the impending winter.  That is what essentially precipitated the very first Thanksgiving celebration. 

Not unlike Native Americans, individuals familiar with the ins and outs of sobriety take those new to recovery under their wing, showing them the ropes; alerting them to the pitfalls and dangers that may threaten fledgling recovery, and ultimately, life.

Thanksgiving is a non-secular holiday which traditionally welcomes all to the table.  The very first Thanksgiving was an all-inclusive, momentous occasion that was held without regard for the ethnic background, political affiliations, social allegiances and other alliances mankind tends to fabricate.  While at most gatherings, distinctions among individuals are praised, if not flaunted outright, in recovery circles these differences are "laughed out of countenance," according to the traditions created by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

More than just a feast for the gut, both Thanksgiving and sobriety have the capability, and underlying intent, of filling up the very soul of those present with heartwarming fare which transcends the physicality of a human being, seeping down into the depth of heart and spirit as well.

Without gratitude for what we have all received, Thanksgiving is just a hollow, empty shell of what might have been and sobriety is but a shadow whose existence is ultimately threatened.
Although both Thanksgiving and sobriety, at their very best, share the profound aspect of giving thanks for blessings and acknowledgement that we have escaped from fatal harm, both processes give rise to a very meaningful cause for celebration: life itself, at its most basic level. 


Happy Thanksgiving and uninterrupted recovery to all this holiday season!

At a time of unprecedented prescription drug abuse when stories play out in the media of those succumbing to addiction on a daily basis, stories of long term, uninterrupted recovery from addiction merit media attention.  After all, were it not for adequately profiling cancer survivors to the public, many individuals would continue to equate a diagnosis of cancer as a death sentence. 

To kick off September as National Recovery Month, Lifetime Television's, "The Balancing Act," aired a timely piece which underscores that people afflicted with addiction can get well, and even go on to get better than well.  The segment, which can be viewed at The Balancing Act; noted that addiction recovery is not a "headline grabber"... yet.  The show highlighted one of the twenty-nine inspirational stories of nurses in recovery which are featured in a recent publication, "From Unbecoming A Nurse to Overcoming Addiction."

According to Lifetime associate producer, Gregory Fake, "Paula Davies Scimeca was invited onto "The Balancing Act" not just because she can speak about addiction, but also because she can speak in concrete terms about avoiding addiction in the first place."  He went on to say, "It's a very important segment."

As hope of achieving long term, uninterrupted recovery is a necessary ingredient for anyone to achieve and sustain recovery, those in the recovery community must support continued efforts to ensure that recovery success stories secure their rightful place among the other newsworthy topics featured in the media.

For twenty-two years, September has been celebrated throughout the U.S. as Recovery Month.  The purpose of Recovery Month is to bring awareness and hope to people that long term recovery from addiction is possible.  This past August 31st, September was proclaimed National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month by President Obama.

Last year, I had the supreme honor of leading one of the many Recovery Month activities sponsored by the Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery (MAAR).  The gathering of hundreds of individuals from all walks of life in Augusta, Maine, proved to be quite memorable.  Every age group was well-represented and the stories of redemption and recovery were truly awesome, inspiring and unforgettable.

Since I could not take any of the people I met home with me to New York, the next best takeaway for me was the sapphire blue commemorative tee-shirt I received.  With huge, bold, standout letters in bright white, the shirt broadcasts, "THIS Is What Recovery Looks Like."

Indeed, recovery looks quite ordinary to the naked eye.  It looks like you, and me; really everyone and anyone we pass on the street.  To the casual observer, we all look rather unremarkable in our humanity.  Yet, to those who stood sentry on the firing line for any length of time, watching their loved one or colleague wrestle with addiction and has the tenacity to remain long enough to witness recovery blossom beyond its initial phase, the vision of their loved one transforms into something quite extraordinary.

As individuals in recovery and those of us in addiction advocacy roles walk through streets either deserted or flooded with people this September, with or without a MAAR tee-shirt, we should all remember that the capacity for addiction recovery is possible in everyone we meet.  Any stranger passing by may actually be a real-life representation of the extraordinary in the ordinary; a true miracle of what recovery looks like.

In the U.S., we commemorate and celebrate our inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness on July 4th.  To place a safety net around such individual rights, however, regulations have been established to ensure that certain activities are only conducted by those who possess a minimal level of education, training and/or competence so that public safety is maintained.  For this reason, no one has a "right" to drive an automobile or fly an airplane, or set up practice as a doctor, lawyer or other professional, without obtaining a valid license.  In this way, the rights of all are safeguarded by placing minimal requirements on those given the "privilege" to drive a car, fly an aircraft, or practice a profession.

The privilege of being issued any license is a valuable asset that can only be kept in force by adhering to standards set by the regulatory agency which is empowered to restrict or revoke such licenses if warranted.  Thus, any license can be used as potent leverage to ensure that the licensee conforms to established standards in the field, be that the highway, skyway, hospital or court room.

Monitoring the recovery from addiction of licensed professionals has a long track record of documented success.  For decades, tightly structured programs which monitor physicians, nurses, attorneys, and airline pilots have provided a highly effective, non-public method of enhancing public safety, while increasing the likelihood that such professionals will achieve and maintain a lasting recovery.

Accountability to remain within the parameters of such monitoring programs clearly rest on the shoulders of each individual participant.  Adherence to the requirements set by such programs is deemed highly desirable by participants as each has a professional license which hangs in the balance.  As a professional's license corresponds directly to their ability to make a living, most professionals in monitoring programs are extremely invested and highly motivated to achieve a successful, if not stellar, outcome.

Thus, the stage of professional monitoring programs is set by a potent form of leverage which casts a hook into the monitored professional.  Fundamentally, the force exerted on the monitored professional is the ability to revoke or restrict their privilege to practice their profession, binding them to adhere strictly to their monitoring agreements.  Such leverage serves as a formidable contender which can effectively compete against any strong cravings to re-engage in alcohol and other drug use.  

Monitoring programs go far beyond what their name signifies, which is the provision for toxicology screenings of participants at random intervals for alcohol and drug use.  While such toxicology testing is usually performed for a long period of time, often five or more years, additional requirements customarily include formal evaluation, diagnosis and treatment by certified experts in the field of substance use disorders.  Inpatient treatment is often mandated and follow-up care is frequently required for an extensive period of six or more months after discharge from inpatient care. 

A compulsory sabbatical or leave of absence from professional practice is a typical initial stipulation of monitoring programs because such a reprieve enhances the professional's ability to cultivate recovery skills.  Customarily, documented 12 Step program attendance is required, as well as attendance at peer support group meetings which are populated solely by other recovering members of a particular profession. 

Recent studies of physician health programs, which is the common term utilized for programs monitoring physicians, have demonstrated a remarkable success rate that any addiction treatment program would envy.  In one such study, 78% of the 904 physicians monitored for five years or longer showed no return to alcohol or other drug use (DuPont).  Long-term success rates of pilot monitoring programs reported by the aviation industry boast abstinence rates exceeding 85% (Aviation Medicine Advisory Service).  Similar rates of recovery from addiction have been noted in data pertaining to other professions with established monitoring programs, such as nurses (Trossman).

By replicating some of the strategies already in use by professional monitoring programs, sufficient leverage may be exerted on non-professionals afflicted with addiction.  Although it would be an extremely difficult undertaking to generate the quality or quantity of leverage currently used by programs monitoring licensed professionals, such accountability may hold the key to optimally enhancing the long-term recovery outcomes for the general population which typically range between 40%-60% (Angres).   Given that morbidity and mortality related to addictive disorders robs a countless number of individuals of their inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, adopting some of the aspects of professional monitoring programs seems to warrant exploration.

References
Angres, D.H., Bettinardi-Angres, K., & Cross, W.  (April 2010).  Nurses with chemical dependency: Promoting successful treatment and reentry.  Journal of Nursing Regulation. 1(1), 16-20.

DuPont, R., McLellan, A.T., Carr, G., Gendel, M., & Skipper, G.E.  (2009) How are addicted physicians treated?  A national survey of physician health programs.  Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment.  37(1), 1-7.

Trossman, S.  (2003).  Nurses and addiction: Finding alternatives to discipline.  American Journal of Nursing.  103(9), 27-28.
Aviation Medicine Advisory Service, FAA-Sanctioned pilot alcohol abuse programs in business aviation.  Accessed online on 7/4/2011.at http://aviationmedicine.com/articles/index.cfm?fuseaction=printVersion&articleID=18