Good Things Emotional Healing Journal Addiction Effective
Strategies to Manage Unwanted Habits and Compulsive
Behaviors
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Good Things
Emotional Healing Journal
ADDICTION
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO MANAGE
Unwanted Habits AND Compulsive Behaviors
ELISABETH DAVIES, M.C.
Illustrated by BRYAN MARSHALL
Good Things Emotional Healing Journal
ADDICTION
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO MANAGE
Unwanted Habits AND Compulsive Behaviors
by ELISABETH DAVIES, M.C.
Illustrated by BRYAN MARSHALL
© 2011 Elisabeth Davies, M.C. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from author or publisher (except by a reviewer, who
may quote brief passages and/or show brief video clips in a review).
Disclaimer: The Publisher and the Author make no representations or
warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of
this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without
limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may
be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and
strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This
work is sold with the understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in
rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional
assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person
should be sought. Neither the Publisher nor the Author shall be liable for
damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or website is
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information does not mean that the Author or the Publisher endorses the
information the organization or website may provide or recommendations it
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ISBN 978-1-61448-010-5 Paperback
ISBN 978-1-61448-011-2 eBook
Library of Congress Control Number: 2011927221
Published by:
MORGAN JAMES PUBLISHING Interior Design by:
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In an effort to support local communities, raise
awareness and funds, Morgan James Publishing donates
one percent of all book sales for the life of each book to
Habitat for Humanity.
Get involved today, visit
www.HelpHabitatForHumanity.org.
For all the addicts who struggle with relapse. May you
know that you have value, regardless of your addiction.
Never allow your addiction to stop you from sharing your
inherent talents and abilities to bless others.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my editor Echo Surina at Philanthropology for all
her insightful, professional feedback and support in making Good Things
Emotional Healing Journal—Addiction a polished book.
I am very thankful to my illustrator, Bryan Marshall (“The Chosen
One”), for his wonderful, audacious talent of artistically capturing
addiction. His illustrations are what complete my vision for this book.
I am grateful to David Hancock, Chief Evangelist for The
Entrepreneurial Author, for all his positive encouragement and insightful
guidance in supporting me as a first-time author.
I want to thank all of my clients who struggle with addiction, for
sharing their experiences and needs for recovery. This wealth of knowledge
is what helped me confidently pass on the effective strategies in this book.
I am so appreciative of my husband, Stacy, who is always willing to
help me whenever my computer does not cooperate while writing! His
constant support is such a reassurance in my life.
I would especially like to thank God whose guidance is what made
writing this book possible. I am in awe of the people He led me to and the
wide-open path He created for me. All of this has made my journey to
becoming a writer an honor.
Foreword
As a journalist I have had the opportunity to speak with people in the
public eye who have struggled with addiction or helped those struggling.
In an interview I did with Dr. Drew Pinsky, host of VH1’s “Sober
House” and “Celebrity Rehab,” he described addiction as follows; “I
contemplate addiction as anybody with a family history who is developing
consequences from their relationship with a substance. It’s the loss of
control. It’s a biological disorder with a genetic base. The hallmark being
the progressive use or preoccupation in the face of adverse consequence and
then denial. So it’s a spectrum disorder from predisposed to incipient to
mild to moderate to severe.”
Christopher Kennedy Lawford, nephew of President John F. Kennedy
has written two books on addiction, “Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir
of Snapshots and Redemption” and “Moments of Clarity; Voices from the
Front Line of Addiction and Recovery.”
I was fortunate enough to interview him twice on the subject. Here is
what he said about his addiction. “I was somebody who, and like a lot of
people in “Moments of Clarity,” I did not like my life. I did not like who I
was. I did not like what I was doing. I did not like turning my back on the
opportunities I was given. But I was powerless at the time to do anything
about it.” That is until he had his moment of clarity and knew he wanted to
end the cycle of self –destruction.
Once you begin the process of healing or simply exploring the
possibility your actions may be the result of addictive behavior, a book like
this one by Elisabeth Davies can be a lifesaver. Finding professional help,
adding structure and routine to diminish the cravings and staying focused
on your goal will take you where you want to go and this book will help
enforce the positive each step of the way.
Good Things, Emotional Healing Journal—Addiction, is interactive.
You read, you think, you write and if you are honest with yourself between
these pages you may just find the freedom you deserve, the freedom to live
with control over impulse.
—Patricia Sheridan, Associate Editor/Features Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Preface
INTRODUCTION: You Are Not Alone In Your Addiction
CHAPTER 1 5 Factors That Can Increase Your Risk Of Becoming
Addicted
CHAPTER 2 Symptoms of Addiction
CHAPTER 3 Some Common Addictions
CHAPTER 4 Addiction Inventory
CHAPTER 5 Effective Strategies for Managing Addiction
CHAPTER 6 Effective Strategy # 1: Commit To Stopping Your Addiction
Now
CHAPTER 7 Effective Strategy #2: Visualize yourself without the
addiction.
CHAPTER 8 Effective Strategy #3: Delay Giving In To Your Habit
CHAPTER 9 Effective Strategy #4: Have An Anchor
CHAPTER 10 Effective Strategy #5: Soothe Your Moods And Emotions
CHAPTER 11 Effective Strategy #6: Take Care Of Your Body
CHAPTER 12 Effective Strategy #7: Pace Yourself!
CHAPTER 13 Effective Strategy #8: Seek Counseling With An Addiction
Specialist
CHAPTER 14 Effective Strategy #9: Develop An Effective Relapse
Prevention Plan
CHAPTER 15 What are the Twelve Steps?
CHAPTER 16 Effective Strategy #10: Serve Others Instead Of Yourself
CHAPTER 17 Effective Strategy #11: Keep Your Thoughts In The Now
CHAPTER 18 Effective Strategy #12: Believe In Yourself
CHAPTER 19 Effective Strategy #13: Connect With Other People
CHAPTER 20 Effective Strategy #14: Sacrifice Your Addiction
CHAPTER 21 Effective Strategy #15: Strengthen Your Internal Boundaries
To Contain Uncomfortable Feelings
About the Author
About the Illustrator
Good Things Emotional Healing Journals COMING SOON
Appendix
Resources
References
Preface
I am really excited to be addressing the topic of addiction. It’s
something I know well. I too have been on addiction’s deceiving, out-of-
control ride with several of my own past addictions: food, cigarettes, drugs,
love and work. I am also living proof—after going through years of
personal counseling, continuing education, support groups, dialogue with
other addicts, and a strong foundation in God—that impulsive behavior and
addictive symptoms can be healed and managed!
After 20 years of counseling thousands of clients, many of whom have
struggled with their own impulsive habits and addictions, I’ve decided to
share some of the most effective healing strategies I’ve seen help so many
people like you. It is an honor to pass along these tools for a better life to
you today.
Physical and emotional stress can make millions of people vulnerable
to use mood-altering substances and unhealthy habits as an attempt to cope.
Good Things, Emotional Healing Journal—Addiction, offers effective
strategies and insights to manage unwanted habits and compulsive
behaviors, so that you can choose healthier ways to cope with life. This
user-friendly workbook offers empowering strategies, writing opportunities
and addiction inventories that are all geared to assist you in healing and
managing unwanted impulsive habits and addictive symptoms.
To get the most benefit from this journal I suggest you practice one
effective strategy at a time and answer each question following the strategy
until you can incorporate the strategy into your daily routine.
This journal is a resource that can be used throughout your life
whenever you get unwanted desires or cravings or want to prevent a relapse
into a past impulsive habit. Continued reinforcement of these strategies will
promote longer periods of recovery and fewer relapses.
Feel free to share what you learn here with others who also want to get
through life’s challenging obstacles using healthy skills instead of unhealthy
vices.
Because . . . everyone deserves to live life fully and freely!
— Elisabeth Davies, MC
GOOD THINGS, EMOTIONAL HEALING
JOURNAL
This journal belongs to____________________________________
Some of the things I hope to accomplish as I work through this
journal are. . .
INTRODUCTION
You Are Not Alone In Your Addiction
Addiction is an epidemic that impacts more than 140 million adults in
the US.(1) In fact, the No. 1 addiction in America is food! More than 50
percent of American adolescents and adults were obese from impulsively
overeating in 2007.(2)
Yet, it is the addiction that the least amount of people seek treatment
for.
The second most common addiction in America is nicotine. More than
43 million Americans reported smoking cigarettes and being addicted to
nicotine in 2007.(3)
The third most popular addiction in America is alcohol. Yet, it is the
number one addiction that people seek treatment for. A survey done in 2007
by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that 17
million Americans have alcohol disorders.(4)
Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in America, with
more than 16 million reported users.(5) I would like to know how many
people used marijuana and didn’t report it!
Work addiction is also quite common in America. Approximately 63
percent of American employees work more than 40 hours per week, and 40
percent exceed 50 hours per week.(6)
It’s relatively easy to become addicted to spending. If we don’t have
money to spend, we can always charge it. The average American adult owns
nine credit cards and has an estimated $8,000 of credit card debt.(7) In
2009, 1.4 million people filed for bankruptcy due to overspending.
