UP FROM DOWN

I am pleased to announce that my book "Up From Down" was the first place winner in the Addiction/Recovery category of the National Indie Excellence Awards, As previously announced, the book was also a winner at the Orange County Christian Writers Conference  in 2011. 

NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE ASWARD

One man's harrowing battle with hepatitis C

Serena Gordon did a nice interview and article on my Hepatitis experience. There is more information about it in my book. The cure was actually quite miraculous.

Article LINK

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-harrowing-hepatitis.html

The Full Original Copy of the Serenity Prayer

by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

God, give us grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

There is some great information on addiction at the following link.

I do not credit my recovery from drugs and alcohol to either AA or NA. The complete journey is detailed in my book. I carefully avoided the mention of any preacher or church in my book as I did not want to wave any red flags in front of anyone.

However, recently I have been re-thinking that. Roy Masters is a controversial figure and so is his  Foundation of Human Understanding. For those truly seeking answers to their dilema, I recommend the Judeo-Christian Meditation that he teaches. It is available free if you cannot afford it at:

Meditation

www.fhu.com

I will be a guest on the "On Health & Healing with Angela Levesque" on May 3rd at 8:00 PM pacific time

http://a2zen.fm/events/event/listUserEvents?user=36qwuub4zkwdp

The link to Ted Adamson's website is  www.upfromdown.info . Learn more about the causes and cure for addiction. 

Thank you to the very nice ladies over at the Book Nook Club for a 5 star book review, especially to Carol who wrote it. 

Excerpt: 

“I have never read such an honest and clear account of a life that went down the “wrong path.” Agree with him or not, I couldn’t help but be moved by his openness and willingness to share it all and not hold back. I wasn’t reading a book , I was digging into his mind, and maybe even his soul. It has changed my perspective on addiction and people with addiction, and it will change yours. A must read!”--- 5 Stars, Carol at the Book Nook Club.

http://booknookclub.blogspot.com/2012/04/up-from-down-true-story-of-recovery.html

Thank you to the Midwest Book Review for the glowing review of my book:

LINK

The Memoir Shelf

Up from Down

Ted Adamson

Westbow

1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300

Bloomington, IN 47403

9781449725013, $11.95, www.westbowpress.com

Addiction can tear apart our lives. "Up from Down: A True Story of Recovery From Addiction" is a memoir from Ted Adamson as he discusses his battles with heroin addiction, as he shares his story with a no holds barred look at addiction and the damage it can do to our lives. Frank and honest, he hopes his story will ring true with other addicts and help them find their way through. "Up from Down" is an excellent and thoughtful memoir, not to be overlooked.

"Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder which occurs after a negative trauma or event. Living with PTSD can be difficult and painful sometimes leading to addiction by self-medicating."

Link

I know for a fact that my addiction to both alcohol and drugs was a result of what is now called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. How often do you hear that mentioned in AA? I don't think I have ever heard it mentioned. Occasionally, I have heard someone talk about the horrible trauma of being molested or something but generally it is not talked about.

If you hear anything about the cause of addiction in AA (Alcoholism in an addiction btw), it is usually that the cause is your "genes", brain chemistry disorder, or inability to metabolize alcohol. It’s all utter nonsense.

There are a few place (like the site referenced above) that correctly associate traumatic events with addiction to alcohol and drugs. However, there are fewer places indeed that know how to deal with the condition.

And that was the reason behind me writing my book "Up from Down". You can read the story of the traumatic events which gave rise to my addiction and how ultimately (after 50 years of suffering), I found the key to freedom.

Or you can continue to believe you have a "disease”, “faulty genes", or "abnormal brain chemistry" or an "allergy.".