Lessons a drug addict can teach you | Lauren Windle | TEDxSurreyUniversity

Summary

The speaker shares her personal journey of addiction, beginning with cocaine at 22 and evolving into daily substance abuse. After hitting rock bottom, she found sobriety through a support group and the 12-step recovery program, originally from Alcoholics Anonymous. Her story illustrates the power of connection, self-forgiveness, and the transformative potential of the 12 steps, which she now facilitates to help others overcome various addictions. She encourages those struggling with any form of addiction to seek help, emphasizing the importance of community and self-improvement for a fulfilling life.

Takeaways

• 🔄 The speaker began using cocaine at 22 and experienced a significant life change, choosing a 'party girl' lifestyle post-university and a breakup.
• 🍻 Binge drinking was a precursor to cocaine use, highlighting the escalation of substance abuse.
• 🛑 A pivotal moment of self-realization came after waking with a black eye and fragmented memories, leading to seeking help from a support group.
• 🗓️ April 22, 2014, marked the beginning of the speaker's sobriety, emphasizing the importance of support and connection in recovery.
• 🤝 Connection, as described by Johann Hari, is the antidote to addiction, providing a sense of belonging and understanding in recovery groups.
• 📝 The 12 steps of recovery, originally from Alcoholics Anonymous, offer a structured path for individuals struggling with addiction.
• 🙌 Step one acknowledges the powerlessness over addiction and the unmanageability of life, a crucial first step in the recovery process.
• 🙏 Steps two and three involve belief in a higher power and the decision to surrender control, providing a sense of relief and humility.
• 📋 Steps four and five involve a moral inventory and admitting wrongs to oneself and others, a challenging but necessary part of self-awareness.
• 🧐 Steps six and seven focus on readiness for character defects to be removed and asking for divine help, identifying underlying fears and patterns.
• 📝 Steps eight and nine involve making amends, a difficult but transformative process of reconciliation and forgiveness.
• 🔄 Steps ten and eleven emphasize ongoing self-improvement through daily inventory, prayer, and meditation, fostering a continuous path of growth.
• ✨ Step twelve speaks to the spiritual awakening experienced through the steps, encouraging the sharing of the recovery message and living by its principles.
• 🌟 The speaker's personal transformation through the 12 steps led to setting up a recovery course, impacting others and becoming a better person.
• 📢 A call to action for those struggling with any form of addiction to seek help, emphasizing that support is available and necessary for recovery.

Q & A

At what age did the speaker first try cocaine?

The speaker first tried cocaine at the age of 22.

What was the speaker's initial occupation that led to increased substance abuse?

The speaker's initial occupation was in Hospitality, where drinking and drug taking were common.

What significant event in the speaker's life led to the decision to become a 'party girl'?

The speaker decided to become a 'party girl' after finishing university and experiencing a breakup with a long-term boyfriend.

What did the speaker perceive as the opposite of addiction according to Johann Hari's famous TED Talk?

According to Johann Hari's TED Talk, the speaker understood that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, but connection.

On what date did the speaker achieve sobriety and how long has it been?

The speaker achieved sobriety on April 22, 2014, and at the time of the script, it had been almost four years.

What is the origin of the 12 steps of recovery mentioned by the speaker?

The 12 steps of recovery originated from Alcoholics Anonymous, established by Dr. Bob Smith and Bill Wilson in America in the 1930s.

What was the first step of the 12 steps of recovery that the speaker admitted to?

The first step of the 12 steps that the speaker admitted to was being powerless over their addiction and that their life had become unmanageable.

What personal habit did the speaker adopt as a result of their recovery process?

As a result of their recovery process, the speaker adopted the habit of moisturizing every day, which became a benchmark for self-care.

What was the common denominator the speaker identified beneath their character defects?

The common denominator the speaker identified beneath their character defects was fear, which influenced their decisions and actions.

What did the speaker do to make amends to those they had harmed during their addiction?

The speaker made a list of people they had harmed and became willing to make amends to them, making direct amends wherever possible, except when it would cause further harm.

What is the purpose of the recovery course the speaker set up, and what is it based on?

The purpose of the recovery course the speaker set up is to help people struggling with various addictions. It is a 16-week program based on the 12 steps of recovery and is run by the charity Recovery 2.

What is the speaker's final advice for those who may be struggling with any kind of addiction?

The speaker's final advice is to seek help, as there are numerous resources available such as charities, anonymous groups, support groups, and church groups that are ready to assist. They emphasize that one's life is too important to accept anything less than complete freedom.