Physicians overcome addiction to alcohol and drugs at higher rates than the general population, but stress, isolation, and lack of recovery support place them at high risk of dying and threatens their long-term sobriety.
“Covid-19 has seriously impacted recovery from Substance Use Disorder,” says Amazon bestselling author, Linville M. Meadows, M.D. “According to a National Institutes of Health study, addicts are more likely to catch COVID-19, to be hospitalized, or die from it.”
Meadows’ recovery from addiction to cocaine and alcohol, and the spiritual pathway he found for overcoming his disease, are the subject of his new book, ‘A Spiritual Pathway to Recovery from Addiction.’
Meadows went on, “Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN suggested that it is especially difficult for those just beginning their recovery. Doctors, lawyers, and white-collar professionals are particularly vulnerable. As a result, drug overdoses have risen by 18%, according to The Guardian.
“Social distancing has forced many 12 Step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, to suspend their meetings. The need for an effective treatment for substance abuse has never been greater,” said Meadows.
Meadows’ recovery began in 1997. “Most 12 Step programs offer from 10 to 20% sobriety at one year. But the intensive program designed for physicians yields over 70% at five years!” The techniques used to achieve this wonderful result from the basis of his book and are available to everyone.
The pandemic affects all of us but, for the addict, forced isolation can remove much of the connection and the accountability of peer-centered recovery programs. Addiction - be it to alcohol, heroin, cocaine, opioids or any other substance - when combined with social isolation, exacerbates the challenges addicts must deal with. According to an article on the Atlanta Jewish Times site, Leslie Lubell, program manager of HAMSA stated, “The patients can’t survive on their own.”
Dr. Linville Meadows is an Honors graduate of the U.N.C. School of Medicine, was recognized internationally for his work in cancer research, and was designated as a Clinical Investigator of the National Cancer Institute. His personal experiences, and his observations of other addicts and alcoholics seeking recovery, laid the groundwork for his bestselling book on recovery, ‘A Spiritual Pathway to Recovery from Addiction: A Physician's Journey of Discovery’.
His approach to the subject is utterly unique, as it is the memoir of a group of physicians going through an intensive rehab program. It is presented as a collection of the stories and lessons they encountered during their time together. It is a step-by-step guide to understanding the disease of addiction and how to treat it effectively, presented in a way that is both highly informative and wildly entertaining.
Dr. Meadows' concepts have been featured by Psychology Today, Psychiatry Times, and TheFix.com. In this #1 Amazon bestseller, readers will discover how to overcome addiction through the use of spiritual principles, like honesty, compassion, and faith; a simple and successful treatment that works for impaired physicians and can be used by anyone. Readers will benefit from having information that may greatly increase their chances of successful recovery from addiction.
“I woke up on my 49th birthday and realized that I was addicted to drugs and alcohol and that my life was spinning wildly out of control. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop. Some days I wanted passionately to quit and some days I just didn't care. I had reached a point where I could no longer use and live. It was either quit or die, and then something happened. I found recovery.”
Some of the topics covered in the book include:
The disease concept of addiction
Overcoming the denial and the uncontrollable craving
Finding the openness, honesty, and willingness to change
Dealing with past mistakes and removing character defects
Exchanging my old addictive ways of thinking for healthier ones
Finding spiritual principles I can live by
Living without fear or worry
Finding happiness within myself
While the book is appropriate for any person who might wish to explore the topics of addiction and recovery, those for whom it will hold the most value include:
The reader who wants to know if his drinking is actually out of control.
The reader who knows he is in trouble, and wants to change.
The old-timer in recovery who wants to learn more about his disease.
Their families and friends.
The practitioner who treats these people.
The new book has received rave reviews from readers and reviewers alike. Ralph Snyderman, M.D., Chancellor Emeritus, Duke University stated, "If there is any book you plan to read about addiction this year, it should be this one as it will be a classic for anyone wanting to understand the mind of addicted physicians (and others) and what it takes to recover”. The Prairies Book Review said, “This outstanding guide with cogent insights into the nightmarish world of addiction and recovery is a must-read for anyone who thinks he has a problem with addiction.”
Dr. Larry Goodman, author of ‘Fridays With Goodman’ said, "The book's value is as a contemporary guide to recovery, set in plain English, as compared to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In my coaching world, there are many, many, many, many people, who have not yet reached the point of incomprehensible demoralization that is active addiction, or who are in families where addiction is rampant, who will be served by this book."
Dr. Meadows is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at meadowslin@gmail.com. ‘A Spiritual Pathway to Recovery from Addiction: A Physician's Journey of Discovery’ is available at online book outlets. More information can be found on his website at https://www.spiritualpathwaytorecovery.com.
About Linville Meadows M.D.
Dr. Meadows is an Honors graduate of the U.N.C. School of Medicine and studied at Duke University. He later held faculty positions at both institutions. He was recognized internationally for his work in cancer research, and was designated as a Clinical Investigator of the National Cancer Institute.
His recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol began May 7, 1997. Since then, he has counseled a large number of addicts and alcoholics striving to get clean and sober. His observations and study over the last 20+ years form the basis for “A Spiritual Pathway to Recover from Addiction, A Physician’s Journey of Discovery".
Contact:
Linville Meadows M.D.
meadowslin@gmail.com
https://www.spiritualpathwaytorecovery.com
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