For more information on the above service, please go to the website below.
Bill M. Memorial Site
Bill helped us carry the AA message in Ghana for ten days in November, 2007.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
NA Meeting in Ghana
Revival has been given to Narcotics Anonymous in Ghana . This came about after several attempts by Ghanaians and international friends such as Maurice G. and others to plant NA in the country. The first NA grup in Ghana met on Saturdays and was called the Crucial NA Group. Another NA group met for about six months at a church in Adabraka and was started by Yusuf I. and others.
The new attempt to is expected to be a permanent one and was encouraged by Logosu A., the current Head of the Addictive Diseases Unit of the Department of Medicine of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. The idea was enthusiastically accepted by seven recovering addicts who have come to the Unit for treatment and counseling. The recovering addicts admitted that what makes some of them go back to using (relapse) is the lack of maintenance programme.
The first meeting was held under a blackberry tree close to the clinic on Monday, 4 May, 2009. It was an open meeting and was attended by the nurses and a security man who incidentally was an addict. Though it was a topic discussion meeting, the group booklet was read and the content of the text was explained to newcomers. Both old and new members shared their experiences, strengths and hopes.
At the end of the meeting, members were grateful for the initiative by Logosu A. for the formation of the local group. Though Logosu A. proposed the name “Crucial Group”, the group finally settled on “The New Man” as the name of the “home group” after it was proposed by a newcomer, Isaac A who did not know the history of the clinic. The name miraculously coincided with the founder of the Addictive Diseases Unit, Dr. Isaac Newman, a physician specialist who was sponsored to study about addiction and substance dependency disorders in February, 1991.
International NA members visiting Ghana and addicts with the desire to stop using can now have a sigh of relief as they can have a place to fellowship by attending the Monday morning meetings at the Addictive Diseases Unit at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra . We are expecting Maurice G. and his group to visit Accra in June, 2009.
Submitted by
Chris D.
The new attempt to is expected to be a permanent one and was encouraged by Logosu A., the current Head of the Addictive Diseases Unit of the Department of Medicine of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. The idea was enthusiastically accepted by seven recovering addicts who have come to the Unit for treatment and counseling. The recovering addicts admitted that what makes some of them go back to using (relapse) is the lack of maintenance programme.
The first meeting was held under a blackberry tree close to the clinic on Monday, 4 May, 2009. It was an open meeting and was attended by the nurses and a security man who incidentally was an addict. Though it was a topic discussion meeting, the group booklet was read and the content of the text was explained to newcomers. Both old and new members shared their experiences, strengths and hopes.
At the end of the meeting, members were grateful for the initiative by Logosu A. for the formation of the local group. Though Logosu A. proposed the name “Crucial Group”, the group finally settled on “The New Man” as the name of the “home group” after it was proposed by a newcomer, Isaac A who did not know the history of the clinic. The name miraculously coincided with the founder of the Addictive Diseases Unit, Dr. Isaac Newman, a physician specialist who was sponsored to study about addiction and substance dependency disorders in February, 1991.
International NA members visiting Ghana and addicts with the desire to stop using can now have a sigh of relief as they can have a place to fellowship by attending the Monday morning meetings at the Addictive Diseases Unit at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra . We are expecting Maurice G. and his group to visit Accra in June, 2009.
Submitted by
Chris D.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Workshop on Wellness Policies and EAPs
Hopeful Way Foundation is looking into the possibility of conducting a workshop on Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) or more broadly on wellness policies and employee assistance. The workshop will be conducted if it is determined that several organisations will be interested in sending participants and paying for some of the costs of the training. One or two resource persons from outside Ghana would be brought for the training which could take place in August or September, 2009. EAPs are designed to meet the needs of the particular organisation concerned. They can be very simple or complex. Some programmes deal primarily with workplace problems related to alcohol.
The National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence in the U.S. defines alcoholism this way:
"Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychological, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortion in thinking, most notably denial."
Alcohol is the single most used and abused drug in America. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), nearly 14 million Americans (1 in every 13 adults) abuse alcohol or are alcoholics. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. The costs to society in terms of lost productivity, health care costs, traffic accidents, and personal tragedies are staggering. Numerous studies and reports have been issued on the workplace costs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, and they report costs that range from $33 billion to $68 billion per year. Alcohol is a major factor in injuries, both at home, at work, and on the road. Nearly half of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol.
In the workplace, the costs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse manifest themselves in many different ways. Absenteeism is estimated to be 4 to 8 times greater among alcoholics and alcohol abusers. Other family members of alcoholics also have greater rates of absenteeism. Accidents and on-the-job injuries are far more prevalent among alcoholics and alcohol abusers.
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) in the U.S. deal with all kinds of problems and provide short-term counseling, assessment, and referral of employees with alcohol and drug abuse problems, emotional and mental health problems, marital and family problems, financial problems, dependent care concerns, and other personal problems that can affect the employee’s work. This service is confidential. These programs are usually staffed by professional counselors and may be operated in-house with agency personnel, under a contract with other agencies or EAP providers, or a combination of the two.
The EAP counselor will meet with the employee, assess or diagnose the problem, and, if necessary, refer the employee to a treatment program or resource. With permission of the client, the EAP counselor will keep the client informed as to the nature of the problem, what type of treatment may be needed, and the progress of the employee in treatment. Before releasing this information to the client, or anyone else, the counselor would need a signed written release of information from the client which would state what information may be released and to whom it may be released. The EAP counselor will also monitor the employee’s progress and will provide follow-up counseling if needed.
Sometimes, the employee will contact the EAP on his or her own. However, in some cases, the employee will be referred by you because you have noted a decline in the employee’s conduct, attendance, or performance and/or seen actual evidence of alcohol use or impairment at work.
If you or your organisation are interested in attending a workshop on EAPs, please contact Hopeful Way Foundation.
If you or your organisation is interested in participating in a workshop on EAPs, please contact Hopeful Way Foundation at 024-355-8412 or E-mail: danagnes1@yahoo.com.
The National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence in the U.S. defines alcoholism this way:
"Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychological, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortion in thinking, most notably denial."
Alcohol is the single most used and abused drug in America. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), nearly 14 million Americans (1 in every 13 adults) abuse alcohol or are alcoholics. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. The costs to society in terms of lost productivity, health care costs, traffic accidents, and personal tragedies are staggering. Numerous studies and reports have been issued on the workplace costs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, and they report costs that range from $33 billion to $68 billion per year. Alcohol is a major factor in injuries, both at home, at work, and on the road. Nearly half of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol.
In the workplace, the costs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse manifest themselves in many different ways. Absenteeism is estimated to be 4 to 8 times greater among alcoholics and alcohol abusers. Other family members of alcoholics also have greater rates of absenteeism. Accidents and on-the-job injuries are far more prevalent among alcoholics and alcohol abusers.
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) in the U.S. deal with all kinds of problems and provide short-term counseling, assessment, and referral of employees with alcohol and drug abuse problems, emotional and mental health problems, marital and family problems, financial problems, dependent care concerns, and other personal problems that can affect the employee’s work. This service is confidential. These programs are usually staffed by professional counselors and may be operated in-house with agency personnel, under a contract with other agencies or EAP providers, or a combination of the two.
The EAP counselor will meet with the employee, assess or diagnose the problem, and, if necessary, refer the employee to a treatment program or resource. With permission of the client, the EAP counselor will keep the client informed as to the nature of the problem, what type of treatment may be needed, and the progress of the employee in treatment. Before releasing this information to the client, or anyone else, the counselor would need a signed written release of information from the client which would state what information may be released and to whom it may be released. The EAP counselor will also monitor the employee’s progress and will provide follow-up counseling if needed.
Sometimes, the employee will contact the EAP on his or her own. However, in some cases, the employee will be referred by you because you have noted a decline in the employee’s conduct, attendance, or performance and/or seen actual evidence of alcohol use or impairment at work.
If you or your organisation are interested in attending a workshop on EAPs, please contact Hopeful Way Foundation.
If you or your organisation is interested in participating in a workshop on EAPs, please contact Hopeful Way Foundation at 024-355-8412 or E-mail: danagnes1@yahoo.com.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
"OUT OF AFRICA"
Chia C. of Cameroon had his story told in the May, 2009 issue of the AA Grapevine. Parts of it sounded like life in Ghana. He began by saying that his drinking started off as an acceptable way of spending time with friends but it soon “made my life topsy-turvy”. He got involved with fights, money problems and the wrong women in his “long journey into the abyss of alcoholism”.
He went on to say that “One of the most disturbing things about alcoholism in Afria is that most communities do not even consider it a serious social problem. So many are trapped in its asphyxiating grip, and whole lives are lost forever or simply swept down the drain into oblivion without many people seriously questioning why. The ‘drunkard’ is simply considered a societal clown if he drinks and remains ridiculously friendly, or someone to avoid if he becomes agitated or violent after consuming more than his brain can reasonably handle.”
Chia went on to describe how he took up a responsibility at the funeral of his brother’s wife. He received money from the family to pay the morticians and others, and took a drink “to steady my strained nerves and that was when all hell broke lose. I spent the night on a bench in a market stall, and stayed away from the ceremony. I continued drinking heavily days after the funeral and finally left my village to go back to my station. I had become a nuisance not only to my family but also to the entire village.”
In his post-booze despair, Chia turned to the only anonymous source he knew, the website of Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.aa.org/), and sent out his first SOS signal. “Therein started my fellowship with online members of Alcoholics Anonymous. The literature and e-mails I constantly receive from the members of this group are the reason I have not tasted a drop of alcohol in the past eight months. The benefits of sobriety are innumerable.”
Summary of the "Out of Afria" story in the May, 2009 Grapevine
He went on to say that “One of the most disturbing things about alcoholism in Afria is that most communities do not even consider it a serious social problem. So many are trapped in its asphyxiating grip, and whole lives are lost forever or simply swept down the drain into oblivion without many people seriously questioning why. The ‘drunkard’ is simply considered a societal clown if he drinks and remains ridiculously friendly, or someone to avoid if he becomes agitated or violent after consuming more than his brain can reasonably handle.”
Chia went on to describe how he took up a responsibility at the funeral of his brother’s wife. He received money from the family to pay the morticians and others, and took a drink “to steady my strained nerves and that was when all hell broke lose. I spent the night on a bench in a market stall, and stayed away from the ceremony. I continued drinking heavily days after the funeral and finally left my village to go back to my station. I had become a nuisance not only to my family but also to the entire village.”
In his post-booze despair, Chia turned to the only anonymous source he knew, the website of Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.aa.org/), and sent out his first SOS signal. “Therein started my fellowship with online members of Alcoholics Anonymous. The literature and e-mails I constantly receive from the members of this group are the reason I have not tasted a drop of alcohol in the past eight months. The benefits of sobriety are innumerable.”
Summary of the "Out of Afria" story in the May, 2009 Grapevine
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Bill Moore Dies in Accident
Dear Friends of Bill Moore,
The article below appeared in the Santa Rosa, California Press Democrat newspaper on May 3, 2009. Bill and Suzanne Moore visited Ghana in November, 2007 for about ten days and contributed much to the effort to further recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. Bill was not only an expert in addiction but full of the life of recovery which inspired many of us in Ghana.
Wallace B. Moore Jr., a 68-year-old Santa Rosa man, was killed Friday, May 1, 2009, in a motorcycle crash on a Nevada state highway east of the Sierra Nevada .
Moore, who went by the first name Bill, was riding with a group of motorcyclists belonging to the Gold Wing Road Riders Association bound for Death Valley , said his wife, Suzanne Moore.
Nevada state trooper Chuck Allen said the motorcyclists were on State Route 338 about 20 miles south of Smith, Nev. , when Moore failed to negotiate a curve at about 11:25 a.m.
He hit a rock and a metal sign and was pronounced dead at the scene. The highway connects Smith to Bridgeport , in Alpine County.
Moore was riding a 1994 blue-colored Honda Gold Wing motorcycle, Allen said.
A Santa Rosa resident since 1988, Moore was a self-employed addictions counselor who was dedicated to assisting alcoholics, his wife said.
"That was the driving force in his life," Suzanne Moore said.
The couple had been married 14 years and had traveled widely, visiting Japan, China, Thailand, Australia, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Ghana, Peru and the Galapagos islands. "He had friends around the world," his wife said.
Moore owned a business named Aery, the term for an eagle's nest, that provided structured living for recovering alcoholics. He was a 33-year member of a 12-step program, his wife said.
A friend of Bill Moore wrote:
"Many times i hated hearing what Bill was trying to show/teach me, but in the end he was right. he was right cause it didn't come from his ego or was trying to show off.....he was right because he was coming from love. was doing it out of love. love for the alcoholic that still suffers. the ones that have reached "the moment of surrender" . the ones willing to go to any lengths. the ones in action. so we to can continue to help others and give what was so freely given to us as it was given to him. Bill Moore was the man that showed me how to love myself so i could love others. life will go on without him. because of him my life and the lives of countless people he helped out of the alcoholic hell......life will go on happy joyious and free."
Bill & Suzanne in Ghana
Bill and Suzanne Moore visited Ghana in November, 2007 for about ten days in order to share their messages of recovery with us. Their visit was an inspiration to hundreds of professionals and others in Ghana who are trying to find ways of overcoming addiction to alcohol and drugs. Bill brought a wealth of experience to Ghana in overcoming addiction but his love and enthusiasm for life in recovery impressed us most. Recovering alcoholics and their families were given a new hope. We received the message that there is not only hope but also dignity aplenty in recovery. While in Ghana Bill conducted numerous workshops, went on radio, attended 12-step meetings and carried the message of recovery to Wa. Bill was particularly helpful in developing our thinking on the establishment of a house for recovering alcoholics. Construction of the “Hopeful Way House” in Accra has been completed and is ready to take in up to twelve residents. Bill inspired us with his description of The Aery, a recovery house which he ran in Santa Rosa. Bill and Suzanne will be long remembered for their brief but inspirational visit to Ghana.
Submitted by
Dan O’Laughlin
The article below appeared in the Santa Rosa, California Press Democrat newspaper on May 3, 2009. Bill and Suzanne Moore visited Ghana in November, 2007 for about ten days and contributed much to the effort to further recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. Bill was not only an expert in addiction but full of the life of recovery which inspired many of us in Ghana.
Wallace B. Moore Jr., a 68-year-old Santa Rosa man, was killed Friday, May 1, 2009, in a motorcycle crash on a Nevada state highway east of the Sierra Nevada .
Moore, who went by the first name Bill, was riding with a group of motorcyclists belonging to the Gold Wing Road Riders Association bound for Death Valley , said his wife, Suzanne Moore.
Nevada state trooper Chuck Allen said the motorcyclists were on State Route 338 about 20 miles south of Smith, Nev. , when Moore failed to negotiate a curve at about 11:25 a.m.
He hit a rock and a metal sign and was pronounced dead at the scene. The highway connects Smith to Bridgeport , in Alpine County.
Moore was riding a 1994 blue-colored Honda Gold Wing motorcycle, Allen said.
A Santa Rosa resident since 1988, Moore was a self-employed addictions counselor who was dedicated to assisting alcoholics, his wife said.
"That was the driving force in his life," Suzanne Moore said.
The couple had been married 14 years and had traveled widely, visiting Japan, China, Thailand, Australia, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Ghana, Peru and the Galapagos islands. "He had friends around the world," his wife said.
Moore owned a business named Aery, the term for an eagle's nest, that provided structured living for recovering alcoholics. He was a 33-year member of a 12-step program, his wife said.
A friend of Bill Moore wrote:
"Many times i hated hearing what Bill was trying to show/teach me, but in the end he was right. he was right cause it didn't come from his ego or was trying to show off.....he was right because he was coming from love. was doing it out of love. love for the alcoholic that still suffers. the ones that have reached "the moment of surrender" . the ones willing to go to any lengths. the ones in action. so we to can continue to help others and give what was so freely given to us as it was given to him. Bill Moore was the man that showed me how to love myself so i could love others. life will go on without him. because of him my life and the lives of countless people he helped out of the alcoholic hell......life will go on happy joyious and free."
Bill & Suzanne in Ghana
Bill and Suzanne Moore visited Ghana in November, 2007 for about ten days in order to share their messages of recovery with us. Their visit was an inspiration to hundreds of professionals and others in Ghana who are trying to find ways of overcoming addiction to alcohol and drugs. Bill brought a wealth of experience to Ghana in overcoming addiction but his love and enthusiasm for life in recovery impressed us most. Recovering alcoholics and their families were given a new hope. We received the message that there is not only hope but also dignity aplenty in recovery. While in Ghana Bill conducted numerous workshops, went on radio, attended 12-step meetings and carried the message of recovery to Wa. Bill was particularly helpful in developing our thinking on the establishment of a house for recovering alcoholics. Construction of the “Hopeful Way House” in Accra has been completed and is ready to take in up to twelve residents. Bill inspired us with his description of The Aery, a recovery house which he ran in Santa Rosa. Bill and Suzanne will be long remembered for their brief but inspirational visit to Ghana.
Submitted by
Dan O’Laughlin
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
EAPs Needed to Improve Productivity
The five-day training programme on Addiction, Recovery and Counseling ended last Friday at the National Museum in Accra with a call on management in public and private organisations to recognise the need to set up vibrant Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) to deal with, among other things, alcohol and drug abuse. This was the consensus formed by participants at the training course when the discussion was opened on a role play on how EAP managers could best handle persons with alcohol and drug problems.
EAPs consist of policies and procedures aimed at assisting employees with their personal problems and enhancing their performance at work. Participants in the training were drawn from Customs, Excise and Preventive Services (CEPS), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Ghana Health Services, churches, councellors and other interested organisations. Participants confirmed that alcohol and drug problems have overwhelmed many organisations and have become the major cause of lowered productivity levels .
In his address Dr. Akwasi Osei, Acting Head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, reaffirmed his view that addiction to drugs or alcohol should be seen as a clinical disease which calls for treatment and management rather than condemnation due to moral failure or criminal offense. He added that research has proven that there are genes in some people which make them prone to become addicts. Dr. Osei informed the participants that 10% of the world’s population falls within this category. It means that when such people first take their drug of choice they are likely to continue until they become addicted. He therefore debunked the idea of stigmatization of addicts by families, communities and especially by employers. Dr. Osei advised that EAPs be established at workplaces to assist staff with problems related to drug and alcohol use. EAPs would affsord employees the opportunity to seek intervention, treatment and management of their disease. The result would be improved productivity and performance at work.
Submitted by
Chris Darkinson
EAPs consist of policies and procedures aimed at assisting employees with their personal problems and enhancing their performance at work. Participants in the training were drawn from Customs, Excise and Preventive Services (CEPS), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Ghana Health Services, churches, councellors and other interested organisations. Participants confirmed that alcohol and drug problems have overwhelmed many organisations and have become the major cause of lowered productivity levels .
In his address Dr. Akwasi Osei, Acting Head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, reaffirmed his view that addiction to drugs or alcohol should be seen as a clinical disease which calls for treatment and management rather than condemnation due to moral failure or criminal offense. He added that research has proven that there are genes in some people which make them prone to become addicts. Dr. Osei informed the participants that 10% of the world’s population falls within this category. It means that when such people first take their drug of choice they are likely to continue until they become addicted. He therefore debunked the idea of stigmatization of addicts by families, communities and especially by employers. Dr. Osei advised that EAPs be established at workplaces to assist staff with problems related to drug and alcohol use. EAPs would affsord employees the opportunity to seek intervention, treatment and management of their disease. The result would be improved productivity and performance at work.
Submitted by
Chris Darkinson
Friday, April 24, 2009
Final Day of Training
24 April, 2009 Summary/Remarks on the Fifth Day –
The final day of the training began with a question related to EAPs. Participants were asked to answer the question: “If you recognized that a coworker was drinking too much, would you initiate a conversation with him/her and suggest that they seek professional counseling? Why or why not?”
Participants had numerous answers. Except for those already involved in counseling, most of the participants said that they had not had such a conversation with drinkers in the past but will do so now armed with the knowledge that alcoholism and addiction to drugs is a disease. Two participants used their new information and skills this week. One picked two pregnant women at the tro tro stop and took them to the clinic. He asked them, “Do you drink?”, and they both replied “Yes”. Based on his knowledge learned about FAS, he advised them about the dangers of consuming alcohol during pregnancy. Using skills learned in the role plays, another participant had a conversation with two drinking friends about alcohol and addiction. One participant replied to the question by saying, “I am a crocodile coming out of the river” meaning that he is a recovering alcoholic. He went on to say that he regularly discusses drinking with his friends and colleagues. The GNAT participants said they would return to their stations and spread information about addiction and organizing EAPs.
Mr. Amegashie then spoke about the many attitudes which lead to relapse including the following:
DENIAL – AM I REALLY AN ALCOHOLIC?
I CAN MOVE WITH MY OLD FRIENDS AGAIN BUT WON’T DRINK
I CAN STAY SOBER ON MY OWN
AA MEETINGS ARE NOT SO IMPORTANT FOR ME
SOBRIETY IS BORING
I’LL NEVER DRINK/USE AGAIN
I CAN DO IT MYSELF
I’M NOT AS BAD AS …..
I OWE THIS ONE TO ME
MY PROBLEMS CAN’T BE SOLVED
DON’T CAREIF NOBODY ELSE CARES, WHY SHOULD I?
THINGS HAVE CHANGED
THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT
THERE’S GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY
I CAN DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY
NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW HOW I FEEL
I’M DEPRESSEDI FEEL HOPELESS
I CAN HANDLE IT
I CAN’T DO IT, WHY TRY?
Mr. Amegashie ended his presentation talking about the use of the Twelve Steps of AA & NA, saying, “People in AA use the 12 Step programme like a survival ship or lifeboat, to save their lives”.
Pastor August then spoke on pastoral counseling which is generally regarded as a form of therapy or counseling in which a pastoral counselor, as a representative of a religious tradition or community, uses the insights and principles of religion, theology and behavioral sciences in working with addicts. An important ingredient which makes pastoral counseling different from other forms of counseling is the conviction that life’s problems are best met by both wisdom of religious teachings and the knowledge and skills of the human behavioral sciences such as psychiatry and psychology.
Pastor Auguset made reference to numerous Bible passages, including those from Proverbs reminding us that addiction is nothing new. “How wine is sweet . . . at last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper . . . your heart will lead to perverse things.” “Where there are no counselors the people fall.”
Pastor Augustt then led a discussion on the “addictive cycle” which goes from the addictive activity to dissatisfaction, to moral resolve to stop the addiction, to the return of pain and then back to the addictive activity. A participant referred to the Liberian proverb that says, “Those of you who drown your souls in alcohol, know that your souls can swim”.
A session evaluating the training and “the way forward” brought numerous comments including: “I was amazed about alcohol and what I learned from Dr. Osei; we cook our brains”. “We need to network, keep in touch regarding EAPs and efforts to deal with addiction.” “Our first step is to meet with the general secretary to discuss this alcohol problem and the idea of setting up an EAP”. “On Mondays, people come to the clinic at the refugee camp, and I will be there to inform them about alcohol and drugs and AA.” “My people need to know that alcohol is a dangerous drug and that alcoholism is a disease.” “We will intensify our public relations work in Wa, even if it is done under a tree.”
The week ended by reviewing the expectations of the training and the handing out of certificates. Participants were assured that the papers presented during the week will be available on the Hopeful Way web site. Participants will write reports on the training and send them to their sponsoring organization.
The final day of the training began with a question related to EAPs. Participants were asked to answer the question: “If you recognized that a coworker was drinking too much, would you initiate a conversation with him/her and suggest that they seek professional counseling? Why or why not?”
Participants had numerous answers. Except for those already involved in counseling, most of the participants said that they had not had such a conversation with drinkers in the past but will do so now armed with the knowledge that alcoholism and addiction to drugs is a disease. Two participants used their new information and skills this week. One picked two pregnant women at the tro tro stop and took them to the clinic. He asked them, “Do you drink?”, and they both replied “Yes”. Based on his knowledge learned about FAS, he advised them about the dangers of consuming alcohol during pregnancy. Using skills learned in the role plays, another participant had a conversation with two drinking friends about alcohol and addiction. One participant replied to the question by saying, “I am a crocodile coming out of the river” meaning that he is a recovering alcoholic. He went on to say that he regularly discusses drinking with his friends and colleagues. The GNAT participants said they would return to their stations and spread information about addiction and organizing EAPs.
Mr. Amegashie then spoke about the many attitudes which lead to relapse including the following:
DENIAL – AM I REALLY AN ALCOHOLIC?
I CAN MOVE WITH MY OLD FRIENDS AGAIN BUT WON’T DRINK
I CAN STAY SOBER ON MY OWN
AA MEETINGS ARE NOT SO IMPORTANT FOR ME
SOBRIETY IS BORING
I’LL NEVER DRINK/USE AGAIN
I CAN DO IT MYSELF
I’M NOT AS BAD AS …..
I OWE THIS ONE TO ME
MY PROBLEMS CAN’T BE SOLVED
DON’T CAREIF NOBODY ELSE CARES, WHY SHOULD I?
THINGS HAVE CHANGED
THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT
THERE’S GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY
I CAN DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY
NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW HOW I FEEL
I’M DEPRESSEDI FEEL HOPELESS
I CAN HANDLE IT
I CAN’T DO IT, WHY TRY?
Mr. Amegashie ended his presentation talking about the use of the Twelve Steps of AA & NA, saying, “People in AA use the 12 Step programme like a survival ship or lifeboat, to save their lives”.
Pastor August then spoke on pastoral counseling which is generally regarded as a form of therapy or counseling in which a pastoral counselor, as a representative of a religious tradition or community, uses the insights and principles of religion, theology and behavioral sciences in working with addicts. An important ingredient which makes pastoral counseling different from other forms of counseling is the conviction that life’s problems are best met by both wisdom of religious teachings and the knowledge and skills of the human behavioral sciences such as psychiatry and psychology.
Pastor Auguset made reference to numerous Bible passages, including those from Proverbs reminding us that addiction is nothing new. “How wine is sweet . . . at last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper . . . your heart will lead to perverse things.” “Where there are no counselors the people fall.”
Pastor Augustt then led a discussion on the “addictive cycle” which goes from the addictive activity to dissatisfaction, to moral resolve to stop the addiction, to the return of pain and then back to the addictive activity. A participant referred to the Liberian proverb that says, “Those of you who drown your souls in alcohol, know that your souls can swim”.
A session evaluating the training and “the way forward” brought numerous comments including: “I was amazed about alcohol and what I learned from Dr. Osei; we cook our brains”. “We need to network, keep in touch regarding EAPs and efforts to deal with addiction.” “Our first step is to meet with the general secretary to discuss this alcohol problem and the idea of setting up an EAP”. “On Mondays, people come to the clinic at the refugee camp, and I will be there to inform them about alcohol and drugs and AA.” “My people need to know that alcohol is a dangerous drug and that alcoholism is a disease.” “We will intensify our public relations work in Wa, even if it is done under a tree.”
The week ended by reviewing the expectations of the training and the handing out of certificates. Participants were assured that the papers presented during the week will be available on the Hopeful Way web site. Participants will write reports on the training and send them to their sponsoring organization.
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