Having a spiritual experience feels as if we are 'floating in the womb of the universe and being taken care of always at every moment'.
Cael profiad ysbrydol yw teimlo fel eich bod yn arnofio yng nghroth y bydysawd ac yn cael eich gofalu amdanoch yn wastadol a bob amser
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Saturday, 21 August 2010
No benefits from Governmernt plans to withdraw welfare benefits
We at the Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs are opposed to the Government plans to withdraw welfare benefits from addicts who refuse treatment primarily because we have to work with the grain when dealing with people suffering from alcohol dependency syndrome and not against it. Using the stick of compulsion rarely works with these people. They might comply with the requirements in order not to loose out on benefit payments but, in truth, they are rarely motivated enough to change their addictive behaviour and little if anything is achieved in the long term apart from a great wastage of money and resources. These people need to want to change and that want seldom results from government legislation. It result when they become sick and tired of being sick and tired. That's why suffering is potentially the greatest creative force in nature. THAT's quite often what gets people to change their ways. The other possible consequence of this proposal is that those whose benefits are withdrawn might be sent back into crime in order to feed their addiction. Now that benefits no one.
Sunday, 15 August 2010
Adroddiad o'r Dinesydd
Llyfr y Mis
Llyfr y Mis Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru y mis hwn yw No Room To Live gan Wynford Ellis Owen. Lansiwyd y gyfrol ddiwedd Mehefin ac mae eisoes wedi gwerthu’n dda yng Nghymru a thu hwnt. Nid rhyfedd bod yr apêl yn eang gan fod cynnwys y gyfrol hon yn cyffwrdd â bywydau cymaint o bobl.
Addasiad yw’r gyfrol o hunangofiant yr awdur, Raslas bach a mawr, ond estynnwyd y cynnwys i ymwneud mwy â’r broblem sydd wedi dod yn un mor gyffredin yn ein cymdeithas erbyn hyn, sef problem dibyniaeth ar alcohol neu gyffuriau – neu, yn wir, sawl peth arall sy’n gallu caethiwo corff ac enaid. Neges fawr yr awdur, a fu ei hunan yn gaeth i alcohol a chyffuriau eraill, yw bod modd gwella o’r salwch (ac mae’n pwysleisio mai salwch yw e). Er mor ddu y gall y sefyllfa fod, does dim rhaid aberthu popeth – mae modd cael dihangfa, ac mae modd byw bywyd normal, cyflawn unwaith eto.
Mae cyhoeddi’r gyfrol hon yn gysylltiedig â’r bwriad gan Gyngor Cymru ar Alcoholiaeth a Chyffuriau Eraill i sefydlu Yr Ystafell Fyw yng Nghaerdydd yn y dyfodol agos. Canolfan fydd hon lle gall unrhyw un sy’n gaeth i ddibyniaeth o unrhyw fath (a’u teuluoedd), alw i mewn a chael cyngor, cymorth a chynhaliaeth i’w helpu i ymdopi â’r sefyllfa. Bydd y gwasanaeth hwn, dan ofal arbenigwyr yn y maes, ar gael yn ddwyieithog bob dydd o’r wythnos - ac am ddim. Mae’r holl elw o werthiant y llyfr hwn yn mynd tuag at gynnal Yr Ystafell Fyw.
Cyhoeddwyd No Room To Live gan Gyngor Cymru ar Alcoholiaeth a Chyffuriau Eraill; pris £11.95. Gellir cael copïau yn eich siopau lleol neu oddi wrth y Cyngor ei hun ar www.cyngorcymru.org.uk (02920 493 895).
Llyfr y Mis Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru y mis hwn yw No Room To Live gan Wynford Ellis Owen. Lansiwyd y gyfrol ddiwedd Mehefin ac mae eisoes wedi gwerthu’n dda yng Nghymru a thu hwnt. Nid rhyfedd bod yr apêl yn eang gan fod cynnwys y gyfrol hon yn cyffwrdd â bywydau cymaint o bobl.
Addasiad yw’r gyfrol o hunangofiant yr awdur, Raslas bach a mawr, ond estynnwyd y cynnwys i ymwneud mwy â’r broblem sydd wedi dod yn un mor gyffredin yn ein cymdeithas erbyn hyn, sef problem dibyniaeth ar alcohol neu gyffuriau – neu, yn wir, sawl peth arall sy’n gallu caethiwo corff ac enaid. Neges fawr yr awdur, a fu ei hunan yn gaeth i alcohol a chyffuriau eraill, yw bod modd gwella o’r salwch (ac mae’n pwysleisio mai salwch yw e). Er mor ddu y gall y sefyllfa fod, does dim rhaid aberthu popeth – mae modd cael dihangfa, ac mae modd byw bywyd normal, cyflawn unwaith eto.
Mae cyhoeddi’r gyfrol hon yn gysylltiedig â’r bwriad gan Gyngor Cymru ar Alcoholiaeth a Chyffuriau Eraill i sefydlu Yr Ystafell Fyw yng Nghaerdydd yn y dyfodol agos. Canolfan fydd hon lle gall unrhyw un sy’n gaeth i ddibyniaeth o unrhyw fath (a’u teuluoedd), alw i mewn a chael cyngor, cymorth a chynhaliaeth i’w helpu i ymdopi â’r sefyllfa. Bydd y gwasanaeth hwn, dan ofal arbenigwyr yn y maes, ar gael yn ddwyieithog bob dydd o’r wythnos - ac am ddim. Mae’r holl elw o werthiant y llyfr hwn yn mynd tuag at gynnal Yr Ystafell Fyw.
Cyhoeddwyd No Room To Live gan Gyngor Cymru ar Alcoholiaeth a Chyffuriau Eraill; pris £11.95. Gellir cael copïau yn eich siopau lleol neu oddi wrth y Cyngor ei hun ar www.cyngorcymru.org.uk (02920 493 895).
Friday, 13 August 2010
Motivated through suffering
I'm now getting a better insight into suffering. Apart from getting me to recognise my need of help, the difficulties I got myself into when I was drinking were the main motivation for change in my life. My huge debt, for example, was what motivated me to get my career back on track to earn the money that eventually cleared them. Similarly, the fact that I'd caused such harm to my wife through my affair, etc, was what provided the resolve and sticktoitiveness that ultimately salvaged the marriage and gave us the wonderful and blessed relationship that we have together these days. I'm more convinced than ever that there are no wrong decisions. Apart, possibly, from picking up a drink. But then, again, there might be a blessing in that too - especially if I hadn't yet conceded to my innermost self that I was alcoholic.
Monday, 9 August 2010
Next Love & Forgiveness Retreat
Dal i fyny heddiw a pharatoi at ein harddangosfa o dan y teitl DIBYNIAETH/ADDICTION yn y Senedd o 21ain i 23ain Medi.
Ein hencil yn Nhy Ddewi y penwythnos diwethaf yn llwyddiant mawr.
Beth am ymuno yn ein hencil nesaf ar 'Gariad a Maddeuant' yn Nhrefeca o'r 3ydd i'r 5ed o Ragfyr?
*********************************
A day of catching up and preparation for our Art exhibition at the Welsh Assembly from 21st to 23rd September Theme is: ADDICTION/DIBYNIAETH.
Our retreat in St David's last weekend was a joy.
Why not join our next 'Love & Forgiveness' Retreat in Trefeca from 3rd to 5th December?
Cysylltwch drwy'r wefan/ Contact us on our website: www.welshcouncil.org.uk
Ein hencil yn Nhy Ddewi y penwythnos diwethaf yn llwyddiant mawr.
Beth am ymuno yn ein hencil nesaf ar 'Gariad a Maddeuant' yn Nhrefeca o'r 3ydd i'r 5ed o Ragfyr?
*********************************
A day of catching up and preparation for our Art exhibition at the Welsh Assembly from 21st to 23rd September Theme is: ADDICTION/DIBYNIAETH.
Our retreat in St David's last weekend was a joy.
Why not join our next 'Love & Forgiveness' Retreat in Trefeca from 3rd to 5th December?
Cysylltwch drwy'r wefan/ Contact us on our website: www.welshcouncil.org.uk
Sunday, 25 July 2010
AN EXTRAORDINARILY BUSY PERIOD FOR WALES' OLDEST ALCOHOL & DRUGS CHARITY
Later this week a video recording of the Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs’ 2010 Annual Lecture held on 23rd June will be placed on its website: www.welshcouncil.org.uk
This year’s lecture – How we choose to live and die lives on – was delivered by Professor Baroness Ilora Finlay of Llandaff and dealt with the controversial topic of assisted suicide – yet another way in which drugs can be used creatively or destructively, depending on your attitude towards assisted suicide.
Professor Baroness Finlay is also Patron to another of the Welsh Council’s initiatives – The Living Room Cardiff – a free, bilingual day-care centre offering help for anyone experiencing difficulties relating to alcohol, drugs (prescribed or illicit), or any other dependency, such as eating disorders, love and sex addiction, gambling and self-harm. The first stage of this exciting initiative will be officially opened next June to coincide with Bill White’s visit to the UK to deliver our 2011 Annual Lecture at the Welsh Assembly.
This weekend (30th, 31st July & 1st August) also sees the Welsh Council’s third retreat being held at St. Non’s Retreat Centre in St David’s, Pembrokeshire. This retreat’s theme is Recovery and Forgiveness and our objectives are as follows: 1. to create an environment to promote recovery and healing from alcoholism and other addictive illnesses for the sufferer, their families and friends; 2. to help identify the issues that prevent people from living life to the fullest; and 3. to create positive lifestyles through personal responsibility and the release of emotional baggage. The retreat will be led, as usual, by Colin Macdonald, a much valued friend to the Welsh Council and a member of its Policy Advisory Group. Our next retreat will be held at Trefeca College in the Brecon Beacons National Park from 2nd to 5th December, 2010. Those wishing to attend the December retreat should contact us to book a place as soon as possible via our website: www.welshcouncil.org.uk
The Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs will also have a colourful presence at this year’s National Eisteddfod held in Ebbw Vale from July 31st to August 7th. We’ll be giving out free, non alcoholic drinks from our new Pink bar to all visitors to the Cytûn stand. We’ll also be selling my new book, No Room to Live – a journey from addiction to recovery. Written as a self-help book it's been described as 'hard-hitting and thought-provoking, poignant yet suitably sobering'. The road to recovery is not an easy one. It requires determination and commitment, strength and support. This book is one of many tools available to people to help them rebuild their lives. There is a range of support organisations out there too, including the Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs. So while life for sufferers might seem a lonely and depressing place, there is hope, comfort and support.
All proceeds from the sale of No Room to Live (the Welsh Books Council’s book of the month) will be donated towards setting up the free, bilingual day-care rehabilitation centre, The Living Room Cardiff/Yr Ystafell Fyw Caerdydd. Our book is intended, therefore, to help others to rebuild their lives.
But this is only the half of it: as well as assessing service users, offering group therapy and one-to-one counselling sessions, we’re also busy instigated a major research project; setting up an Art Exhibition on the theme of Addiction at the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay from September 21st to 23rd; and on September 25th I fly to America to observe and record peer-based recovery support systems in five US States as part of my 2010 Winston Churchill Fellowship Award. What I learn will hopefully be an adjunct to the services we’ll be providing at The Living Room Cardiff from 2011 onwards. Yes, I think we are justified in describing this as an extraordinarily busy period for our charity!
This year’s lecture – How we choose to live and die lives on – was delivered by Professor Baroness Ilora Finlay of Llandaff and dealt with the controversial topic of assisted suicide – yet another way in which drugs can be used creatively or destructively, depending on your attitude towards assisted suicide.
Professor Baroness Finlay is also Patron to another of the Welsh Council’s initiatives – The Living Room Cardiff – a free, bilingual day-care centre offering help for anyone experiencing difficulties relating to alcohol, drugs (prescribed or illicit), or any other dependency, such as eating disorders, love and sex addiction, gambling and self-harm. The first stage of this exciting initiative will be officially opened next June to coincide with Bill White’s visit to the UK to deliver our 2011 Annual Lecture at the Welsh Assembly.
This weekend (30th, 31st July & 1st August) also sees the Welsh Council’s third retreat being held at St. Non’s Retreat Centre in St David’s, Pembrokeshire. This retreat’s theme is Recovery and Forgiveness and our objectives are as follows: 1. to create an environment to promote recovery and healing from alcoholism and other addictive illnesses for the sufferer, their families and friends; 2. to help identify the issues that prevent people from living life to the fullest; and 3. to create positive lifestyles through personal responsibility and the release of emotional baggage. The retreat will be led, as usual, by Colin Macdonald, a much valued friend to the Welsh Council and a member of its Policy Advisory Group. Our next retreat will be held at Trefeca College in the Brecon Beacons National Park from 2nd to 5th December, 2010. Those wishing to attend the December retreat should contact us to book a place as soon as possible via our website: www.welshcouncil.org.uk
The Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs will also have a colourful presence at this year’s National Eisteddfod held in Ebbw Vale from July 31st to August 7th. We’ll be giving out free, non alcoholic drinks from our new Pink bar to all visitors to the Cytûn stand. We’ll also be selling my new book, No Room to Live – a journey from addiction to recovery. Written as a self-help book it's been described as 'hard-hitting and thought-provoking, poignant yet suitably sobering'. The road to recovery is not an easy one. It requires determination and commitment, strength and support. This book is one of many tools available to people to help them rebuild their lives. There is a range of support organisations out there too, including the Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs. So while life for sufferers might seem a lonely and depressing place, there is hope, comfort and support.
All proceeds from the sale of No Room to Live (the Welsh Books Council’s book of the month) will be donated towards setting up the free, bilingual day-care rehabilitation centre, The Living Room Cardiff/Yr Ystafell Fyw Caerdydd. Our book is intended, therefore, to help others to rebuild their lives.
But this is only the half of it: as well as assessing service users, offering group therapy and one-to-one counselling sessions, we’re also busy instigated a major research project; setting up an Art Exhibition on the theme of Addiction at the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay from September 21st to 23rd; and on September 25th I fly to America to observe and record peer-based recovery support systems in five US States as part of my 2010 Winston Churchill Fellowship Award. What I learn will hopefully be an adjunct to the services we’ll be providing at The Living Room Cardiff from 2011 onwards. Yes, I think we are justified in describing this as an extraordinarily busy period for our charity!
Saturday, 3 July 2010
The best kind of exercise in personality health
The Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs welcomes Edwina Hart’s avowed intent to increase alcohol prices in Wales if the Westminster Coalition Government fails to curb problem drinking.
This would be a very encouraging first step in addressing Wales’ current drinking crisis and would, according to compelling evidence, most likely alleviate the symptoms and lead to a reduction in alcoholic deaths.
However, in order to treat the causes of the social malaise of binge drinking we must look at the underlying reasons that are motivating so many of our population to misuse alcohol to such dangerous levels.
When asked why they drink to excess many revellers tend to claim they like being ‘out of it’ or ‘out of themselves’. Why is it that, in this time of unparalleled prosperity and affluence, people are so uncomfortable with themselves and prepared to negate themselves? If this question could be adequately addressed a whole host of real and lasting solutions to our current crisis with alcohol and other drugs would likely present themselves.
The psychotherapist Rollo May argues that one of the main attractions of alcohol is the absence of other means of self expression, that people have no other way of ‘being themselves’ so they choose alcohol to flee from themselves.
I would like to ask the minister to consider how best to create meaningful alternatives to drinking in which young people can learn to be themselves and get satisfaction from it. Mr May has concluded that ‘such social functions would be the best kind of exercise in personality health’.
Any measures to affect pricing will work in the short term but must be allied with long term initiatives to address the underlying cause of problem drinking and produce lasting change.
The Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs would be enthusiastic to support the minister in instigating policies that would lead to people finding satisfaction in being their authentic selves.
This would be a very encouraging first step in addressing Wales’ current drinking crisis and would, according to compelling evidence, most likely alleviate the symptoms and lead to a reduction in alcoholic deaths.
However, in order to treat the causes of the social malaise of binge drinking we must look at the underlying reasons that are motivating so many of our population to misuse alcohol to such dangerous levels.
When asked why they drink to excess many revellers tend to claim they like being ‘out of it’ or ‘out of themselves’. Why is it that, in this time of unparalleled prosperity and affluence, people are so uncomfortable with themselves and prepared to negate themselves? If this question could be adequately addressed a whole host of real and lasting solutions to our current crisis with alcohol and other drugs would likely present themselves.
The psychotherapist Rollo May argues that one of the main attractions of alcohol is the absence of other means of self expression, that people have no other way of ‘being themselves’ so they choose alcohol to flee from themselves.
I would like to ask the minister to consider how best to create meaningful alternatives to drinking in which young people can learn to be themselves and get satisfaction from it. Mr May has concluded that ‘such social functions would be the best kind of exercise in personality health’.
Any measures to affect pricing will work in the short term but must be allied with long term initiatives to address the underlying cause of problem drinking and produce lasting change.
The Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs would be enthusiastic to support the minister in instigating policies that would lead to people finding satisfaction in being their authentic selves.
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