“Experience has taught us that we have only one enduring weapon in our struggle against mental illness: the emotional discovery and emotional acceptance of the truth in the individual and unique history of our childhood.”
– Alice Miller (from her book The Drama of the Gifted Child)
For many years, I worked hard to build a charmed life. I had been living that life to the fullest until I took a precipitous fall into the abyss of alcoholism. Unwittingly, I claimed my family as hostages and took them right along with me.
I survived addiction and have been in recovery since February 9, 2007. Since that time, I have been working courageously, and sometimes not, to face the trauma/emotional pain that caused my addiction and ripples through my life today.
Writing My Story has been revealing and cathartic. Glad that you stopped by!
Author: iceman18
For many years, I worked hard to build a charmed life. I had been living that life to the fullest until the time came when I took a precipitous fall into the abyss of alcoholism. Unwittingly, I claimed my family as hostages and took them right along with me.
I survived addiction and have been in recovery since February 9, 2007. Since that time I have been working courageously to face down "the ghost" and eliminate the demons of my past.
I find that writing My Story has had great therapeutic value. If along the way, my experience can help one person, or maybe even more, well....that would be pretty awesome.
I also pray that my blog will help illuminate the generational cycle of child abuse that continues to plague our society today. By bringing awareness to what is often called "Our Nations Shame" I have faith that one day soon we will witness real progress toward the illumination and understanding of child abuse, followed by its eradication from the under belly of mankind.
I have faith! But, faith without works is dead. I pray everyday for the strength, the courage, and the resolve, to take action!
View all posts by iceman18
My Story 
This is inspiring, please continue to follow your mission. CIndy
Thank you justakrusen. I do hope to inspire so that others may find the motivation and courage to help themselves and help others by bringing a voice to the generational cycle of child abuse. I appreciate your feedback.
This sounds like a very inspiring story. I shall be following your journey, every step of the way. And I hope you succeed in your mission!
-Emily
Thank you. It is a journey. And on my journey, a mission found me. I was always searching for a mission, a purpose. I learned that you don’t always get to choose your mission. Maybe no one does!
Writing is therapeutic. I know that for a fact. It reaches in and pulls it out. Exposing it to the sun and for all to see. In that simple act, it heals. I applaud you, my friend.
There is definitely something about putting it down on paper that has a way of pulling it out. Often for me it is staring at those thoughts put into words that validate the “yes” this did happen to me. It is not a figment of imagination.
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers1
Just found you. I will be back. Good for you. We need honesty. Thank you
Thanks for the Like, Ice. Wishing you many sober 24’s. Blessings.
Thank you so much for your kind and supportive comment on my blog. I have spent some time today looking around your space here, and I am in awe of your grace, strength, and resolve.
I agree with you that writing is therapeutic; as I wrote on my blog, I turned to writing when I stopped drinking (I had to fill those looooong non-drinking evening hours somehow!), but I also discovered that writing kept me sane and sober. Without writing, I’d never have stayed away from alcohol, and I faced many demons through my fiction, my characters who are all me but not me.
I’ll drop by again, to see how things are, and to encourage you on your own journey. Thank you for your bravery and honesty, and for speaking up…
Congrats to you! When I started blogging 3 + years ago, I found it incredibly therapeutic as well. I am not sure how that works, but I am glad it does. Write on. Cheers.
HI again,
I really like what you wrote on my blog yesterday, and I love your idea of starting an Institute to help children who have been subjected to abuse and neglect.
Your new-found awareness of your behaviours and motivations (eg. what you said about ‘using your gifts for personal gain and to manipulate) is inspiring… we cannot change and develop and heal unless we SEE who we truly are. It’s hard, looking in the mirror, but we all have to do it at some point.
So, thank you again for supporting my blog – and thanks for the birthday wishes 😉
Hi, Iceman. I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Your mission, should you choose to accept, can be found here. http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed perusing your blog. I’m learning so much! Thanks, and I look forward to more.
Ella
Wow. I think you and I will be seeing a lot more of each other. 🙂
I love Alice Miller, too. My husband just recently asked for a divorce. I was married 27 years to a man who had been sexually, physically and emotionally abused throughout his childhood. Unlike you, though, he was not interested in implementing positive changes or overcoming his demons. I was patient and kind and loving but nothing ever made a dent in his self-loathing. His behavior, during our marriage lived up to what he thought of himself. Despite my best efforts to help him see himself in another light, he refused.
So now, I’m trying to move on (this just happened over thanksgiving) and I’m finding it difficult to wrap my head around the fact that I just spent 30 years with someone who is incapable of love.
Anyhoo.. As a therapist and as someone who has dealt with these issues in my personal life, too, I feel very comfortable talking the talk and walking the walk.
I like your enthusiasm and new eyes and willingness to conquer your demons! GOOD FOR YOU!!! I applaud your efforts. Keep going, it will get better and better. Precept upon precept. 🙂
See you around, Iceman!
Lisa
Lisa,
Thank you for your kind words. Wishing you peace and strength on your new journey!
Such brave writing on your blog. Thank you.
Many, many congratulations on five years of sobriety.
Thanks for stopping by. Nice to see that you’re a fan of Dr. Gabor Mate as well.
Hi. How are you doing?? I’m just checking in….
Michelle
Thank you for asking Michelle. I am blessed. This morning I am taking my 6 year chip at our ‘first Saturday of every month’ birthday meeting. I’m sitting here in the early morning, reflecting on the past 6 years and composing my thoughts to say a few words this morning.
As I am grateful to have a family with three active teenager’s, a marriage and a job that consumes considerable time, I am left little time to commit to my blog on a regular basis. But I do login often – read the inspirational, mostly happy, sometimes sad and challenging – posts from the talented people I follow.
I enjoy reading your posts. Best to you Michelle.
Love the honesty…the truth WILL set you free! Hope all is well 🙂
Love being sober! “You will know a new freedom and happiness”….and not be afraid! Right? Thanks for stopping by.
So nice to find your blog here.I’m new in the blogging community and I realized I should have done this long ago.Anyway the topic of alcoholism and sexual child abuse are the two topics close to my heart today as I was a victim of both and both gave me one of life’s most unbearable tragedy and blessings as well.I meet so many wonderful people in this site to whom I find encouragement and hope. Thanks for reading.
Hi Aui. Clearly, I’ve not been active on WordPress for too long. Thank you for reaching out…shrug…so long ago. I have been off trudging the happy road to destiny. I’ll checkout your blog.