Technology keeps creating different platforms to help get more information across. Facebook Watch, a place where videos can be viewed on Facebook, has a web television talk show with hosts that span three generations. Jada Pinkett Smith alongside her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, and her daughter, Willow Smith, are all hosts for this made for Facebook series. The show talks about a variety of topics to present three different perspectives in hopes of touching every age group viewing the show.
Adrienne
On the April 8th show, these hosts touched on what it was like to struggle with addiction amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The opening of the show covered how addiction had affected the family. Adrienne admitted that she was a heroin addict with 29 years of sobriety and talked about how she had upped her recovery during this time. She stated that she had been attending more meetings because she knew what a tricky time this could be for someone who might use drugs and alcohol to cope. These meetings have been powerful for her recovery as a means to keep her connected.
Willow
Jada also made mention of how proud she was of Willow to “curb her excessive weed smoking.” She gave kudos to her daughter for not using marijuana for the past three months. Willow used her voice to explain to her mother and grandmother the changes that had taken place in her life. Being THC-free was eye-opening for Willow because she saw some of her friends start to slip away now that she was not smoking with them anymore. She also found herself excelling at yoga because her mind, body, and soul were much sharper without the psychoactive effects of marijuana slowing her down. Willow began to question her productivity and what she had been missing as a whole when under the influence of marijuana. Her thoughts were that when she smoked weed she was not putting her all into life and not using her brainpower for good use. Plus, what surprised her the most is that she was less anxious without marijuana being in the picture at all.
Jada
The concern that Jada had was the fact of already having addiction on her side of the family which could make Willow vulnerable to having addiction herself. She was worried about the ups and downs that marijuana was creating with Willow. Jada herself had not had a drink in a long time but she could understand how old habits could creep in during a pandemic and make someone pick up a drink or a drug to cope.
Red Table Tips
The advice these ladies had was to get a routine in place during the time being confined to the house so that when everyone is free to go, they know what to do when a craving comes about. If you have a sponsor, are meditating, exercising, or attending virtual meetings, you have a better shot to get right into recovery when the shelter in place orders are lifted. Although in-person meetings are ideal, being thankful for phones and computers is important and can be a person’s best friend during these uncertain times.
Using online meetings to an individual’s advantage is a wonderful asset to getting back to basics when being isolated to their home. They should try doing 90 Zoom meetings in 90 days as a way to reboot their recovery. You can do all the traditional things that you will find in a meeting such as reaching out to a newcomer or finding a sponsor. Milestones are also presented just like they would be found in a local meeting as a way to celebrate recovery even when they are not physically around others.
Stopping the process of getting to the roots of addiction will be detrimental to someone’s sobriety. If they are not staying focused on what made them drink and use in the first place, they may find themselves relapsing, overdosing, or dying. Without understanding the causes and conditions of their addiction, they may find themselves on a slippery slope when home alone. Taking a look at the changes that need to take place for immediate cleanup and cleanout will be instrumental in remaining sober throughout these trying times.
To discover what a person can add instead of focusing on the drugs and alcohol being taken away, can help a person to be grateful for their recovery. Focus on the attitude of gratitude is necessary because this mindset is paramount to long-term sobriety. Using the mentality of “a grateful person will never use or drink” can change someone’s perspective right away. Staying grounded in gratitude by telling their own story can keep before and after treatment fresh in their mind.
As they ended Red Table Talk with a plethora of useful and genuine information on addiction, it was only fitting that they also ended with the serenity prayer. This age-old prayer in recovery has helped many people to get through a 24-hour period and stay sober one day at a time. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Offering a full range of recovery and mental health services, Valiant Living offers “Expanded Recovery” to enrich our clients’ lives in mind, body, and spirit. Through evidence-based therapy options and the endless adventure of Colorado, Valiant fosters connection, encouraging clients to get connected to themselves, their peers, their families, and their higher power. With the power of recovery, clients are restored to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today for more information: 303-536-5463
