I admit I have a problem

I know too many people who claim a disease when they do something instead of taking responsibility. I know one guy on the news was downloading child porn and all he said was it's not my fault, I am sick. He got off with probation and mental counseling.


Cold & Flu Anonymous
By Jesse Smith
http://slicer69.tripod.com/

So there I was. Sitting in the CFA meeting, surrounded by people, much like myself. We were sick, and feverish and tired. Each of us had one other thing in common. We wanted to get better. Of course we did. Why else would we be attending a Cold and Flu Anonymous meeting?
So there I was. Sitting in the CFA meeting, surrounded by people, much like myself. We were sick, and feverish and tired. Each of us had one other thing in common. We wanted to get better. Of course we did. Why else would we be attending a Cold and Flu Anonymous meeting?

I, like many others in this area of late, have come down with cold, after cold. Sniffling, coughing, fevers, the whole deal. I was, or should I say am, quite addicted. When one of my friends suggested
I go to the local CFA, I laughed. Then coughed, sneezed and thought, Maybe they're right.

I arrived at the meeting, taking the free Kleenex at the door. I sat next to another man, sneezing continually, and waited. The meeting got under way in good time. The new comers, myself and the man next to me, were asked to introduce ourselves.

I stood up. Hi, my name is Jesse and I'm an addict. I sat down.
A chorus of Hi, Jesse! filled the room. It was a nice feeling. A warm feeling. Not addictive, like a fever, but softer, like a blanket.

To cut more to the chase, I was welcomed into the ten step program for releasing one's self from the powerful addiction of Cold and or Flu. Though many people, apparently, don't know it, many Americans acquire a cold or flu each year. The numbers I was shown were quite scary. Children, barely new borns, were using colds on a regular basis. Mothers, teachers, priests, politicians....all have used cold and or flu before. It was explained that most people will experiment with cold or flu in their life times.
Some are occasional users. Others may be addicted for life. These become hypochondriacs. A frightening thought.

The solution, if there could be one for so grand a task? The CFA ten step program. Here I will share these steps with you. If you, like myself, suffer from cold or flu addiction, I suggest you also attend a meeting. It will change your life.

Step number one: Admit you have a problem. While this may sound simple, it is surprising how many people refuse to admit they are sick. Think of how many times you've heard someone say, I'm not really sick. It's just a... Or something similar. Or something like, I'm not too sick to... Was it you? Someone you loved? You or that someone may have a cold or flu problem. Coming to the meeting and stating you have an addiction is the first step. A big one to be sure.

Step number two: Seek help. This step can come in many forms. For most people it is reaching out to a friend or family member. For me, it was attending the CFA meeting. Others might visit a doctor. This can be difficult too, because you're showing a weakness.
Proving to yourself and others that you need help fighting your addiction. It is also a freeing moment to be able to say, I am getting help.

Step number three: Listen to advice. This is an easier step for many. Once we have asked for help, we can now receive it. For example, the doctor may tell me to lie down. Rest a little. Take some form of medicine. My mother advised me, when I asked, to drink orange juice. A strange mixture that apparently is used to fight off the effects of the cold drug.
It is best to take this advice, in most cases. Why else would you ask people you trust for it?

Step number four: Accept that you can't do everything you could before. Some people think that when recovering from a cold or flu that he or she can do whatever they could before they started using. This is usually not the case. Sadly, the effects of both cold and flu stay in your system for some time after you stop using. During this time your body will be weaker.
Remember, the more stress you put on yourself, the more likely you are to go back to using cold or flu. Some people, while recovering from one, have become stressed and started using the other. Imagine that!
So slow down, take a day off work. It'll help your body fight off the lingering effects.

Step number five: Take it one day at a time. I know, it's an old saying and it gets tossed around a lot. However, it's true. Don't shoot for the sky. Take one baby step at a time. That's all any journey is, a series of steps. Much like this program itself.
Taking it all at once is a large task and may drive you to pick up another hit of cold or flu. The folks at CFA were very focused on this, they've seen too many people give up and go back to being sick because the trial seemed too much.

Step number six: Claim responsibility for your actions. It sounds silly. I mean, you wouldn't be this far into the program if you didn't recognize your problem. This seems to go hand in hand with step one. However, there is an important distinction. Some people, myself too, tend to blame their cold or flu usage on others. Oh, Sally gave me hers. Or I got mine from my brother. Sounds a little too familiar right We have to recognize that we took the cold (or flu), we tried it and now we have to live with it. It's not the choice of another person to give you cold or flu. It's your choice to take it...or leave it.

Step number seven: Do something to take your mind off withdraw. I'm sure you've seen people out there with runny noses, red eyes or sore throats. Some are regular cold junkies. However, many are trying to quit. Few want to be addicted to cold or flu.
I've met a few people, recovering from flu use that have been violently ill to their stomachs. This is to be expected. It's a powerful thing and your body is fighting it. Fighting for you. So, instead of rolling over and feeling sorry for yourself, try to lighten your spirits. Watch a new movie. Learn a new card game. Just don't try a new food or sport.

Step number eight: Don't talk about your problem. Not to hide your problem away. However, it is important not to whine about how you feel when recovering from cold or flu. You see, there are a lot, and I mean lot, of people like yourself out there. They're trying to quit or thinking about quitting. If they hear how awful you feel, chances are they're going to keep using. So, perhaps you feel hot, or congested.
Please don't linger on these side effects of quitting. Focus on getting better.

Step number nine: Have a buddy. Support is an important
part of recovery. Stopping your use of cold or flu will be made easier if you have the support of a fellow CFA member. This is a person you can call when you have the urge to take another hit of flu. It's a powerful urge, one that can grow over time.
If you wake up in the middle of the night, you have two choices: Reach for the Kleenex or reach for the phone. Knowing that you have help on hand is a great feeling.

Step number ten: Isolation. This might seem to go
against step nine at first. An important step is to make sure that you don't spread the addiction of cold or flu. Your cold and flu buddy will be used to having you lean on him/her. Others will not. Chances are you have an extra hit of cold around the house.
Get rid of it. Don't stay around other people while you have it. Non-cold users don't like being around people that still have cold. Just the way non-smokers don't want to be around cigarettes. So until you are clean, try to keep to yourself. You'll make those around you all the happier.