when did the forum name change?

I *JUST* noticed that this forum is now "Mental Health" as opposed to addictions.  When did that change?

A week or so ago (I think..) the SITE posted once (at least. I think) informing us it would.

ha! So mental health and addictions are really that interrelated that they can just change the name lol. I'm going to start being more active on this board as I myself have some addictions to kick..and I'm ready to take that first big step "admit that I have a problem". I've been to OA a few times, but since my OA days I had bypass surgery and transfered my addiciton from food (however I'm still somewhat addicted to food) to alcohol. I don't want to wait until I lose everything important to me to change my ways. I want to do it now. I see the direction my life is headed if I don't. My husband has on more than one occasion said "you're losing me". I don't want to wake up one day to find that I lost him..that I didn't believe him and just kept drinking anyway. he loves me..but he can't compete with the alcohol...i have to make the choice. And I'm choosing him... wish me luck as I fight this battle. leslee

luck hon.. altho I think it does take a little more than that I suppose addictions can tie into mental health..but I think the cure is our spiritual health. Go to an AA meeting if possible.. that will be your BEST start for helping yourself and btw.. welcome to the board.

According to medical insurance companies addiction treatment falls under mental health benefits, so I guess it fits here too. Leslee, you are in good company fighting the alcohol here.  But, I cannot stay sober, and beat the booze without my AA 12 steps and group support.  I had been to OA for years, prior to my gastric bypass.  I was already alcoholic, and was trying to battle both the eating disorder and the alcohol simultaneously.  I got sober, but gained 100+ pounds in the process.   Now, the kick in the teeth is that I relapsed in my AA recovery back in December, and have slipped and slid for the past six months.  I am now seriously trying to stay sober, and keep the string of days turning into months. Sorry to babble. Hugs, Trish

Crazy thing is, I'm totally cool with admitting I'm a food addict, but I resist saying I'm addicted to alcohol, like I don't want to believe, or still tell myself I can stop at anytime.. we'll see tho. I'd like to go back to OA and start up in AA to support my efforts. Leslee

Hi Leslee!!   There is a negative stigma associated with alcoholics. We're not ALL shiftless bums or vagabonds, like the sterotypical "alkie" but we ALL shove every good thing out of our way to get to the bottle. I know I would have lost my husband, my daughter and my life to the disease. For me, the abject FEAR of being trapped in the bottom of a bottle again is enough to stop me from taking that first drink.   Finding a meeting is easy. Admitting to yourself that you've let a substance have control of your life, your thoughts and your future can be earth shattering. Trying to live without my drug of choice was scary. But when faced with the choice of having the bottle or my family in my life helps make the decision clear. The work can be difficult at times and those trials and tribs are different for each of us. Please keep posting and reading here. This board (the people on it) saved my life on more than one occasion!! Welcome to the board!! Marie

I guess have a little problem with the name change... Smacks too much of treating my alcoholism as a mental/moral defect in willpower as opposed to treating it as the disease it is. But oh well, the most important thing is to keep reaching out! T

My gut reaction was to dislike the name change.  So much so in fact, that I considered stopping all my posts in this forum.  Boy was I just looking for a resentment or what? I am so used to AA and it's singleness of purpose that I forget the rest of the world is not bound by that tradition.  I am an alcoholic.  But truth be told, I also suffer from anxiety disorder, OCD, and probably a myriad of other undiagnosed issues. I suppose all that matters is that we have a place to discuss these issues that are unique to us as addicts/alcoholics.  The name change of the forum did not do anything to change the fact that we still have that. I will say however, that I will be focusing MORE on AA and it's singleness of purpose, as that's what I need at this point of my recovery. Love you all! Michelle