I recieved this link today and thought it may be important

Hello all.....long time no see I am around here and there, just alot going on in my life at this point.....but I thought this link was important.... http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2210783&page=1 Hope to hear from you guys soon....I miss alot of you!!!! D

It's interesting, I've seen that type of thing on my travels through OH pages. The article only mentions alchohol and drugs, but I have run into several people who have traded food for shopping. They are spending themselves into the ground. The thing is, shopping is more socially acceptable than drugs, so people aren't as quick to see that it's a problem. Definitely something I keep in mind, as I wait for this surgery. Take care. Ellen

Well, HELLO, my long lost Mother Clucker!! I've been missing you, girl! Hey, ever since the night I upclucked, I haven't had any s******cept my flu shot!!! Tequila Rose Hope to see you/hear from you soon! JoAnn

Thanks for the article. I miss hearing from you....hope all is well. Christina S

Interesting article....... but not all of us become raging alcoholics or drug addicts. But I have heard comments that some people expect us to replace one addiction with another and many of us do. It has been strange not to see you around - hope you can find the time to post more - I always enjoy your posts... Jackie

What is the point of this article is it to discourage people from having the surgery because they might become alcoholics??? Where are the stories of WLS success? I think they just did this story today to cover Oprah's behind tomorrow when she covers her little depressing expose' about WLS aftermath. it is the same network you know.

Hey beautiful, nice to see you again - I was kinda missing in action over da summer too - wasn't my fault of course - I had a beach calling my name and us mermaids don't know how to say NO to the sounds of the ocean, you know? I read the article, interesting read. I don't buy that it's weight loss surgery related. I think our society has become conditioned to "redirect blame" ....it's so much easier to blame your (food, shopping, sex, pill popping, alcoholic) addictions on someone else, something else, etc. To admit that it's our own internal short comings would be so much harder to deal with. LOL - gotta admit, Im sick and damn tired of the media and WLS peeps trying to GENERALIZE the entire lot of us. I don't have a pill popping addiction, I don't have an alky'hawl addiction, I don't have a shopping addiction, hell, I don't even have a FOOD addiction anymore. I'm still the tempermental, controlling, funny, big mouth, anal, silly, loving, goofball I ever was - just HEALTHIER. We all have choices in life - if we CHOOSE TO get polluted nightly on whatever chemical of choice, well, that's strictly based on the indivudual and the choice they made, not because they had weight loss surgery. I don't blame my failures or successes on anyone, but myself. FULL CREDIT DUE and taken. I read someone elses reply yesterday on the OPRAH thread, I think it was Heathers and I thought she was DEAD ON ACCURATE... I'm paraphrasing here, because Im too lazy to look it up ....but she said something along the lines of ...."If you're going to go buck wild and get drunk off your butt, it was in your heart to do that long before the weight loss surgery" AMEN!!!!!! It's just easier in life (sometimes) to be able to point the blame away from yourself - oh, lookie here, let's blame WLS!!! NOT! Don't be gone so long, winter is around the corner, with hibernation comes more postings, right? Lei

Thank you for positing this! As a recovering alcoholic, I have a lot of views on this. There are many ways to look at it and I won't get on too big of a soap box. I think the point that needs to be made from this whole article is that physically, this surgery can affect the results. Like others have said, alcoholics are usually alcoholics from birth. My experience is that it runs in my blood and I knew if I started drinking that I had a good chance of being dependent. I chose to do that in my mind and chemically my body helped it along. I watched my best friend drink like me, but was able to stop by a certain time, but once she had the surgery, the progressive overtook her ability to stop. Not because of the surgery per say, but because she weighed less and she was drinking like she was still over 300 pounds. Your body changes and your mind needs to change with it. Not everyone does this, however I have met quite a few that do trade one addiction for another. That is with or without the surgery, that applies to those of us that are addicts. We speak about it on the Addictions forum, for those that are interested. Hope no one takes offense to this, just thought I would share my experience. Amber

Hey Beautiful! I had to come out of hidedom as I call it for this one. Thanks for posting the link. I'd read this previously and so many more like this one. This is an under reported serious issue. Granted it does not apply to all of us who have had the blessing of having surgery but there is a trend with WLS patients and addiction. It isn't just alcohol but other addictions as well. I do believe we are all responsible for our own lives and actions but I also believe there needs to be more of a spotlight put on these issues and instead of saying "well, that's not me" or "it could never happen to me" or "not all of us become addicts" but it IS someone else's reality and we ALL know someone personally who has had an addiction. I have personally dealt with the alcohol issue as many are aware of and have overcome it and am damn proud of myself for doing so with the support of family and friends. That being said, there are many who do not have that luxury. They are lost, do not have a support system in place as I do and others and are in need of guidance. The fact of the matter is there needs to be more recognition and more support about this topic. I am working VERY hard to get the word out about this and I hope to be an inspiration and a "what not to do" example as well. OH is a site for support and for learning and teaching. My hope is in addition to the Addictions forum here on OH others really begin to bring these types of issues to the boards and really discuss them openly if they are willing. I truly believe it is a way to help others and in turn we help ourselves. Again, it's not just alcohol that is an addiction it's just one that is more widely "known" in the public eye. On a happy/thankful/grateful note: I am PUBLICLY thanking you Dianna for your intervention earlier this year by contacting my family. I will be forever grateful to you. I love you and cannot WAIT to see you again! Sincerely, Kitty Kat

Love you too D