Tag: 12-step programs

Columna de Adictos y adicciones: Mi experiencia en un grupo de doce pasos

This 5 page newspaper article (about a 15 minute read for advanced Spanish speakers; more for lower levels) is a transcript of an addict's story as told to a Narcotics Anonymous group. Jose Antonio says that he was trapped by a "circle of death" and describes how addiction is a disease that isolates the addict from the world. NA teaches him the difference between religion and spirituality and he explains how this insight was important to his sobriety. Useful for insights into 12-step programs and their approach to addiction, perhaps best for a community group discussion.

Una carta para mama

Carla tells her story of how her mother's disposition changed after her father's hospitalization with diabetes. One day, Carla came home to see her mother, Jaquelina, on the floor. She shook her and slapped her awake. Jaquelina finally woke up to say she wished she had aborted Carla. This is only where the physical and verbal abuse began. Years like this went on and Carla moved out, cutting off all ties. However, after hearing about Jaquelina attending AA, they both began rekindling their bond. Carla comes from Argentina. The audio may be fit for intermediate Spanish learners. This podcast features themes of physical and verbal abuse and therefore may be suitable for an upper level undergraduate course or medical school student.

Cigarettes

Juice WRLD (Jarad Higgins) was a rapper who was open about his struggles with addiction, depression and anxiety. He died of a drug overdose in 2019. Many of his music videos can be read as illness narratives. This one has an ultimately upbeat message, as the protagonist goes to AA and gets sober. It begins with a "Text this number for confidential help" message onscreen. This could work in any music/popular media class to talk about health narratives or could be part of an assignment to build a play list around a topic with annotations.