The Problem With Thinking You’re Different When It Comes To Addiction

For us alcoholics, thinking that we are terminally unique is second nature to us. Most of us get sober, go to a recovery program, and look for the differences rather than the similarities. Nobody likes to believe that they have an alcohol or drug abuse problem, therefore it is natural to think that maybe we are different, maybe we aren’t alcoholics or addicts, and do not need sobriety and recovery. Maybe we were just having a hard time or we were just going through a time of hard partying.

 

Denial In Addiction Doesn’t Change The Fact That We Are Indeed - Addicts

When we listen to people’s stories and think to ourselves, “well that didn’t happen to me”, what we are doing is feeding that part of us that is trying to deny that we have a problem. The fact is that it does not matter how much we drank or used and what happened to us. All that matters is the consequences, the fact that we did not like and/or could not control our using and that our using affected  our loved ones.

Letting Go, Admitting You’re An Addict And Recovering

You must be willing to say that you are an addict..that you have no real power over your addiction. If you’re willing to listen for the similarities rather than the differences then it might help put things into perspective. Maybe you didn’t hit as deep of a bottom then some or most but if you listen carefully, surely you can identify with the feelings of being bankrupt spiritually, helpless, and shut off from the world. While we might not have come to the place of needing to get sober the same way as another addict, the fact is that we are all in this together and for the same reasons. You can have hope in recovery!