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!

Early Sobriety and "Learning" Blind Faith

The idea of getting sober can be a scary thought. It is normal to have fear of the unknown especially when we are in the grips of our alcohol addiction. No one wishes to admit they have a problem or have to turn around and have blind faith in a thing they are not sure will work. After all, how do we know that it is worth it? How do we know that a 12 step recovery program or that drug recovery centers will work for us? The fact is that we practice blind faith in things on a daily basis. We never wonder if our blankets are going to keep us warm, our bath water will be hot, or if the sun will come up tomorrow. We have faith that these things will continue to happen without us having any control over it. We can apply this type of blind faith to our recovery. If we don’t ingest any mind altering substances, no matter the circumstances, we can guarantee that we will be able to stay sober. If we turn our will and our lives over to the care of a higher power, do the work, and change our behavior, our life will get better. If we amend our behavior and decide to no longer participate in self destructive behavior then we will become better people. Feelings are not facts. If we walk through our fears and stay sober despite them we will eventually be able to handle each situation regardless of how scary it may seem.

Walking Through Fear With Faith In Recovery

When we were in the midst of our alcohol addiction most of us were used to living in fear. When we get sober does not mean this changes immediately. We fear the unknown, something that has happened, going to happen, or losing people, places, or things. Sometimes this is just par for the course on our journey through recovery. However, there are times that things beyond our control come into play and our deepest fears come to light. It’s at this point that we must turn to our higher power to pull us through. Things don’t always turn out the way we hope but all we can do is pray and know that there is a plan for us all. We may not know how things will work out but if we have faith in a power greater than ourselves then we will be able to walk through any fear that may come up for us.

 

Make the Choice

 Many of us choose to make the supreme sacrifice and go back to drinking rather than continue the fight. Through doing the 12 steps of recovery and going to an addiction recovery program we are given the tools we need to cope with situations that we couldn’t handle before. No matter how big or small the problem may be we never have to drink over it and we never have to go through anything alone ever again if we don’t want to. There are many people that are in recovery that will be happy to help if we let them. If we take everything a day at a time or even a moment at a time, then we can make it through anything.

The Benefits of Treatment

Some of us have tried time and time again to get sober on our own yet we find that we always end up relapsing and can’t seem to figure out where we are going wrong. There are those of us too that are finally ready to get sober and do not know where to begin. This can be due to fear, getting stuck in the midst of our alcohol addiction or lack of experience with trying to get sober. Whatever the case may be for you treatment can be a great option. Through going to treatment and committing to the addiction recovery process one can gain greater self knowledge, walk through fear, learn how to deal with uncomfortable feelings without using maladaptive behaviors, receive tools to help you get through any situation sober, and ways to prevent relapsing again. 

Don't be Hopeless - Gain Confidence

It is common for people that have suffered from this seemingly hopeless state of mind and body to feel completely defeated and somewhat helpless when it comes to our sobriety. Through places such as SDA we can gain the confidence we need in order to stay sober and we can begin to heal through doing work on ourselves, rehabilitation, and therapy. Over time we can begin to see that we have just as good a chance as anyone else at staying sober. Substance abuse programs can be a great way to build a strong foundation for your recovery and are especially helpful for those of us that struggle with staying sober.

Proper Intervention for a Loved One Addicted to Drugs or Alcohol

Most of the time it is the people that are closest to us that can see that something is wrong long before we or others ever can. It is the people that know us, our behaviors, and our lifestyle that can spot immediately when something is just not adding up. If your loved one is battling with drug addiction or alcoholism and are in denial you may be their only chance at being introduced to recovery. You may try talking to them, taking them to AA/NA meetings, or introducing them to some sober people. If they are still unable to see how their use of drugs or alcohol is affecting their lives in a negative manner and that it has become a problem then it might be time for an intervention. This process includes having someone come in that can mediate the situation, setting firm boundaries, discussing the problem, offering support if they are willing to accept it, different treatment options, and seeing if they are willing to seek help or not. If they are aware that other people are being affected by the situation and how their drinking or using has ruined them then they might be more willing to discuss the possibility of getting sober. Nobody likes being told they have a problem with drug or alcohol addiction but the underlying theme of an intervention is that they are loved and there is help out there if they are willing to turn their life around and get sober.

Learning to Let Go of Being in Control

Many of us even after going to alcohol and drug rehab still want to run the show. There is a part of us that have a hard time with surrender and giving up control; but if we hold on to the problem so tight and don’t let our higher power in then we are shutting ourselves off from other possibilities. We need to be able to see that we may not always know what is best for us and that there are an infinite number of solutions to every problem. If we have not come up with a solution to the problem then it is usually because there were not enough people involved. Through going to Above It All, AA, or other 12 step programs we can begin to let go of our black and white thinking and see that if we have faith and rely on a power greater than ourselves then things will work out fine even if we don’t know how. It only takes one thing changing to have an entirely different experience. Whatever the situation may be we can be sure that we can get through it sober. Many of us drank to escape. We don’t have to do that anymore. Instead, we can create a life we don’t want to escape from. We can build a life beyond our wildest dreams. We can sit through the discomfort that comes from uncertainty and we can learn to accept things as they come.