ADDICTION IS TO BE RESPECTED NOT FEARED

Today I continue my conversation with you on the subject of Drug abuse and Alcoholism, a topic with which I am intimately familiar having been in this field for well over thirty years.

In approaching the subject of addiction it is perhaps necessary to view it as an illness that is to be respected and not feared, as it is a known fact that fear numbs the mind and prevents us from responding appropriately to any threatening situation.

Respect for the subtlety of this disease which has been described by Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous as being cunning, baffling and powerful would perhaps give us the courage to confront it head-on.

Few persons would care to admit to having an obsessive/compulsive pattern similar to that of an alcoholic or drug addict, yet there are millions out there who would gamble away their lives savings, gain tremendous weight by over-eating, spend hours before a game-boy or looking at pornographic materials.

From this perspective the term addiction would therefore apply to anything for which we can develop a dependence that may cause us to lose focus for that which really is important.

But because the word “addict” immediately conjures up frightening images of debauchery and destitution it prevents many an individual from acknowledging that they too may have an addictive personality of the same magnitude as these individuals.

This fear of the term addiction is what accounts for the alarm felt by most persons when a family member, student or co-worker begins using drugs, as all have heard stories of drug addicts committing atrocious crimes as they sought to obtain money to feed their addiction!

Very often the affected individual prefers to delay treatment as he or she is often treated with disdain after admitting to drug dependence by a society which treats drinking as a symbol of male strength and bonding.

Doing the right thing does not result in admiration from others but more often than not, with scorn.

Perhaps the phrase “Once an addict, always an addict” has a lot to do with this disdain as this statement is generally misunderstood though often repeated among treatment providers, and why not?

If those who are in recovery can keep repeating it without understanding its context in spite of the millions who have recovered by the grace of God, why should others not repeat the same thing


MAKING THAT FIRST STEP PAY OFF

Few persons except the individual in recovery recognize the determination and courage needed to seek treatment, to face family and friends, and to return to a critical and judgmental society while attempting to face life without drugs.

When fear and self-doubt are erased, and the individual’s determination, courage and ability come to the fore, we all marvel at the miracle of failure becoming great successes, and the stone the builder having rejected becoming the corner stone.

For change to take place however, the individual ought to visualize the kind of person he would like to become, the kind of life he wishes to live, and the steps he plans to take to achieve this goal.

The more outrageous and out of reach the picture is, the better, even if it is to be a successful preacher, entrepreneur, or even the President of Trinidad and Tobago or the United States of America !

If you are one of those persons who have lost the will to try recovery again because of the several attempts you previously made which ended in failure, I invite you to write your dream down now and keep looking at it regularly until it’s burned into your sub consciousness.

When some time has passed you may safely put the document away where in ten years time you can pull it out and see how many of your dreams have come true and how this first step has paid off.

You will be pleasantly surprised as I once was to have found that sometimes without even being aware of it quite a few of your dreams have come true, as your every action subsequent to documenting your dreams leads onward to those goals.

One phrase that can ensure your success is “Easy does it”.