September is National Substance Use and Mental Health Disorder Recovery Month. The focus of my blogs for the next 30 days will be on addiction and its life destroying tendencies. The writings derive from my own personal experiences of battling addiction and living in recovery.
I took my first drink when I was fifteen and my first drug when I was seventeen.
The first time I drank I hated the taste but loved the high it gave me.
The first time I drugged, it was a pain killer (opiate). I drugged “legally” because I was given a prescription by a doctor for the pain I was experiencing from breaking my leg. From that moment on, I always looked forward to taking any medications that contained opiates.
When does an alcoholic become an alcoholic? When does an addict become an addict?
I’ve heard those questions many times over the years and I am not an expert on the biology or the physiology of the disease, but I believe I was born with addictive tendencies.
My entire life has been a life of fighting extremes. Early on my mantra was, “too much is not enough.” That mantra damn near killed me. Today my mantra is, “moderation is plenty.”
Here are a few signs a problem may exist:
- You do something addictive in order to escape life and no matter how many times you say you are going to stop, you can’t.
- Most of your thoughts are fixed on the next fix.
- You are doing things that are counter to who you are and what you stand for.
- You are facing consequences from your actions.
- You no longer know what truth and reality is. You bend and warp both on a daily basis.
How do you stop? It’s simple but not easy.
Becoming sober involves many steps but I’ve simplified it to three keys and they make the acronym ACT:
A – Acknowledge you have a problem and you are powerless over it and you need help.
C – Connect with a power greater than you and people who have solutions that will help you conquer your problem.
T – Take positive action every day by Acknowledging and Connecting.
Addicts are either growing stronger in recovery or stronger in their addiction. Taking action is the key to recovery.
Isaiah 5:11, “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks (or drugs or other addictions), who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine (or drugs or other addictions).” (NIV)
John 8:31-32, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NIV)
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
