Tallest Towers To Climb During Recovery

Addiction. A scary word for most, those who have never encountered it. People are afraid of things they don’t know, things they do not understand. Honestly, to say that anyone fully understands addiction would be a fallacy if not a blatant lie. Addictions and their varieties are as different as people that are plagued by them. Most people get to know what an addiction really is only when they succumb to it themselves or witness it firsthand in their own family or in a circle of close friends. Lucky ones learn what it is, come to terms with it and tackle it head on. Procrastination kills when it comes to addiction. Then there are those who will fight tooth and claw but in the wrong direction. Instead of admitting to themselves their shortcomings and channeling that energy and determination towards becoming clean, they often deny the existence of the problem while staring it directly in the face.

There are many different obstacles an addict has to overcome during their voyage towards recovery. As varied as people can be with their own dreams, fears, plans for future or lack thereof. Most of these obstacles and addict build up themselves. It is a battle that is mostly fought inside the addict’s head. To call an addict clean one must do much more than just get him physiologically clean and free of substance dependency. He must also be shown a great many ugly truths. What could they be? Let us have a glimpse at few of them.

Lack of commitment.

At first, most addicts do not believe that their problem is that big. They think it is blown out of proportion and if by some miracle they are convinced to check in rehab they do not do it for themselves but rather someone else. Usually family members or friends.

How many times have you finished your homework back in the day, not because you wanted to strengthen your knowledge in a school subject, but just to make your mother shut up about it, all that whining made you mad, did it not? It was easier just to get it over and done with, usually with lackluster results, but it counted and she could finally get off your back.

We are not children anymore. It is time to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions. Recovery is a commitment for life, to switch from self-destructive behavior into a learning experience.

Not their fault.

Speaking of responsibility. Many simply can not face the ugly truth that they are responsible for the situation they are in. They would rather blame God, their landlord, spouse or even their parents – all in a desperate bid to avoid looking in the mirror.

Blaming others for their own problems is much easier than dealing with them yourself because that would take strength and courage, an ounce of self-respect and some backbone. Most addicts lack in this department – if they were strong, courageous and have any respect for themselves and grew a backbone at some point, they would not be addicted. It is a vicious loop – the very qualities that the addict lacks lead them to become addicted as well as resist most attempts at conscious need to become clean.

Reluctancy to make changes.

You can wash your feet till they bleed, but as soon as you put on your old dirty boots they will get soiled again. Most addicts do not understand or rather don’t want to admit that they are a product of their environment. To become clean an addict must commit to drastic and often unpleasant lifestyle changes. If bad relationship is a contributing factor to your addiction it must be resolved or put behind you. If you are deeply depressed and unhappy in your current job, it does not matter how long you will spend in a rehab, you will sooner or later relapse and be back to square one. To start on the path to recovery some proverbial bridges must be burned because given the chance you will return to addiction. You may be clean and serene when you finish your rehabilitation course, but as soon as you return to the environment that drove you to use of addictive substances, it will happen again, it is just a matter of time.

To be brutally honest with yourself is probably the most required thing on your path to recovery as an addict. Take responsibility for your actions (or inaction), step away from the contagious factors that contribute to your drug abuse, double down and recognize that you must do this for the benefit of yourself first and foremost. These things don’t come easy, but the best things in life are rarely easy. Luckily, there are many options to become clean, countless people willing to help and assist on your journey. Family, friends and educated professionals in various types or rehabilitation. All for your benefit. Step up, admit and commit today – procrastination kills.