Addictions

[janbear]

Addictions


Many of us are heroically trying to shake one or more addictions. Addictions and self-esteem, of course, are incompatible. But many of us find, even after we have broken a primary addiction, that our self-esteem doesn't soar as we had expected it would.
The fact is that the addiction itself is not the whole picture of the addictive life. After the addiction has been broken, we have to face our feelings. Now we must deal with reality without our crutch. Now we come to grips will all the character defects that were hidden behind the addiction. The battle is not merely to arrest our addiction, but to arrest our fear of all the repressed truths and hurts that were always there.
The ongoing journey seems especially tough when all the old "shoulds" crowd around. "I should be happier," "I should be making faster progress," I should feel better about myself". But the only thing we really need to do is accept that once the addiction stops, the feelings start.Then the long walk begins-but so does the reward.

To run from my pain is to create more pain. The only solution for me is to stand fast and fight it out.

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