Alcoholics and Addicts

We have all seen how addicts and alcoholics can be vilified but, in reality they are people just like you and I. They have a disease that keeps them from seeing how sick they really are. You on the outside can see the destruction that is occurring in their lives but they cannot see what you do. Just like the diabetic who keeps eating the candy bar - one one level they know that candy bar is bad for them but on the conscious level they are just satisfying a need. The addict or alcoholic is satisfying the need to either create or negate a feeling. They know no other way of doing it. Many times if you ask them why they drink or use they cannot tell you because they real don't know the answer. They just know that the drink or drug changes their feeling reality for awhile and helps them survive. A person in recovery has to learn about their feelings and how to cope with them without using. This is not an overnight process. It takes time and a lot of patience and hard work. Recovery is not a linear process. Rather it is one that has many ups and downs. The addict/alcoholic needs to be encouraged and helped through both parts of the cycle. They are going to make their share of mistakes but that is the only way they will learn. Many of us had great role models when we were growing up and learned the basics of life. In reality, many people who are addicted to whatever the substance or thing is did not have great role models. They do not know any other way of acting. We tell them they need to change but then do not want to take the time to teach them or guide them through the process of change. We just want instant success. That is not based in reality. Change takes time and if we really love that person we will work with them to get to that point. But one must be patient and be willing to go through the good and bad cycles to get to that point. My challenge for you today is to reach out to someone who is addicted - whether they know it or not - and just offer to help. This could be a simple gesture to just listen to their reality or it could be something more concrete like offering to take them to a twelve step meeting. The gesture does not have to be something big just something that says "Hey, I'm here and care and love you just the way you are right now" - no strings attached.