| As an alcoholic and addict that's had | | | | before they can finally accept they have |
| around 7 years of continued sobriety, I | | | | a real problem. It's only when they can |
| have to begin this article by saying | | | | face the fact that their life has become |
| that there is nothing in my life today | | | | unmanageable because of their addiction, |
| that a drink or drug would make better. | | | | that they are desperate enough to seek a |
| It wasn't always like this though, and I | | | | solution. |
| once thought that escaping into a hazy | | | | Statistics show that 1 in every 10 |
| crazy world of alcoholic madness was the | | | | people has some form or alcohol or drug |
| answer to all of my problems. You see, | | | | dependency and there are no signs of it |
| ever since my adolescent years I have | | | | getting any better. Alcoholics and |
| been what can only be described as an | | | | addicts have a disease that centers in |
| egomaniac with an inferiority complex, | | | | the mind, and a body that craves for |
| so it was little wonder that I found | | | | more of the same once their drug of |
| oblivion an attractive state of being. | | | | choice enters into their blood stream. |
| One of the major problems that many | | | | Having no mental defense means that |
| alcoholics and addicts have is that they | | | | education on its own is useless. |
| are self centered, self seeking, and | | | | Therefore, it's little wonder that so |
| selfish. Anyone that is trapped in a | | | | many folks from all walks of life become |
| world of self absorbance can never truly | | | | victims to drugs and alcohol. |
| be happy, and unhappy people often do | | | | The most successful solution, which has |
| things and take things that help them to | | | | literally worked for millions of people |
| change the way they feel. With so many | | | | world wide, is the fellowship of |
| natural and unpleasant characteristics, | | | | Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous |
| does this mean that alcoholics and | | | | otherwise known as AA and NA |
| addicts are bad people? The answer is a | | | | respectively. Being a fellowship means |
| simple no. In fact many of these | | | | that there is safety and support in |
| addictive personality types are warmer, | | | | numbers. Most recovering alcoholics and |
| and often more talented than Joe | | | | addicts will tell you that something |
| Average. The difference is that their | | | | happens in those meeting rooms which |
| mind tells them this just isn't so, and | | | | lifts away their obsession to drink or |
| they therefore take a path of self | | | | use. They have something together that |
| destruction which often wrecks, not only | | | | they don't have by themselves. No one |
| their own lives, but the lives of those | | | | quite knows why it works so well, only |
| closest to them. | | | | that it does, and most don't try to |
| THERE IS A SOLUTION | | | | analyze it further than that. |
| Yes there is. There is most definitely a | | | | Some addicts and alcoholics have gone so |
| solution to those that reach out for | | | | far down the track that they may have to |
| help. Unfortunately, most addicts need | | | | be hospitalized or placed in a treatment |
| to hit rock bottom before they throw in | | | | center before committing to any |
| the towel. It isn't until they become as | | | | fellowship, but once dried out and |
| desperate as only the dying can be that | | | | cleaned up, some begin to really see the |
| they admit to themselves the nature of | | | | errors of they ways and embark on a new |
| their malady. Oversensitive to the | | | | life that they never imagined possible. |
| extreme, many alcoholics and addicts | | | | So, there is a solution, and the above |
| tend to feel more than they think, and | | | | touches on just a couple of the most |
| consequently believe the world is | | | | successful, but some manage to find |
| against them, especially when their | | | | other ways to recover. However, anyone |
| nearest and dearest attempt to talk to | | | | wanting to get clean and sober will only |
| them about their problem. Addicts and | | | | succeed if they want it enough. Recovery |
| alcoholics need to hear if from within | | | | works, but you have to work it. |