In my first few days and weeks on this journey, I had no idea what how long I could stay sober. During my using years I had never been 100% abstinent. Periodically I would stop, take a breather and dry out a bit. But my twisted thinking told me, ‘Well, you aren’t drinking alcohol, so what’s the harm with… a little weed or…?’
The disease of addiction is deadly. It tells us we don’t have it, waits for us to weaken, and wants us to slip. I believed all the lies I told myself and was so sure I knew how to handle life and control my ‘out-of-control’ behaviors. Deep down — while I couldn’t admit it — I knew the madness had to stop.
The norm used to be: don’t talk about alcohol or substance use, at least not openly. My drinking was no secret, and even as the consequences were piling up, I was too arrogant and afraid to ask for help.
We have come a long way in bringing awareness to this disease and we must continue to move forward by showing up and being messengers of hope. For my recovery, there is no other way than to be All In.
Who is with me?
Thank you to our contributors for continuing to share your wisdom and experiences of hope and healing. This paper would be blank pages without you. Together AZ is here for our community in print and online monthly at www.togetheraz.com Thank you to our contributors for continuing to share your wisdom and experiences of hope and healing. This paper would be blank pages without you. Together AZ is here for our community in print and online at www.togetheraz.com
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