About Addiction
Addiction to drugs, including alcohol, is a disease, like diabetes. It is an emotional disease, a physical allergy and a disease of the our spirit.
It is often in our genes, passed on to us before we were even born.
We know what will happen when we take that first drink, pill or fix yet we do it anyway, regardless of the consequence.
There is no cure, but there is recovery into a normal, active, healthy, joyful life.
With the disease of addiction comes bad behavior.---behavior of our self-will run riot.
We use anger and anxiety and resentment to try to control others---because we feel so frightened and so out-of-control.
And we not only hurt ourselves, but we cause great pain for those around us.
The only way to fight our disease is complete sobriety. We must stop using all drugs. It does not work to substitute a drink instead of a joint, a tranquilizer for cocaine, another drug instead of crank
All of them are part of the same disease. It is progressive. It gets worse if we don't stop, we become insane, end up in a mental institution, on the street or in jail---losing family, friends and ourselves, or we end up dead.
Being clean and sober is just the first part of getting well.
We also have to learn a new way of living---dealing with our feelings and of those around us.
We have to learn to be open, to be honest and to be willing.
We do this, surrounded by other grateful, recovering people,with those who support our recovery and with a Higher Power greater than ourselves.
------Don Fass