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Old 04-19-2005, 06:50 PM
  # 20 (permalink)  
FriendofBill
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Recoveryville, USA
Posts: 1,297
Emotional maturity is stunted at the time a person picks up a drink or a "think", if your al-anon. When I am living in anger, resentment, fear...I have stopped growing spiritually and emotionally.

Example: A 5 year old reacts to a tragedy (Fire in the home) with terror, dread that the family will no longer have a home and cannot imagine that everything will be allright again.

A 25 year old emotionally and mature person would probably react similarly, greiving the loss, but with much less negative dwelling, remembering they have insurance to cover the loss and that sometimes this happens in life.

A dry drunk or active user tends to think in the childish manor of thinking, dwelling only and always on the negative, seeing no hope or help in sight, constantly complaining about all the woe that befalls them.

In other words,,,their actions and reactions are much like a frightened child.

They know no other way to deal with life on life's sometimes bitter and vicious terms.

In my opinion, a chemical relapse is always preceeded by an emotional relapse (NOt going to meetings, not calling sponsor, not doing service). MAny times they dont relapse chemically, but pick up other addictions: sex, food, work, anger,etc.

For those who work a decent program, honestly and thouroughly, those who go to any lengths, reap the full scale of benefits of living a clean AND sober life.

Just cus someone walks their selves into meetings, and doesnt drink alcohol, doesnt mean that they are truely sober.
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