As an "A"

[Doug]

As an "A", I've been confronted before about my drinking and drugging. Friends, family, girlfriends, wives.

As an "A", I wasn't ready or willing to stop based on what somebody said to me. So at that point, everything I said about my abuse was a lie.

As an "A", I just learned to get more creative, and more secretive about my abuse. So you couldn't see it, and would then think I had no problem, and I was in control.

As an "A", I was showing you that I could quit, because that's what you needed to get out of my face. But you, your face, your words, were never enough to actually get between me and my substances.

As an "A", once I really quit, got into recovery and made the real change, you would be able to see it, feel it, and know it.

If it's not obvious, then it most likely isn't happening.

[Ann]

These are all lessons I learned with my son's addiction, Doug.

No matter how much I screamed, cried, begged, bribed, manipulated, and tried to control, addiction was always bigger than both of us.

And just as he needed recovery to find a better path, the surprise, for me, was that I needed recovery too if I ever wanted to end the cycle of us both being obsessed with his addiction. I could not live in his addiction and my recovery at the same time and as I worked my recovery, I no longer felt a need to.

Hugs

[humming bird]

Thanks Doug for that great post!!!

[Doug]

You're welcome.