You are not unique in recovery....let that sink in. As an addict, we often believe we are the center of the universe and no one "understands".
I've said it before, and I will say it again.....it has helped me and some others.
We are not unique. The feelings I've felt, you feel, and others will feel in recovery are normal. As an addict I thought my problems were so desperate that no one understood and I created an environment where I justified using because my problems were "SO INTENSE". Sure others have quit before me, but they haven't walked in "MY SHOES".
This is all bunk. Thinking that way pressures us to use. It all became easier to deal with once I realized my anxieties were normal and my feelings were not unique. It made fighting cravings MUCH EASIER. My cravings were less frightening because I wasn't in unchartered areas. The feelings i had have been overcome before by others and my feelings, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE MINE, WERE NO MORE DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH THAN OTHERS BEFORE OR AFTER ME. There is always someone who's had it much worse that made it through. We get it, being an addict is terrible, but there is nothing that will happen in our lives that could justify the use of our drug of choice. I merely stopped creating reasons to drink and starting using my situations and fear as fuel to get out of the frying pan.