cassandra2

What is that all about and what purpose does that serve?

Is this just the ability for addicts to see on paper that they are choosing to not do this to themselves? I guess I just question the reasoning behind that. I know that when I write it causes me to feel relief and maybe I see something that I didnt before.

Has anyone ever written a letter like that?

If so, how did it help you?

Timebuster

I think its called making amends to those you have harm.

Yes, I sent two letters to past love ones.

How did it help me? I definitely sleep better at night.

Ivan

madriley

That actually kind of sounds like a good idea. My DOC has been my best friend longer than anyone or anything else in my life and I am mourning it inside. Maybe that will help me sleep better too! Thanks for the idea!

lostbutterfly

Sometimes you feel you have to say goodbye! This is going to sound a bit sick, but the doc becomes your friend. It makes everything OK, it's with you through good and bad, sickness and health.

Sometimes it's the only friend you have in the world. No matter how much it turns around and gives you a good kicking from time to time, you love it for how it used to make you feel.

And you always think if you go back to it one more time, it will be like it was in the beginning. It's a bit of a grieving process, letting it all go. I know it sounds incomprehensible to feel like this about a chemical, but there it is. My feelings on it.

I have songs that are goodbye songs to all the chemicals I've had before, lol!

cassandra2

I guess I can understand your doc being your best friend. In the end sometimes that is all that is there for the addict. I just wondered why my ex had to write a goodbye letter.

I dont think its about amending because he is only a week into rehab. Im sure he probably is still working step 1. Its kinda odd because he was never the letter writer, book reader etc. And now he is kinda being forced to deal with it on paper.

I have always found writing letters to myself as being a release so to speak. I helped me get out all of the thoughts in my head and allowed me to reason more with what I could see. Writing has always been an outlet and I guess teaching that in rehab could have alot of potential.

Thanks for your responses.

madriley

When I was younger I used to write all the time. Probably from 7 years old to about 11 years old. I had a whole book of poems that I had written about every single event (good and bad) that had happened in my life. Once I got heavy into drugs I lost my ability to do that. I guess because my mind was just blank from all of the drugs clouding it over. Since I have said goodbye to all of my drug friends 2 weeks ago, writing has been my salvation. Both on paper and on this forum. Hopefully your boyfriend will find an outlet in his writing. Most of the time when I write now, I just go and go not having a clue what I am writing about, when I am done I read it and I am shocked at what is going on inside my head.

In the long run, hopefully this will help him to deal with emotions and stress in a more positive way and it will make both of your lives happier!

LB- I agree with you completely. Great minds think alike huh?

sunflower1776

Cassandra--I think the letter writing idea is a good one. It's a way to get all thoughts and emotions that are running around in our heads down on paper and there is some relief in it. It does not necessaily hae to do with following the 12-steps. I don't attend thos programs. But I guess look at it this way--look at everything you see written on this forum. We are getting our thoughts out--its on here instead of on paper, but you can see the relief from the person who wrote it. What about journaling?