Dangers of Arrogance in Recovery
 

Dangers of Arrogance in Recovery
~Fraser Trevor

The Dangers of Arrogance in Recovery Arrogance can be a dangerous character trait for people in recovery because: If people are arrogant, they will be less likely to admit that they need help.

Recovering from addiction can be hard to achieve with making use of available resources. By refusing to admit that they need assistance the individual is giving themselves a serious handicap in their attempt to escape addiction. Arrogant people tend to be poor learners. They already act as if they know all the answers. In order to build a successful life away from addiction, the individual needs to be constantly learning. If this does not happen they are unlikely to find success. If people are arrogant they will be far more likely to relapse. Their feelings of superiority will prevent them from admitting that their recovery is in danger. They may not even be able to admit this to themselves.

Arrogant people in recovery will often find themselves dealing with dry drunk syndrome. Their life away from addiction is not very satisfying but they just hang on in there. They are likely to view their time away from alcohol and drugs as being similar to serving a prison sentence. Such individuals will tend to be full of anger and resentment because their life in recovery is so unsatisfying. It can be hard for arrogant people to make friends in recovery. This is because their boorish attitude tends to rub other people up the wrong way.

Loneliness can be a dangerous emotion for people in recovery. It can easily lead the individual back to their addiction. In order to get the most out of life in recovery the individual needs to develop emotional sobriety. This will not occur while the individual has an arrogant attitude. Arrogant people tend to appear rude to other people. This means that such individuals will frequently find themselves in confrontational situations. Regularly bumping heads with others can cause a great deal of stress in life.

This is so true for codependents as well.

Recovery is self discovery. Arrogance, denial and ignorance keep people stuck and very unhealthy.

I was thinking the same thing about this being true for codependents as well...

Arrogance and denial together are a recipe for disaster with codependency. It puts those with that mentality in very dangerous situations that they in most cases are unable to see the danger in.

I am watching that combination now. If I hear again but you don’t understand he would never hurt me … I do hope that is true, but to me unstable people do unstable things, and using or not using doesn't much matter.

Arrogance. Yup that is on my flaws list. My little brain loves to be right. It is like the bells and lights in a casino for me.

As bad as arrogance, for me, is complacency. The moment I think I am just fine, my life is just fine and I stop doing the daily "do" things...I fall back into old ways, old behaviours and have to find my footing again.

Complacency, for me, means "I've got it all under control" when that is the exact time when I need it most.

Any time I catch myself going more than a day without some semblance of my recovery routine I can feel something missing and usually it is my serenity.

This program keeps me healthy, just like a proper diet and regular exercise. Recovery is taking care of my body, mind and spirit and getting sloppy about it will not serve me well.

Hugs

what keeps me humble, maybe it's even a bonus of sorts, is as a now former crack addict, on top of everything else, I am especially attuned to the FACT that I am exactly ONE bad decision away from going back there, slathering dope fiend clutching the pipe. it really isn't a good look!

but also, my partner in crime, is also a former crack addict. I can't keep him from using but I sure as hell can make sure our lives don't slip and slide on that slope that leads to destruction. I can foster a healthy environment for ME that benefits him as well. I can in fact ENABLE us to be successful in our recovery.

Good words

This is so true Anvil. Very close to what my own therapist told me about supporting my husband especially in his early recovery. Take care of myself, foster a healthy environment in our home that benefits all of us, and do whatever I felt comfortable with in terms of ENABLING his RECOVERY - NOT his addiction.

What a great reminder for all family members.

Talk about pushing buttons!

Arrogant. That was me all right. Overcoming addiction
was a difficult task, admittedly.....but I was no ordinary
person. Playing the humility game was of course obligatory
but deep down I knew I would best it . I brought a phalanx
of skills and incredibly difficult accomplishments to this
game called life. If YOU people could not defeat this thing,
it is only because you don't bring to the battle the skillsets
that I do.

(Is THAT arrogant enough for you?)

God dropkicked me in the balls and taught me a lesson in
humility I will never forget, and for that.....paradoxically....
I will always be grateful.

I only wish it didn't take the sacrifice of the life of a great
lady to teach me this lesson.

I am still proud of my life and accomplishments. But in place
of my arrogance is the mantra of....

...."be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle
you know nothing about".

I love your truth Vale

I don't!

......getting dropkicked
(especially in such a vulnerable spot)

HURTS!!

;)

Vale, I'd like to say "I can relate" but of course I cannot. Owwiee...is all I can offer. :D

I do love your "expressive" way of putting things though, that conjured up quite a funny mental image.

And this is exactly why we had to neuter Vale. Our codieness hated seeing him in pain so we just had to "fix" him.....I mean the problem. :D

I didn't have
enough to do today!

Now LMN tasks me to secure a
new avatar.
(duck wearing a cone!)

If Google Image cannot come through......
it's
1)find a damn lake
2)one with ducks
3)get cone from vet
4)get food to bribe duck
5)find someone to take pic
6)go to ATM, withdraw sufficient amt to
bail me out on animal cruelty charges.
7)Have "duck wearing cone" going viral.
8) explain to angry world it was all a joke.
9) knowing none of them will believe a damn word!

thanks,LMN!!!!!!

One addict helping another, that's what Bill W. had in mind back in the early days. And, now almost 80 years later, it still works. I would consider that being an evidence based approach.

@Vale.. you could alternatively try photoshop ;) just saying

this is what i got for my Duck Wearing Cone Google

And.......just like THAT
(life transitions CAN be that sudden)

......Vale was a duck no more!

(now he's a motley polar bear with a traffic
cone on his head)

When will these cruel indignities end?!?!?!?!?