Dawn10

Hi,
Just wondering if what I am thinking makes sense. A little background first.
I am 6 years into recovery of addicition from opiates, ( Vicodan, etc.) Doing great, no relapses, thank God.
The past few days have been a rollercoaster of emotions. I live in Southwest Florida, that felt the effects of Hurricane Charley. I was very optimistic early on, that is my nature. But as the threat was more imminent, I was nervous, then panicked. I moved me and the 2 cats to my Dad's place, as he has a garage and I could keep my car safer. He is out of town for the summer, so I was alone. As "Charley" approached and the danger was more real, I had several mini-meltdowns. I was more worried about being without phone and power than of injury and damage to my place and my Dad's. Fortunately, the area I am in dodged the worst of the storm and we had very little damage anywhere. However 30 miles south of us is devastated.
As I talked last night with a good friend, ( also a recovering addict) I wondered out loud why I was so scared of not having power and phone. She had a very interesting observation and I was wondering if ti made sense to any of you out there. She said as recovering addicts we try to find things to take the place of our addictions--such as TV, music, reading. Being without power cuts us off from those things and deep down is a threat to our recovery.
It makes sense to me. What do you all think?
Grateful to be alive and well in Venice Florida!!

Gooch

The disease of addiction thrives on substitution.

I quit doing drugs and became obsessed with work, started to collect materialthings, and figured if I had lots of friends I would feel good about myself.

The promise of Narcotics Anonymous is that an addict any addict can stop using, lose the desire to use, and learn a new way to live.

It's multileveled. First freedom from the active addiction to drugs, then freedom from the active addiction to looking for outside things to fil the emptiness inside.

You just went through an incredible experience, most "normal" people would feel threatened and insecure about their future.

Plus as an addict one of my biggest weapons against this disease is all of you. To be cut off, without phone, or a way to feel "in touch" with the people who help me understand my insanities would be scary indeed.

Dawn10

Thanks Gooch.
It always helps to have someone elses perspective. That "experience, strength and hope" thing is what keeps lots of us going.