Breaking Free!

The weight of addiction feels like a suffocating blanket, heavy and unrelenting. The chains of a drug habit feels unbreakable. In the beginning it seems fun , and like you are on top of the world. It actually gives you that extra bit of energy , and strength, You start out great, you suddenly are that super mom , who can car pool, and you become the class mom, planning field trips and helping the teacher any way you can. Your full of energy , and life seems to finally feel good. Every day you start to change, leaving your loved ones confused, and soon they begin to ask you those dreadful question. So now you have to put that pretend face on. You find yourself telling lies to the people that you love. The biggest change that I personally made was robbing Peter to pay Paul. What I mean by this is in order to feed your habit you have to cut corners, like cutting the grocery weekly list short so you can purchase your drug of choice. Looking in the mirror for you becomes dreadful, and you don't know who you are any more. So now what? Well, nothing good is too come! I found myself addicted to pain pills. I had been told about street drugs, but never had i been told about taking medication from my doctor. I now know that i am not alone, many of people have found themselves in this same situation. I was a young mother and wife, as if that was not enough, now i had this problem called addiction. By the time that i found help, i was a sick young lady, scared does not even begin to put it in terms. I would love to say that i got clean and sober and never picked up a drug again , but that was not the case for me. Addiction is a very complex disease that can have a profound impact on the individual, but also the entire family. By understanding the nature of the disease and learning that recovery is possible, you have a chance to not just recover but to live a happy life. Remember that addiction is a chronic and relapsing disease that affects the brains reward system, and your brains reward system is tricky by itself. Addiction is not a moral failing or a lack of willpower. The path to recovery involves breaking the cycle of addiction and developing healthy coping skills. One thing you have to understand , which they call it step one i later found out , is you can not do this on your own. This very simple process of asking for help is what stops most addicts from getting clean and sober. Building a strong support system is key to recovery. The best part of my own recovery has been to build a new life. Sure i have had bad bad days along the way, but i do not allow myself to stay stuck in that bad day. The fact is that it will pass , and you find yourself able to move on so that you can enjoy the good days also. Finding purpose, discovering new hobbies, interest, and or passions can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Celebrating your recovery is key , every second we stay clean is a miracle. It is progress ,not perfection. Recovery is a journey, not a destination. Celebrate small victories and progress made along your way. Remember you are not alone, and give yourself a break, we did not become addicts over night. So connect with other people that are where you are at, or have been where you are at. Breaking free from addiction is possible. With the right support and determination, you can reclaim your life, and have an even brighter future.