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My Personal Struggle with Addiction - What's the Best Way for Me to Overcome It?

My heart has been having sharp pains. I have been dipping for 24 years (since age 12). I drink pretty heavy (once or twice a week) and I have started having many problems (I think heart related).

If I drink and don’t dip, my heart isn’t too bad. If I drink and dip, my heart has many start and stops to it. I don’t want to stop drinking or dipping, but what can I do to regulate my body from shutting down? If I need to stop all bad addictions I possibly will be able to do (but not probably over the long term).

I have a 4 and a 7 year old boy that I want to grow old to see, but I don’t know if I can kick my addiction enough. I’m weak from many years of addiction. What do you suggest. What is the best path to take? I normally don't ask anyone for advise, but this is very important to me and my family.

Answer

It begins by you making the decision that you want to see your boys grow up, and then deciding that you'll do whatever it takes to achieve sobriety, whether you 'like' what that involves or not.

A lot of addicts get stuck and go nowhere because they think they know a better way to get clean, or don't like the idea of another. That's just the ego trying to control your addiction, so you need to put your ego in your pocket, humble yourself, and once you've done that you're ready to begin.

Then pick up the phone or do some research and find yourself a good drug and alcohol rehab program where you can begin your journey of recovery. Forget thinking you can do this alone, so get help from professionals who understand addiction and know what it takes to overcome it.

Understand too that going through an addiction treatment program is only the first step. You need a plan to help you stay sober and this is where drug and alcohol recovery programs like AA and NA will help you do that because they provide a proven system that has helped millions build new lives for themselves outside of drugs and alcohol.

That's it. Get treatment and then get involved in a 12 step program like AA or NA. Do what they teach you and your life will change. Now your mind is probably going - this isn't for me and thinking up all sorts of other excuses. When that happens just think of your kids and go ahead anyway.

Your life will change by you taking action. Nothing changes if nothing changes. You're now faced with a choice. Do nothing or take action. I pray that you make the right decision because you can get through this and turn your life around. There are people out there ready to help you. But you have to let them first.

God Bless and Good Luck.

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Get Help
by: CP

Your fear in wanting to ask for help or turn to others for advice is understandable. But know that suffering from an addiction is nothing to be ashamed of - there are millions of people out there struggling as you are. Overcoming an addiction is almost impossible to do alone so reach out to those that can help you as was recommended. It takes courage, but once you do, you'll realise it's nowhere near as bad as you thought it would be. Trust me on that. If nothing else, you've got your kids to think of and think of them to help motivate you to take those first few scary steps. It won't be as bad as you think, and gets easier as you go along. You can do this! So best of luck.

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Welcome to recovery
by: Greg A

I have been addicted to alcohol for 40 years and this is what I how I look at it now.

Think of what alcohol and dip are doing to you: Destroying the very heart which you are completely dependent on to sustain life. Think about your boys as fatherless and how it would affect them.

Tell yourself that there are millions of men and women who have overcome what seemed to be hopeless addictions to alcohol, all types of tobacco, drugs of every imaginable type, food, gambling, sex--you name it and people are addicted to it.

Then tell yourself that the belief that you can't stop harming yourself is coming from the pleasure seeking part of your brain, not the larger more powerful rational brain that posted his dilemma on this website, looking for a solution.

What you've been hearing and obeying can be thought of as the voice of your addiction coming from the pleasure seeking part of your brain. Recognize it for what it is: a craving for pleasure that has no regard for negative consequences whatsoever. It only seeks pleasure, regardless of the cost.

Fortunately, that portion of your brain has no motor control, so it cannot on its own purchase the substances or put them in your mouth. Your rational brain obediently does that because it has been tricked into thinking it has no choice. But that is a lie and it's time to stop obeying it or it will eventually kill you.

Don't let macho independence keep you from seeking the wisdom of others who can guide you through what it takes to overcome your addictions. If you look at it realistically, practically everything we know was passed onto us from others--Newtons or Einsteins are rare exceptions--and so it is with addiction recovery.

Accept the fact that you are just starting out, learning new skills and ideas from the collective wisdom of countless others and that it's nothing to be ashamed of. Treat your addictions as problems to be solved and begin your recovery project of eliminating self-destructive behaviors with the clear goal of being alcohol and tobacco free within X number of days. Do whatever it takes to achieve that goal, even if it means checking into a treatment center if AA meetings aren't enough. You'll be much happier and healthier, your son's will learn valuable lifeb lessons from you and you will find yourself in very good company, indeed. Welcome to recovery.

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