If You Were me You Would Drink Too!
>> Dec 8, 2018
The
dissolution of victimization
There’s
no question that those such as myself suffering from the throes of substance
abuse can be selfish in their nature. Though we frequently lack sympathy or
empathy toward other individuals, often times we expect others to feel sorry
for us and the woes that chemical dependency has delivered to our
doorstep.
 |
| image:pixabay.com/en/woman-despair-alcohol-bottle-glass-3319540 |
Playing the Victim Role
In my
life I played the perpetual victim. No
one's life was as difficult as mine, no one understood what I was going
through, and if your life was as bad as mine you would drink and abuse drugs
too. My parents were getting divorced, I
suffered from depression and anxiety, struggled with a eating disorder, so clearly my life was just
worse than anyone else’s right? I now
know that I am not the only one who has struggled with these things in
life. That in fact my problems were far
less than others. My troubles were just
an excuse to drink and use drugs. I
would use any excuse to use, and this allowed me to do so without taking any ownership
for my actions.
Common
phrases I used to justify my victimization were:
● That’s not fair...
● I don’t want to...
● That’s too hard...
● I can’t do that...
● But how come…
Turning my Will and my Life Over to
the Care of God
As
addicts and alcoholics giving up control is not something we want really want
to do. It has been our coping mechanism
for so long! We are convinced that if
everyone just did exactly what we wanted them to do everything would be fine…
the only problem is that is not how the world works. Our egos are so big that we believe everyone
around us is the problem so that we never have to take a look at
ourselves. Because if we looked at
ourselves it would just be too much to bear.
So we continued to blame everyone and everything around us for every
circumstance in our lives. This just
perpetuated the vicious cycle of victimization. I have to drink because YOU people can’t just
get it together… and clearly the world around me was having the same problem
falling in line. Us alcoholics and
addicts will, and do always find some excuse to drink. Got a promotion at work? Drink!
Got a speeding ticket on your way to work? Drink! You see where I am going with this… anything
good or bad that happens in our lives gives us an excuse to do exactly as we
please… which is to drink.
Breaking the Victim Cycle
I
think the first time I heard myself say, “Yes, that was my bad, I can own up to
that” was after I completed my 4th and 5th step with my sponsor. I had never
been able to really see just how large my role was in everything bad that ever
happened to me. I never realized that when people had hurt me, or when I didn’t
get what I wanted, that for the most part, those things were actually the
result of something I had done or said. I realized I had been playing the
victim, almost all of my adult life. After my manipulating abilities ran out,
and I found myself alone and addicted to a handful of different types of
drugs. This is when I found the rooms of
AA,
working a 12 step program. I was given the tools I needed to stop playing the
victim, and to start being a responsible adult.
The Road to Recovery and Taking
Responsibility of my Actions
Once I
was finally willing to make changes, to kick my addiction, and become a new
person, I found that living life as a victim doesn’t carry the same validation
it once did. The 12 steps were the only thing that had ever shown me my true
nature.
I
believed I had control over myself, others, and events that happened around
me. There came a point where I had to
stop blaming others and situations for my addiction and seek appropriate help.
I can not achieve long term sobriety unless I take responsibility for
myself! Sobriety can not be achieved
unless you take responsibility! Don’t let addiction win!
Crystal Hampton is a 37-year-old avid
writer from South Florida. She loves
snuggling with her teacup Yorkie Gator and boyfriend Adam. She works for a digital marketing company
that advocates spreading awareness on the disease of addiction. Her passion in
life is to help others by sharing her experience, strength, and hope.
MS-
Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis
B.Ed.-
Bachelors in Elementary Education
Source:
0 komentar:
Post a Comment