Addiction and Recovery

When you speak of addiction, the first thing that usually comes to a person's mind is drugs and alcohol.  Gambling and Sex would probably be the next two things that a person thinks about.  However you can be an addict to many things in man's world.  There are places where you can go for treatment for addictions of every kind.  There are therapists of all kinds to help with all kinds of addiction.  A lot of those treatment facilities offer help and step by step programs.  But after you complete treatment, you are turned a loose back into society to just start your life again.  A lot of treatment programs treat the addiction but not what caused you to turn to your addiction to start with.  That where a good recovery program comes into play.  I haven't done drugs in about 22 years.  My last drink of alcohol was in December of 2009.  I struggle every day with wanting a drink and recently even though it has been a long time, I've had to struggle with the desire for the rush from using.  I use a highlighter in my bible readings and the refills come in this little plastic tube.  Most people wouldn't think a thing about the tube.  I emptied and thought that would work perfectly as a straw for snorting speed.  Go figure.  I would never go back to using drugs, but the desire is sometimes so strong I can't stand it.  So you might ask, what caused me to turn to drugs and alcohol?  I'm not really sure.  Some times I think it is because I have struggled all my life with a weight issue and even today, after surgery, I still struggle because I think I should be a lot smaller.  I'm a middle child, not the oldest and not the baby.  I was sexually abuse by someone I trust when I was 14.  I have always felt like I must compete and be the best no matter what.  So hence I have obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD as it is called.  These are just a few things that I think might have or could be a factor, but I've started attending a recovery group.  It is at my church and they use God in their recovery, not man, but God.  No one stares at you, you are accepted at face value.  There are no expectations, you are free to come and go as you please.  I'm excited to be a part of the group.  I'm looking forward to the next meeting.  There was a question  in the last meeting about when do you forget the hurt?  The answer was that only God forgives and forgets.  Men can forgive, but you don't forget, you heal.  The hurt is there to remind you not to turn back.