Addictions

I was talking with my step-daughter last night about different things and the subject of people being addicted to things came up. So many people are addicted to different things and it's really sad at how it's taken complete control of their lives. Some people are addicted to things that are just silly (like me).

Drug addictions are so horrible and it destroys so many families. I think it's crazy how people will spend their entire paychecks just to get a fix or several fixes. They forget about the bills and children they have that need to be taken care of. Instead of worrying about that, they depend on other people to help them or the state to help them out. So many people are on welfare and are on drugs. We pay their bills or their food but yet they could be helping themselves if they just gave up their addiction. They don't want to admit that they have a problem. It's the first step in recovery but the hardest step for so many people.

Some people are additcted to items that are legal to buy like alcohol and cigarettes. It's really hard to stop those addictions because they are legal. And the ones that have the addictions to these feel like they don't really have an addiction to it. Some people are just social drinkers or smokers; like when they are around certain people or out at the bar. Some people can't make it through a day without a drink. How hard is it on those families to know that their loved ones need a drink to make it through the day? But how long does that one drink satisfy them and once it doesn't what happens then? They need more to drink and pretty soon they have a hard time with stopping.
For the ones that have taken that first step, they have a long road ahead of them. They will need the support of their family and friends to help them get through this process. Some people get treatment and others will quit cold-turkey. I think no matter how you get treatment, it's very important to have support behind you. No matter what your addiction is,you need help from other people for when you feel that you need to go back to your addiction.

Some addictions may not to be drugs but to food. Some people just love certain things and they want them. Like I love chocolate and a lot of different fruits. When people have an addiction to food, they may eat too much. They don't feel like they are full so they keep on eating. Or they eat for reasons that they think are calming to them. Some people when they are depressed will eat because they look at food as comfort. It's not okay to do this, but I have done it in the past. At the time, I was upset and felt like eating would make me feel better. It did for a little while but the issues were still there when I quit eating. Sometimes people who eat like that will gain weight and then feel bad about it. When this happens, they start the whole cycle all over again. It's a vicious cycle that needs to be stopped.

As I like to say I have some silly addictions or at least I think they are silly. I love ink pens, tin cans, bags, and notebooks. Oh and don't let me forget my new one collecting postcards and stickers. Yes I know I have a lot of ink pens and notebooks and bags. But I can admit when I have a problem with them. With the tin cans, it's not so much. I only like certain ones and I don't buy them too often. But ink pens, I can always use more because I am starting to write more. I have several pen pals and writing to them is great but lately I've been typing the letters cause I haven't felt like writing them. I guess it's time to put my new pens to work.

We need to help each other out when we know our loved ones are suffering from an addiction. No matter what the addiction is, we can overcome them. It helps to have other people to support you in your decision to overcome your addiction. It's a very important decision to become clean and stay clean. Also it's important to your family that you stay clean. Your family loves you and needs you to be clean.