SafeHouse Podcast

Season 4 Episode 09

Busting Addiction and Its Myths

The purpose of our podcast is to help families learn the truth about addiction and alcoholism so that they can take the right action to help the addict they love and to help themselves at this critical time in their lives. Exposing the truth about addiction and alcoholism also requires that we bust the myths surrounding both addiction/alcoholism and the recovery process.

You’re the Addict, Not Me

Season 4 – Episode 09

I’ve spoken in earlier episodes about the idea the whole family becomes sick when there’s an active addict or alcoholic in your midst. Even if the loved one is currently recovering, the disease has done so much damage over the years (yes, years) that it takes a long time, if ever, before its effects are acknowledged and even longer to repair the damage. Some damage lasts a lifetime.

An example of the point just now is what happened on my own journey of recovery which started in 1993, 27 years ago if you are listening to this in 2020.

Part of recovery in a 12-step program – and I hasten to add that 12-step programs do not have an exclusive claim on recovery – is to do what is known as a 4th and 5th step, which has us do an autobiography of our life with a focus on our shortcomings which caused damage to the people in our lives. The lies, the stealing, the hostility, the unjustified blaming, and so on.

This part of the process lays the groundwork for growing up and holding ourselves accountable, as sick people, not as bad people.

Other Episodes: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

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