You have kicked your addiction and you are ready to get on with the rest of your life. You are to be commended for your achievements. You have made mistakes in the past, and hurt others by making the decisions that you made. If you were like most addicts you probably lied to a multitude of people. You may have taken money or other items that could be sold to support your habit. Undoubtedly there were harsh words spoken and maybe a few bridges burnt along the way.
As part of your recovery and getting on with your life, you need to acknowledge the wrongs you have done, and the people you have hurt. You need to realize that just because you have gotten your act together, doesn’t mean others are willing to forgive and/or forget. Life will not be the same as it was before you became addicted to drugs, at least not in the beginning. They say that time heals all wounds and I believe this is mostly true. Eventually, when people realize that you are accepting responsibility for your actions, they will be able to set aside the hard feelings they harbored, and accept you back into their lives.
Trust is a big issue for most people. You violated that trust, probably more than once. It was not lost in a day, and it will not be earned back in a day either. It took time for you to heal and reach this point in your recovery and you have to allow others time to heal also. It is not something you can rush and it will take an on going effort on your part to see it through. Don’t lose heart in the uphill struggle. One by one, you will regain the trust and friendship of most of those individuals that you have harmed. You may not win them all back, and that is a reality that you need to accept. You do the best you can and knowing that it was your best, you’ll be able to deal with any problems.
If you found another way to deal with the problem of being a recovering addict, let us hear from you. Your experiences may be just what someone needs to help them. If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs and are ready to get started on the road to recovery, contact A Better Tomorrow. They are waiting to hear from you, all you have to do is make the call.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
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My brother is trying hard to win back the trust of the family. I want to trust him, but I've been fooled too many times before. I'm thinking I'll wait another month or two anyway. If he really is changing, I should know by then.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. No one can decide how you will live your life. That luxury ended in your late teens. You get to decide, but you have to take responsibility too. It's exciting and scary at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThe mistakes I've made and the people I've hurt are many. I've had to prioritize the list so I'd have a place to start. My family members are at the top of the list. They are the ones I hurt first and most often. I figure just that will take me a year or more to put to rights. Thanks for all the help you continually give in this column.
ReplyDeleteI wanted too much, too soon. I was driving myself crazy. Thanks for the article. Time does heal all wounds, and I have plenty of that.
ReplyDeleteTrust is a biggie. I trampled all over so many people, I wonder if it's possible to get back in their good graces again. I truly hope it is. I need to be trusted again.
ReplyDeleteIt was a painful process to go back and think about all of the people I hurt because of my drug use. The list was long. I've started writing each of the people on the list to acknowledge what I did to them, to apologize and to ask for forgiveness. It's hard but when it goes right, it's a tremendous feeling of relief.
ReplyDelete