How to finally deal with alcohol addiction
“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.â€
We doubt Christopher Columbus was talking about alcohol addiction recovery with this quote. In fact, we’re sure of it. But with Thanksgiving this week, we couldn’t help but think about what this holiday means for the community of addicts, especially those seeking treatment and going through the journey to sobriety.
Of course, Thanksgiving is a time to feel gratitude. When going through alcohol addiction recovery, we give thanks every day for making it through another day, however difficult it may be. We give thanks for having the strength and the support of loved ones. We give thanks that we’ve left a darker time behind, and have moved into a new phase of our lives where we are not bound by alcohol addiction.
But, looking at that quote from Columbus – an adventurer, a believer, an explorer – we are now remembering that Thanksgiving is not just about looking back on the things we’re grateful for. It’s also about looking ahead.
Making the decision to seek treatment can be a frightening one. It may feel like you’re taking a leap of faith as you leave behind a world to which you’ve grown physically and mentally addicted. You are forcing yourself to take a journey that abandons what you know, with just your own belief and the words of others guaranteeing that your life will be so much better on the other side.
Columbus knew there were storms awaiting him on the sea. He didn’t know exactly what he was going to find in the end, but he knew it would be worth the struggle. He knew the payoff of putting himself through the uncertainty and the hardship would lead to greatness. And that’s exactly what alcohol addiction recovery is.
The harbor is waiting for you. The New World is ahead. And once you are willing to leave behind the familiar, you will set out on the expedition that will change your life.
Overcoming alcohol addiction may not be an easy journey. We know it wasn’t for Columbus. But the discovery along the way and the final destination – that’s really something to be thankful for.
We at Breathe Life Healing Centers wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy Thanksgiving, with gratitude for the past and courage for the future.
