When you’re laying in the trenches of the war against addiction, fighting tooth and nail for a clean mind and body, it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. After every blood test and counseling session, beyond the daily cravings and inner turmoil, there is something glimmering just over the edge of the horizon. The life that waits for you outside the treatment center and down the road of your life is one that offers the second chance at health, happiness, and harmony that keeps us all going during treatment and early recovery. Remember the things you’re fighting for along the way.
Freedom
While it may seem like a buzzword in today’s media culture, true freedom is about possibilities. A debilitating addiction slams all the doors of opportunity in your life and straps you down to the sole pursuit of the fix. It takes willpower, courage, and work, but when you finally conquer addiction, the great prize is the freedom to live your life on your own terms. Freedom from the hunger of addiction is the ultimate prize that awaits you at the end of this journey.
Living Healthy and Well
One can’t sing enough praises for the value of a healthy mind and body. Sickness is no one’s friend and saps us of our vital life force, motivation, and ability to live our own lives. Addiction ravages the body and recovery is a healing process that opens doors to the person you deserve to be. Clean blood, clear lungs, strong muscles, and the energy to face each day come from the process of rebuilding your body after addiction.
No More Victims
One of the most psychologically debilitating aspects of addiction is the feeling of powerlessness. All addicts and alcoholics can attest to the frustration and hopelessness that feeling brings about. But a funny thing happens when you head out from the recovery center and face your new life. Confidence suddenly swells up in your chest because you just proved to yourself, and to others, that you can beat it. You no longer have to feel like a victim to a drug or a condition or a behavior. You are not only free, you are empowered.
Taking Nothing for Granted
Like those who return from war, fatal diseases, or near-death experiences, the one shining gem you will take forth from your addiction recovery is the gratitude and reverence for every breath of your life. When it’s almost taken away from you, you realize how fragile and brilliant your life and opportunities truly are. It’s a spiritual awakening of sorts and will serve your life and relationships for a very long time. Whether you’re fighting for yourself or for your loved ones, addiction is a long and brutal battle.
But the fruits of that labor are worth the struggle. In times when it seems like giving up and going back to using is the better, easier option; remember what we’re fighting for.
