You drank the same beer I drank. You smoked the same pot I smoked. You might have even tried the same line of white stuff someone put in front of you at a party that I did. You were able to walk away and not take it to the extreme but since I have the disease of alcoholism and addiction, I will spend the rest of my life fighting to stay clean and sober.
The fact is as children, we don’t decide we would rather be an addict instead of a police officer. When is the last time you talked to a little girl who told you she couldn’t wait to grow up so she could turn tricks to feed the insatiable hunger of her drug addiction or a little boy who wanted to drive around collecting scrap to get his next drink ? My best friend didn’t tell me about their exciting plans to become homeless. My friend didn’t blow out her candles as a child wishing for a substance use disorder because she couldn’t wait for the day her children were taken into foster care.
Nobody wants to have substance use disorder. Some of us just do. So please always remember:
You made those same choices, too. You just got lucky that it was me and not you.
If you still have doubts wether it’s a disease or a choice, you can take those up with the Center for Disease Control or the United States Surgeon General. They have classified addiction and alcoholism as a disease, but then again... I am sure you know more about it than they do, right? I pray that you don’t have to reevaluate these opinions because you find out your child or parent is an alcoholic or addict. If you do, just know that we will accept you into our community. We will help your loved one. Do you know why we would do that? Because we are good people who just want the chance to live like everyone else. So please, before you write another post bashing people who are suffering, or crack that joke , think about it. Not only are you hurting people that are sick and suffering or who have the disease but are winning the fight today but you could be hurting everyone that loves them because chances are you have people on your friends list or might overhear you at work or wherever who have children, aunts, uncles, parents who are suffering or struggling right this moment from alcoholism and addiction. What did they do to deserve the awful things you put out into the universe that do nothing but perpetuate hate , stigma and judgment?”
You have a right to your opinion. But no matter what, hurting people is wrong.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Katie B a proud recovering alcoholic and addict
This beautiful Katie! Thank you for sharing this. I have loved ones in my life that love and support me, but they don’t get it. They choose not to believe that addiction is not a disease as if they know that it’s not. I’ve wrestled with this monster since I was a kid. The only way I truly got sober is when I gave up trying to figure this all out. I just accept it, and choose to live in the solution ODAAT. Thanks again! I’m going to screen shot this
The how and why simply doesn’t matter. The fact is that I have this disease of alcoholism. I am forever grateful for the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Without a doubt it saved my life.
I can totally relate to that, and that’s why I chose to share it on here. I had really written this for Facebook after seeing some really derogative comments from people in regards to substance use disorder , but wanted to share it here too, because I think people do struggle with stigma, misconceptions and just plain old ignorance a lot when it comes to wether it’s choice or a disease and too often people viewing it as a moral issue. That’s why I believe raising awareness and educating others is vital in combating the epidemic as a whole let alone family and friends of the alcoholic/addict. Today we are all affected by it in one way or another so my belief is it is time to stop judging one another to come up with a solution. Unfortunately, I also believe we are a far cry away from that. Especially when even in the recovery community itself so very many judge one another one how people choose to stay sober or work their program like MAP program NA AA ect It’s just so sad. I lost my son and only child to this disease, so I judge no one. I believe where there is breath, there is hope, and that is more important to keep people alive so that they might one day find sobriety/recovery then judge them on how they do it - if it works for you more power to you.
Thanks so much for your comment and sorry for the length of this reply back but it’s nice to talk to you about it
You mean how we became alcoholics addicts or how we recover or if it’s a disease … either way I agree to an extent. If you have a minute I hope you have a minute to read my above comment because maybe it will give you a little more insight into why I wrote this - my motives and intent but in any case thank you for taking the time to read & comment.
Please no apologies. I loved every word of it. I know a little bit about your story, and I have so much compassion and respect for you and your recovery
I mean both. The why is of no consequence. I know folks who had an idillic upbringing and those who had it horrible. The disease does not discriminate. Some have the isim and others don’t. It’s an inside job.
As for a path to recovery I see it the same way. A.A. is the only thing that works for me and i tried it all. However, I know people who have used other methods. As the big book reads “we have no monopoly”.
Finally about the stigma, what others think about me and my recovery does not matter. What matters is how I live my life and treat others. I personally do not participate in social media (except Loosid) because I view the whole thing as a ego trip on both sides. I learned that I don’t need an excuse to drink. I suppose if I was looking for an excuse I wouldn’t have to look very hard. Especially on the socials. This ties into the principle of anonymity. If I maintain anonymity as a principle no one is going to “weigh in” on my recovery. I have watched anonymity be slowly abandoned in recent years especially on SM. My program tells me that humility is the best way to proceed. “Attraction rather than promotion”. Thank you so much for beginning an engaging conversation. I truly appreciate it.
Thanks for the lens of perspective. I hadn't thought of it like that before.
Thanks for sharing Matt. I have very similar thoughts
That is the main reason only WE can help each other the rest of the normies don’t understand us and unfortunately probably never will🙏 one drunk helping another❤️
Powerful and true. Thanks for sharing.
I loved reading everyone’s comments and thank you Matt so very much for all you shared. Great to have a forum to discuss and share with one another on this topic and one’s like it.
Thanks. You speak for all of us.
Well said
Certainly not intended that way but I suppose there’s always someone who has to turn something positive into a negative but sorry you feel that way.
Hi Katie. I meant my comment in a positive way. About how addiction sucks and what you said was very well said. I've been an addict and alcoholic for 37 years. I'm coming up on my first 8 months sober on 9/28/23.
Thank you Katie, this is amazing!
Hi Katie!
Your post was truly insightful! Thank you for sharing some of your thoughts with us and inspiring our community!