Those of you who've been around for a while know that I have a son who is an addict. He's in recovery currently, for the past three+ years, and while I hope he will remain drug-free, I have no expectations, and that's for my own sanity. There is a reason addicts do better in their recoveries by attending 12 step Narcotics Anonymous programs. For that same reason, those of us who love addicts do better attending our Naranon programs, which I do faithfully every week. This story below, shared by an addict, is such an evocative reason why the 12 step program model works. It's not the only thing that works of course, I'm not suggesting that. But there's unquestionably POWER in groups that band together to share common experiences, as I've learned, and as my son has learned. There's no-one who quite understands to the same depth and dimension the struggles of an addict except another addict, no one who understands the struggle of the loved ones of addicts, except other loved ones of addicts. AN ADDICT FELL IN A HOLE and couldn't get out. A businessman went by and the addict called out for help. The businessman threw him some money and told him to buy himself a ladder. But the addict could not buy a ladder in this hole he was in. A doctor walked by. The addict said, "Help! I can't get out!" The doctor gave him some drugs and said, "Take this. It will relieve the pain." The addict said thanks, but when the pills ran out, he was still in the hole. A well-known psychiatrist rode by and heard the addict's cries for help. He stopped and asked, " How did you get there? Were you born there? Did your parents put you there? Tell me about yourself, it will alleviate your sense of loneliness." So the addict talked with him for an hour, then the psychiatrist had to leave, but he said he'd be back next week. The addict thanked him, but he was still in the hole. A priest came by. The addict called for help. The priest gave him a Bible and said, "I'll say a prayer for you." He got down on his knees and prayed for the addict, then he left. The addict was very grateful, he read the Bible, but he was still stuck in the hole. A recovering addict happened to be passing by. The addict cried out, "Hey, help me. I'm stuck in this hole!" Right away the recovering addict jumped down in the hole with him. The addict said, "What are you doing? Now we're both stuck here!!" But the recovering addict said, "Calm down. It's okay. I've been in this hole before. I know how to get out."
First of all a big congrats to your son. While he will always be an addict, following the right steps really does help to shrink the size of that monkey on his back. Working in a drug and alcohol crisis center I've heard this read aloud many times in the daily meetings. It really is powerful, to say the least. Wishing all the best to you and your son. Does your son also have a sponsor who is there for him 24/7? If not, I would highly recommend it.
Yeah, I'm very proud of the boy! He's worked so hard to turn his life around. He did have a sponsor. His sponsor relapsed. An addict will always be an addict, right? So currently he's without one. He's less troubled by that than I am, but it's out of my control. Not my circus, not my monkeys!
