The Lie of Addiction
The biggest liar was my own addiction. — Joanie R.
We have lived with dishonesty–in others and in ourselves. Many of us had to learn to cope with the obvious lies accompanying our parents’ dysfunction or the enabling of that dysfunction. One of the ways we coped was to convince ourselves that our perceptions were false. A low self-image and our own eventual dishonesty caused us pain, and some of us found momentary relief in addictions or other compulsive behaviors.
But addictions also lie. All of them–no matter to what substance or behavior–speak to us softly and seductively: “Try me, I will take away the disappointment, the loneliness, the rejection, the pain. I will heal you.” The lie, of course, is that addictions help anything because even after a binge, the pain is there. And it is often worse.
Switching addictions is no good either. Switching to work, sex, food, money, religion is not a way out. Freedom from all addictions is found in truth. And the truth is we need to face our realities without addictions.
Today, I will examine my life for switched addictions. I will ask my Higher Power to help me stay on course.
Today’s Meditation from:
Days of Healing - Days of Joy: Daily Meditations for Adult Children by Earnie Larsen & Carol Larsen Hegarty
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