As our “March Madness” theme rolls on, we explore a different angle of madness:
From an outsider’s perspective, the world of addiction/recovery can seem mad.
It’s not hard to empathize with someone we know who is going through addiction/recovery, but for someone who has never been an addict, it can be difficult to relate.
When food obsession fills our lives, we are not able to think past getting the next “fix.” Getting, making and hiding food become our obsessions. There is no room to think about anything else. And, if we have not yet hit a bottom, and can focus for small periods on other things, our heads are not clear enough to make responsible, informed decisions. While those around us can offer up advice and We need professional help to guide us at this point.
Achieving abstinence from food addiction is a massive step, one often completed during our ACORN Intensive program. Maintaining abstinence from food addiction in our regular day-to-day lives can be another challenge. From shopping and cooking, to attending 12 step meetings and dealing with the emotions of life, abstinence takes practice and dedication. It demands so much of us and yet it provides a reward beyond comprehension.
To those outside our “world” of abstinence, the thought and effort that goes into our daily lives seems like madness, but they don’t have to overcome the same obstacles that we do. This can feel extremely isolating.
Those close to us can offer a level of support to us that can help with some aspects of recovery, however the support of a community of individuals who are all working on recovery day in and day out is priceless. If you have not already, please consider attending our FREE 3x Weekly SHiFT Strong calls for support.
Talking to people who understand is an incredibly powerful thing. We hope to see you on future support calls and look forward to helping each other on our recovery journey, however mad it may seem.