My Dear Friends.
I speak as a collection of voices instead of one, when I say that, whatever your affliction, addiction or ailment the first thing you must completely and solely understand is that you are not alone. We’ve all been there. So, naturally, it’s okay.
One of the most fundamental keys to finding yourself is acceptance. The good, the bad or the ugly. You have to accept the purity AND the corrupt. Hey, we all have our demons. They are going to be there, especially when you least expect it. For those of you that have read the book the Fault In Our Stars by John Green, you will understand when I say that we are the ones that give power to our calamities. Now, for those who have not read this book, don’t worry, I’ll tell ya. Augustus Waters (one of the protagonists) upon first meeting the main character (Hazel Grace) sticks a cigarette in his mouth. Hazel, seeing this and also knowing that he just spent a year struggling with cancer, gets after him in disgust. Augustus then states this metaphor: “They don’t kill you unless you light them… It’s a metaphor see: You put the killing thing right between your teeth but you don’t give it the power to do it’s killing.”
The Ailments and Afflictions
Whatever ails you, accept it! Stick it between your teeth but do not give it the power to harm you. Once you know you have a problem, do your research. Accept that it is real and it will be easier to catch it when it comes. For example, I struggle with anxiety and depression. Honestly, for maybe 3-5 years I have struggled with it. But for most of that time I was completely unaware that something like that exists and also that I had it. Once I was told that this was an issue, I tried to bury it because it came up at a really bad time. After so many horrible hours that depression presents, I finally have stuck it between my teeth. I know now that it is real and that it is one of my ailments. It has been so much easier to deal with day to day life because I can now catch it when it comes. I finally found a switch. With enough mental exercises I can turn it off. I have accepted that this is going to be a struggle I’ll have for the rest of my life. Do I like it? NO. Do I wish that it can go away? All the time.
Addictions
Everybody has something. Everyone has an addiction. As small as biting our nails to as big as harmful substances. Each of us has a tick we practice to deal with stress or problems. One thing I will say now, You can STOP. It is possible to stop.
Having an addiction is like having a itch that you constantly scratch. The more you scratch, the more it itches, the more it itches, the more you scratch. It’s a vicious cycle. It hurts. You think you need to do it. To feel better or to let go. A way to cope or have fun. It’s a dark reality. We tend to think “Just this one time” and we do it. Then, it bugs you so you try to push it away but it comes back harder and harder as time goes on. You finally give in and boom. You are endless wrapped; seemly trapped. Swallowed in the pain. You’re scared to seek help seeing that the world may judge you. You feel so alone. But you aren’t. SO many people deal with so many things. It’s so fair that we sometimes suffer the same things as our peers. It’s wonderful.
There will always be someone that is one step ahead of you and someone one step ahead of them. They know what it takes to get out. They know the directions. Seek them out. They won’t judge you. YOU CAN STOP. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” The best time to stop an addiction probably was never to start, but the next best time is right now.
Bold truth, you might relapse. You might have to restart and that’s okay. Be kind to yourself. Like riding a bike, you are going to fall a couple of times before you get the hang of it. But know that it is possible. Do yourself a favor and look up recover stories. As scary as it is, seeking help, is the best thing. Be honest with yourself. Acceptance. Is. Key. Lastly,
T A K E H E A R T ! ! !
One fine day, on the horizon of a new life, it will all end. It will stop, for now though, we must continue to endure.
A C C E P T . H E A L . M O V E F O R W A R D .
“If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived.” – Jeffery R. Holland
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