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Monday May 12,2008

Take Care of Yourself

by

If you are experiencing grief at the present time and you are thinking about ways to numb it, please read Debbi's story. She presents an open and honest view of what happens when we begin coping with our emotions by hiding them.

I'm Debbi and I'm an alcoholic and drug addict. Those were the words that preceded my father's presenting me with my second year recovery pin. He was so proud of me. Three years later he died from liver cancer. Eleven years later, I buried a husband.

Alcohol and drugs were a part of my life from age ten. They numbed my feelings; they made me feel secure; they were my best friend and in the end they were my worst enemy.

Immediately following my father's funeral, I went to an AA meeting. I was scared I would "pick up" again. The pain I felt was so deep inside of me that I thought I'd never see sunlight again.

I knew, though, that if I "picked up," I would wake up the next day with a hangover, hating myself, and I would still have pain from my grief. Substance abuse is a chronic disease. It is progressive and fatal.