This is "WILLPOWER AND CONTROL," which is Chapter Nine of "The Addict's Guide to Recovery" by Emily Sussman, LCSW; illustrated by J.E. Larson.

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"There are plenty of sober addicts out there who aren’t in recovery. Many of them are just gritting their teeth instead of using their drug. They may be so ashamed of having an addiction that their hearts and minds are closed to asking for help from other recovering addicts — the people uniquely capable of helping them learn how to love.

These are people who shun the idea of recovery meetings, and perhaps professional therapy as well. They regard their independence and self-sufficiency as a badge of honor.

In my experience, such people are generally miserable in sobriety. They live every day peering into the dark void left behind by their drug, but are afraid to look beyond themselves and venture into the unknown to fill it. They tell themselves that all they need to stay sober is their own willpower. These people are closed circuits, relying only on themselves to "be strong!" and stay away from their drug.

But what a life that would be! Picture a boxing ring in which Your Addict and your own unsteady willpower are going head-to-head indefinitely, with nothing and no one to help back you up. No relief, no comfort, no sense of security. At worst, that fight would be utterly unsustainable, and you’d wind up flat on the mat while Your Addict did a victory dance around your lifeless body. At best, that fight would be exhausting and demoralizing — day in and day out.

Because even if your willpower could stave off your drug for a while, the tragedy of relying on willpower alone is that you would be spending your days and nights fighting Your Addict, instead of loving Your True Self.

It doesn’t have to be that way."

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Sent with True Love from the Universe ❤️💫