Someone could easily criticize the work I do as: “all talk no action.” The thing is, generally, people don’t really make changes in their lives unless they come to see that the road they’re on is too difficult to walk anymore. Since there’s no way I can actually walk on someone else’s behalf, all I can do is help someone see that the road they walk is a treacherous one. The fact is and will always remain: Every single one of us have to move our own legs forward.
Twelve-step programs require acknowledging powerlessness. But, before someone can acknowledge powerlessness, he or she has to first recognize that he or she is in fact powerless within the situation they’re in. From my perspective, if someone doesn’t see the harm his or her own behaviors are causing, then what more can I do?
For starters, I don’t judge. Struggling with an addiction or depression or anxiety is akin to walking each day with Hell strapped to your back. I know from my own experience that each disorder, by itself, is something I don’t wish on anyone. But, when they’re combined, as they often are, then that’s a sentence for which I just don’t think there’s a crime. The other thing I try to do is provide hope that there is opportunities for overcoming these insidious disorders. And there is, but…people who struggle with those issues must do the work to overcome the disorders they face.
I have no doubt that all of humanity is capable of overcome any negative circumstance,, as long as they are willing to put in the work and be responsible for their health. If someone seeks to recover from something but asks others to carry his or her, then of course they won’t recover. We all have to do our part by supporting and educating ourselves about others’ struggles, but no one can be healthy for anyone else.
And I really want everyone to be as healthy as is possible. If I had a magic lamp, I’d also wish we could end addiction and depression and anxiety once and for all. But I don’t have a magic lamp and I don’t think I’ll find one any time soon. Still…
I believe it’s possible that we can overcome depression and anxiety and addiction and rid them from the human experience. Maybe it’s time we all believe.
