Lorelie Rozzano is a guest blogger for Vertava Health.
So You Want To Get High… Why Not Try This?
The next time you walk by a homeless person on the street corner, picture him or her in a suit and tie or dress and high heels. Now put them behind a wooden desk let’s say in… the oval office. Better yet, take them out from behind the desk and place them in front of a podium. Can you picture it? Now imagine cameras and reporters all trying to get this person’s attention as he/she gives a speech that will change the world’s outlook, on addiction. You might wonder why I would ask you to use your imagination on something that will clearly never happen. Why? Because it could happen. Each and every person that struggles with addiction, is highly intelligent and capable. While some might not be capable of running a country, many are. Yet we often view addicts as incompetent and weak. I’m going to let you in on a little secret. As a recovering addict I can tell you, that’s what we want you to think. If I can get you to do for me, what I can and should be doing for myself, I can spend more time doing what I really want to do, which if you’re active in addiction… is using, all the time! Addicts aren’t dull-witted folks. Just the opposite! They’re smart and cunning and manipulative. Think about it. It’s nothing short of astounding, how they’re able to pull off the scams they do and make them sound convincing. That’s why in treatment centers and 12 step circles it’s important to have other recovering addicts helping newly sober addicts, get well. As the old saying goes, you can’t con a con. The minute you sober up, all is not well. It takes a lot of hard work before unhealthy behaviors and thinking, are replaced by healthy ones. This very minute there are thousands of people taking a drink, sniff, snort, injection or puff, in hopes of chasing away the day’s stress and feeling a sense of relief. They’ll achieve a temporary reprieve from whatever ails them, only to develop a dependence on a chemical outside of themselves to feel better. But what if your – feel better – wasn’t found in a chemical outside yourself but something you already had in you, that you just hadn’t found yet? Each and every one of us is capable of so much more than we know. Most of us will never understand the depth and breadth of this philosophy because for the most part, we’re creatures of comfort. We stay within the safety of our parameters. Simply said, we don’t like going outside our comfort zone. For an addicted person their comfort zone is euphoria. A state of being that doesn’t last but is constantly being sought. You could drop an addict in the jungles of Peru and they’d find a way to get high. It wouldn’t be long before they were turning those coca leaves into powder, either. Addicts will go to any lengths to get high. Imagine their success when they turn this laser-like focus, into gain! To recover from addiction you must step outside of your comfort zone. You must face everything, you’ve been trying to avoid. You learn what you’re doing wrong and right and why you’re doing it. You learn how to maintain healthy relationships and to be honest and hard working. Your recovery is dependent on integrity, willingness and your ability to learn new things. Because recovery brings such joy, you’re willing to go the extra mile and not complain about it but instead, feel grateful for the opportunity. Newly recovering addicts make awesome employees. As a recovering addict I learned I couldn’t be a little dishonest. I was either telling the truth (staying sober) or I was being dishonest (old behaviour) and jeopardizing my recovery. This ability to be truthful and transparent would make clean addicts, great politicians. God knows our country could sure use more people like that. If you’re struggling with addiction ask yourself this; what if the high you’re chasing isn’t at the dealer’s house or the liquor store? What if the best high you’ll ever find wasn’t found in a glass, pill, or powder but in your ability to achieve and maintain a life that will blow your mind? I know it’s hard to picture. When my life was in ruins and I was thinking the word would be better off without me, I couldn’t have predicted the life I have now. I still pinch myself. I went from being a homeless crack addict, to a happy, healthy wife, mother, author and addiction counselor. My story is just like millions of other recovering addicts. We clean up good! Nothing I was using back then even begins to compare to the high I feel today. You have this illness for a reason. It will either make you, or break you. If it makes you, you’ll be on your knees thanking God for it, because without it you wouldn’t be the strong, courageous person you are today. If it breaks you, it means you didn’t try hard enough and that really would be a tragedy. Don’t believe me? Think again. Get yourself clean. Show up for your life. Suit up, show up… and then? Be prepared to be blown away! If you or someone you know needs help, please call this confidential support line for assistance. 844-470-0410.
