Addiction - Part 1

Addiction. It's something that infiltrates all of our lives. It has an impact on everyone.

We've all seen it. We've all dealt with it. It's everywhere.

People with addiction problems think that they're only hurting themselves. They couldn't be more wrong. Addiction hurts us all.

There are so many forms of addiction. People can be addicted to all different unhealthy practices. Alcohol, drugs, porn, these are the heavy hitters, the major offenders. But there are others, the ones that seem small, that can quietly destroy us. Money, entertainment, food. If we give things the power to control us, even if they are perfectly innocent in small doses, they can tear us apart from the inside.

Have you ever cared about someone that was destroying themselves? Watching them suffer is as bad, if not worse, than suffering yourself. Standing by helplessly while they tear themselves apart, while they KILL themselves is heartbreaking. It's crushing.

Addiction kills. It destroys lives. Physically and psychologically. 

Alcoholism is one of the most common addictions in our society. So many people drink their lives away, we've all come into contact with our fair share of alcoholics.

Too many of these people think that their choice does't have any impact on the people around them. They think they're the only ones affected by their actions. They don't realize what they're doing to their loved ones.

A woman I cared about deeply gave in to her addictions and it cost her life. For years it chipped away at the things that could have brought her happiness. Her unquenchable need for alcohol kept her from investing in relationships with her family. Her children that were once her life source were pushed away and left feeling unwanted. She kept them at an arm's length, gave up on having a relationship with them. It drove her from the things that once brought her joy.

She lost several jobs, she stopped searching for her purpose. She was content with drinking every day, to forget the pain of loss. She forgot how to live without a protective barrier of inebriation.

This continued for years, and eventually drinking took her life. Her death was caused by the very thing that had been chipping away at her. Her health deteriorated after years of drinking, and her untimely death came after a long weekend of bingeing. Alcohol stole her from us.

Addiction isn't a game of solitaire. It changes the lives of everyone around you. It tears apart families, breaks children's hearts, destroys livelihoods.

Look around you. Don't give in to the temptation. It's not worth it.

Always,

Jackelyn Stange