The definition of addiction is: a psychological and physical reliance on substances and behaviors.
Over time, addiction tends to consume and ultimately sacrifice all other important aspects of human life.
- Relationships:
The behavior patterns and mentality of addicted people often force family and friends to leave. Addiction quickly steals cherished relationships. - Success:
Whether it’s performing well duties as member of a family, workplace, or community, honing personal skills or continuing to learn and evolve as a person, addiction tends to crowd out these aspects of our lives that once create a sense of belonging and success. - Time:
Addictive behavior brings along multiple types of destructive patters that often have life-shortening, and negative mental and physical health consequences. - Happiness and well-being:
Once addiction has started destroying relationships, the sense of belonging and success and personal ambition, happiness begins to vanish, too. Addictive behaviour patterns promise happiness, but ultimately destroy happiness and well-being. - Hope:
Once addiction has taken all of the above, hope is one of the few things left – hope for change and betterment. From recommitting to future goals, to mending broken relationships, hope rebuilding a rewarding and meaningful life eroded as addiction progresses.
Hope can only remerge once the disease of addiction is being faced, the need for treatment is understood and the chances for building a healthier life are embraced. IOGT offers pathways to help, support in recovery and a platform for engagement and reintegration into the community for people struggling with alcohol problems around the world. It’s what we call Life Set Free.
Once we begin to regain our hope of recovery, we can also begin to recover the other stolen parts of our lives.
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For further reading:
IOGT International: Rehabilitation Advisory Service (RAS)
Website: DrugAbuse.com
