Comments on: The Gifts of Addiction http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/ Evolution of the Spirit Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:21:49 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Step 4 « Out Here Hope Remains http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-41 Step 4 « Out Here Hope Remains Tue, 20 Mar 2007 05:15:06 +0000 http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-41 [...] The Gifts of Addiction. [...] [...] The Gifts of Addiction. [...]

]]> By: Brian http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-29 Brian Mon, 19 Mar 2007 02:55:37 +0000 http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-29 Thank you dragonmommie. We are both lucky that this part of life is behind us, it severely limits the amount of growth and progress that one is able to make, at least while still stuck in the addiction. We can either hide what makes us ashamed, and struggle with it forever, or let it out and then get rid of any of the shame that is attached to it. It's like any emotion, we need to let it flow through us instead of getting blocked. I will make sure to check out the posts you recommended. Take care Thank you dragonmommie. We are both lucky that this part of life is behind us, it severely limits the amount of growth and progress that one is able to make, at least while still stuck in the addiction.

We can either hide what makes us ashamed, and struggle with it forever, or let it out and then get rid of any of the shame that is attached to it. It’s like any emotion, we need to let it flow through us instead of getting blocked.

I will make sure to check out the posts you recommended. Take care

]]> By: dragonmommie http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-27 dragonmommie Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:56:47 +0000 http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-27 Thank you for sharing yourself with us, Brian. "I would be full of life and energy, and could be around people without self-consciousness completely crippling me." I identified with this because this was me, except my vice was the drink and pot. I got high just so that I could feel comfortable around people, too. I was very self conscious about myself and very inhibited. I'd shrink into the deepest, darkest corner I could find at a club and fall asleep while I waited for my friends to be ready to go home... ah... but those days are thankfully gone. I always said that the only reason why I did not become physically addicted was because I did not have a personal income to allow me to buy more booze and pot. I was also afraid to do anything more than pot. You are so right that this experience has been God's gift to you. oops, don't know if your faith goes that way. God, higher power, whatever... still a gift. Have you read any of Henri J. Nouwen's books? One that comes to mind and the first one I ever read is "The Life of the Beloved" which helped me to understand how my shame could be transformed into a blessing. My first rationalization of why not to keep what I considered my shame a secret, was that if it was out there and people knew, then it could not be used against me and therefore, nobody could hurt me with my secrets. Later, I saw how sharing my pain with others could be a blessing for me as well as helping them. Here are a few of the posts that might interest you: http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2007/02/27/the-blessing-of-pain/ http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2006/10/12/the-queen-of-pain/ http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/on-death-and-dying/ http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2006/12/23/of-blessings/ Thank you for sharing yourself with us, Brian.

“I would be full of life and energy, and could be around people without self-consciousness completely crippling me.”

I identified with this because this was me, except my vice was the drink and pot. I got high just so that I could feel comfortable around people, too. I was very self conscious about myself and very inhibited. I’d shrink into the deepest, darkest corner I could find at a club and fall asleep while I waited for my friends to be ready to go home… ah… but those days are thankfully gone. I always said that the only
reason why I did not become physically addicted was because I did not have a personal income to allow me to buy more booze and pot. I was also afraid to do anything more than pot.

You are so right that this experience has been God’s gift to you. oops, don’t know if your faith goes that way. God, higher power, whatever… still a gift. Have you read any of Henri J. Nouwen’s books? One that comes to mind and the first one I ever read is “The Life of the Beloved” which helped me to understand how my shame could be transformed into a blessing.

My first rationalization of why not to keep what I considered my shame a secret, was that if it was out there and people knew, then it could not be used against me and therefore, nobody could hurt me with my secrets. Later, I saw how sharing my pain with others could be a blessing for me as well as helping them. Here are a few of the posts that might interest you:

http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2007/02/27/the-blessing-of-pain/
http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2006/10/12/the-queen-of-pain/
http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/on-death-and-dying/
http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2006/12/23/of-blessings/

]]> By: Loving Annie http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-26 Loving Annie Fri, 16 Mar 2007 20:47:27 +0000 http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-26 Brian,<br/>Thank you for that insightful and wise post about your experience with addiction. It runs true for me as well, only my addiciton has been to romantic relationships, rather than a substance addiction.<br/>The 5 things your experience has taught you also help me. I am trying very hard to cahnge, and know there is much work ahead. With the cyber-help of people like you who have been there/done that, and survived to emerge for the healthier, I see light at the end of the tunnel... Brian,
Thank you for that insightful and wise post about your experience with addiction. It runs true for me as well, only my addiciton has been to romantic relationships, rather than a substance addiction.
The 5 things your experience has taught you also help me. I am trying very hard to cahnge, and know there is much work ahead. With the cyber-help of people like you who have been there/done that, and survived to emerge for the healthier, I see light at the end of the tunnel…

]]> By: Brian http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-25 Brian Fri, 16 Mar 2007 19:30:19 +0000 http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-25 Thanks Mark. It seems like no matter how much you change, it just makes you aware of other areas that require growth as well. Better than remaining blind to them though... Thanks Mark. It seems like no matter how much you change, it just makes you aware of other areas that require growth as well. Better than remaining blind to them though…

]]> By: Mark http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-24 Mark Fri, 16 Mar 2007 18:52:41 +0000 http://consc.wordpress.com/2007/03/16/the-gifts-of-addiction/#comment-24 Thank-you so very much for sharing a portion of your life with us! You have had such a wonderful opportunity to learn so many important lessons! You had to go through what you did, to get to the path you are on today. Wonderful path that you are on! You provided an excellent outline of some of the lessons that you learned on your journey so far. Thank-you so very much for sharing a portion of your life with us! You have had such a wonderful opportunity to learn so many important lessons! You had to go through what you did, to get to the path you are on today. Wonderful path that you are on! You provided an excellent outline of some of the lessons that you learned on your journey so far.

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