One of my favorite quotes is by the psychologist and philosopher William James. He wrote, “Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.”
I’m not one of those people who suggests that if you believe in something hard enough or think about it in the right way, that it will manifest in your life. That’s magical thinking. However, in my years as an addiction scholar, a person who studies addiction recovery methods and research, I have developed the opinion that perhaps more than any other factor, commitment is the leading indicator of whether or not a person will recover. Commitment is taking the steps necessary to get better because you know that your life can have meaning.
Addicts almost always feel hopeless, like a waste of resources. I have yet to meet anyone deep in their addiction who has a healthy sense of self-esteem. Yet, I want to start this blog by writing to the addict in need of help. Recovery is possible while you still have breath. You only need to want it and to seek out treatment that will give you the tools you need to thrive. You can overcome your addiction. Ask for help. The rest will come. Hope begins here.