Nobody can do it alone; especially, addicts.
Yet, depending on other people is very…uh…undependable. Addicts simply can’t rely solely on other people to intercede or to stop that self-test, their test of willpower, the sniff or taste that they can easily have when their loved ones are no longer watchful. Still, addicts, in particular, need to have someone they can depend on to give the addict strength when the addict is in his or her weakest moments. Often addicts have exhausted the patience of loved ones by their addictive behavior which can include returning to the addiction time and time again, having a short-fuse temper resulting in frequent arguments, wasting family savings on the addiction, spousal abuse, and so on. Families of addicts are often exhausted trying to help the addict fight the fight.
Still, addicts can’t do it alone and can’t go it alone. They need to leverage some support from somewhere.
[Enter support tools.]
A support tool can be almost anything that the addict finds useful, motivating, re-affirming. It might be a book. Addicts often turn to religion and the bible for spiritual support. It might be a video or serious of videos. One person, [me], who is addicted to meats, poultry, fish, cheese and milk turned to YOUTUBE videos of various doctors who are curing people of heart attacks, strokes, plugged arteries and listens to those recordings during moments of extreme weakness. It could even be a medallion that carries powerful, supportive memories. One person has a chain and cross given by his mother long ago. By grasping that chain and cross in times of need he feels more empowered.
My recordings are my great equalizer from the constant pressures by ill-informed doctors, nutritionists, friends and family members, who are almost constantly bombarding me with “eat more protein”, meaning meats, fish, dairy, cheese, and to “eat more ‘heart-healthy’ oils”, a silly notion in itself since science long ago has proven there is no such thing as “heart-healthy” oils. My recordings keep me on target and on track. My recordings help to reinforce my confidence in my new right direction for my health and the proof has been that pounds have melted away faster than ice cubes on a hot stove. My recordings are my great equalizer against all the forces of temptation that want me to return to eating the North American diet, or even the so-called “Mediterranean” diet. My recordings are my great equalizer.
Any addict needs to find he or her great equalizer and to call on those tools as often as required to help avoid being tested and slipping back into his or her addiction.