Many of us fell so deeply into the cycle of addiction that we never had the opportunity to face the world successfully. We retreated into the illusion of comfort provided by drugs and alcohol and, as a result, remained in a state of arrested emotional development. Upon achieving sobriety, however, we found that we had to grow up if we were to engage with the world without being controlled by our emotional natures. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous outlines what our lives were like in a state of active addiction: “We were having trouble with personal relationships, we couldn’t control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn’t make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, we couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people…” When we address the causes of these bedevilments, namely our spiritual emptiness exacerbated by addiction, we are able to finally remedy our stunted emotional development. Through working the 12 Steps, we finally face the truth about how our inability to control our emotional natures has impacted our lives and the lives of those around us. Rather than learning to face the world in a responsible way, we receded into substance abuse and alcoholism to cut ourselves off from others. Our relationships were superficial, we were too fearful to take on our responsibilities or attempt to live up to our full potential—but by working the 12 Steps, we are able to see these defects of character and make changes. We move past fear and denial, and begin to see ourselves and the world as is, without our view being obscured by intoxication. The spiritual principles instilled by a 12 Step program of recovery, such as honesty, integrity, humility, and service, effectively pull us out of our emotional stasis and put us on a path of continuous spiritual and emotional growth. Eventually with will reach a point in our emotional development when, as stated by the Big Book, “we will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.”
Your story can be one of growth in recovery. You can make the decision to seek help for addiction and alcoholism, and begin the journey toward a happy, joyous, and free life in sobriety. Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment facility in beautiful Laguna Beach, is staffed with experienced professionals who understand the disease of addiction and are dedicated to helping you achieve lasting sobriety. For more information about individualized treatment programs, please call today: (877) 279-1777
