ADDICTION UNCOVERED
Self- Preservation
Our Society: Addiction and More Uncovered Ch 50
It is very important to take care of ourselves to be able to take care of others in our lives or work.
This can be hard sometimes when people are caring and compassionate. It can be hard to say no. It can be hard to take care of ourselves when we are so used to taking care of others. My kids and friends remind me of this all the time. They say it is ok mom, to do something for ourselves. I had seen throughout my work in addiction and the community how difficult can it be for family and friends when they have someone whom they love trapped in the addiction cycle.
Beth said:” I just don’t go and cannot be around and hang out with people if I know they use anything. I just can’t.”
She described separating herself to prevent herself from being drawn into their drama. Beth does not trust someone with an addiction problem, she does not trust the behavior, she describes a line between drinking a little occasionally which she finds acceptable, she would not hang out with someone drunk. Beth feels she cannot help somebody who won’t help themselves. She describes a friend growing up who got into drugs and she was trying to do everything she could for her, then she had to decide to separate herself from it…
