Why I Chose To Write About My Struggle With Addiction Without a Pseudonym
It was a big decision
I have previously written about how I was told to keep quiet about my addiction. This was something that was hammered into me in AA meetings and rehab. I was even told that if I told people I was subconsciously pushing them away, that in doing so I wanted to shock and scare people.
This stance did not sit well with me.
How can I have no shame of my addiction if telling people is to be avoided? It’s a complete contradiction.
I understand that significant stigma exists against addicts and alcoholics. That there are presumptions made about an individual’s character, however, it just feels wrong. How can people sit in judgment of someone because of past behavior that they have admitted to? Past behavior that was as a response to unresolved trauma?
Much of this distrust of addicts in recovery is from misinformation. If awareness and knowledge could grow, the social stigma of being an addict in recovery could change.
Deciding to write openly about my struggles with addiction came from anger that this situation existed.
