Thursday, May 13, 2024
Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:
Grief may be joy misunderstood; Only the Good discerns the good.
-- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
It may seem strange to grieve for the loss of our addiction, but there is indeed mourning that needs to take place as we recover. There is so much to let go of as we discover and admit the toll addiction has taken on our life. Letting go includes feeling this loss.
The challenge is to grieve without judging ourselves or our feelings. Maybe our addiction helped us cope with life when we didn't have healthy coping skills. Maybe it helped cover up feelings or events that were too painful to face. Maybe living as a practicing addict was truly the best we could do with our life at the time.
The tragedy was that as we sank deeper into addiction, it began to control us. That's why it's important to grieve not only for the loss of the addiction, no matter how unhealthy it was, but for the loss of ourselves and the things we missed out on in life because of our addiction. Grief, honestly felt and expressed, is a healing experience.
If I am grieving today, I give myself permission to do so. I need not be accountable to anyone else for how I feel, but I'll simply take care of myself with gentleness and compassion.
Hazelden Foundation
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