I’m going to describe a person and I want you to imagine having this person in your life.

When you meet them for the first few times, they’re awesome. They tell you how great you are and how much fun it is to spend time together. In the beginning, you do feel great, you do have fun, and you enjoy spending time with this person. You become friends.

Early Warning Signs

But after a while, this friend starts getting needy and possessive. They want more of your time, attention, and money. They want more of you and they’re jealous of anyone or anything they have to compete with for you.

Eventually, your friend starts getting mean when they don’t get enough from you. They force you to choose them over your job, your friends (if your friends don’t like them, that is), and your family. They demand things of you and hurt you to get them.

When you give this friend what they want, things are good again…but only for a little while. The good times are shorter each time and the bad times in between get worse. You’re convinced you can’t live without your friend, regardless of how badly they treat you.

Fatal Attraction, Literally

One day you realize this friend is anything but your friend. They’ve lied to you about everything, stolen your money and belongings, and cost you friends who cared about you. To make your friend happy, you’ve lost your job and caused your family unspeakable pain.

This friend has taken everything from you because they’ve been stabbing you in the back the entire time. Now you see that your friend is waiting for just the right moment of weakness in you so they can take the kill shot. This friend won’t be satisfied until you’re dead.

The name of this person I’ve described is Addiction.

Let’s be clear. Addiction is not your friend.

Break Up With Addiction

If I were describing an actual living, breathing person who was in your life, would you allow them to stay and finish the job of killing you?

Or would you kick that person out of your life and make sure they could never get near you again?

Addiction is the kind of friend no one needs in their life.

Addiction is a bully. How do you defeat bullies?

By finding people who will hold you up so that you can stand up to the bully of addiction.

Reach out to your local rehab and recovery resources. Find people who will be your allies and hold you up.

Recovery is possible. There’s a whole new life waiting for you.