Most stories of substance abuse begin in the same way: boredom and lack of direction. Even when someone abuses a prescription medication, there is much more beneath the surface of the substance abuse than meets the eye. And those who arrive at a full recovery from substance abuse often say the same thing: that they have regained the meaning in their life. Substance abuse is prompted by more than chemical addiction alone, although chemistry does play a part. All instances of substance abuse signify a piece of a person that is missing, and sobriety is the turning point for this trend.
When people begin abusing a substance, even if it is unconscious, it is because they do not feel complete. This may be in a deeply grievous way – someone is depressed because of a loss in their life and they abuse a substance in order to escape the pain. Or perhaps someone simply feels that their life is void of excitement so they turn to substance abuse to entertain themselves. In either instance, the person feels that there is something missing and attempts to fill the void with a substance.
Addiction counseling is more than simply a way of ending addiction. It is a way of treating the entire broken person and coaching them back to a purpose driven life. Many recovering substance abusers have claimed that they feel they were given a second chance at life through sobriety. This does not indicate that they stayed the same as a person but simply quit their substance abuse. This indicates an awakening in their life of purpose – the most sustainable reason for sobriety. When someone discovers their passion, whether it is for writing or chess or gardening, they are inspired to stay sober in order to pursue excellence in what they are passionate about.
If you or someone you love is a substance abuser, do not hesitate to reach out to a substance abuse counselor or mental health professional today. There is no shame in needing help in getting your life back on track, and there is no point in struggling and failing through it alone when there are professionals who know how to guide a person through the entire life process of reconnecting with their purpose.