Helping the Fellow Using Alcoholic or Addict
By Arnold Williams

As of now you will probably realize that I have over 15 years of being sober one day at a time and by not being cocky as I give thanks to God. What I would like to do is share with you hope an experience if you are actively suffering from the addiction of Alcohol or Drugs and/or both.

The first thing I would like to say is that by someone telling another alcoholic or addict what to do is really not such a good idea when you really look at it. Think about it… How many times did you tell yourself that I will not have another drink or I will not buy anymore dope and then not even 24 hours later your sitting at a bar drunker than a skunk or sitting in a basement smoking dope. The award, “Numb”. The body had found the solution and again has escaped from the reality of what is really going on underneath that terrible addiction. I know that defeat. I know the hurt underneath. I know what you may be going through!!

So how can I help you? Well by only making a few suggestions…. From my experience rock bottoms are never the same. It also takes some Alcoholics and Addicts longer than others to realize when they are defeated and some will never make it out of their rock bottoms, more or less, may they rest in peace. For me, inside that terrible disease was a soul kidnapped by an addiction. That soul was my inner child. The child who trusted me when most of everyone I knew broke that trust and even I… The thoughts of saying no-more getting high was a promise to self and hope to the inner-child and that trust had broke so many times, so the best thing I can suggest to anyone who is suffering from alcoholism and/or drug addictions is the seed of recovery.

What is the seed of recovery? Well for me, it is the thought of hope and the evidence that maybe I can… Maybe I can live a sober life, besides, I know what a rock-bottom is, but I will surly give it my best to try to be sober and if nothing else I can always go back if I don’t like it… (I live day to day sober for over 15 years and I have not turned back even after going through the hardest times of my life and I gave thanks to God who is my Higher Power of my understanding.) The key suggestion is that there are people out there that will help you on that journey, so you don’t have to go through it alone. Key: There are thousands and thousands of people in recovery rather if they did it through a Treatment program, Church, AA, NA, or CA… But, they are alive and sober. The seed is the thought of surrendering to get help with your alcoholism or drug addiction. In AA it is we admitting the addiction and the life was unmanageable.

“My name is Arnold and I am an Alcoholic and an Addict.”

Who did I surrender to? God, yes, I dropped down on my knees when I found out my father was dying from cancer over fifth teen years ago. I didn’t want him to die knowing I was a drunk and an alcoholic. Well, two years before is death he held on to my sober Medallion and told me he was proud of me. I miss him and even these words brings tears to my eyes as I feel the present of grief a marinated serene of peace and understanding that life calls for silence and tears of salt. For it is of love that brings grief with out it- it is salt-less.

So what can you do? Suggestion, for me, the first person I admitted to that I had an alcohol and drug addiction besides God was my mother. It wasn’t easy for we both had cried. But for me admitting defeat was better than telling myself that I can’t stop the using and giving into denial. Next, my suggestion would be to make a call to a treatment program and tell them you need help and be sure to ask for help. Then, suggesting would be to have your support person go with you to where ever you go for an assessment.

“Deep inside there are secrets of pain something we may need to reveal. Those secrets are of hurt or of empathy. The key and seed of recovery is to tell someone your secrets of pain… any one… get rid of that stinky garbage because with-out it the flies will not lay its eggs.”

Well, we have choices to make… I wish you the best in the life of recovery and remember the rock-bottoms regardless of your wrongs are, For it is what it is and you have the choice to be buried in it or arise from it. It all comes down to surrendering.

Best regards,

~Arnold