In my work with residents at AToN Center they are often faced with the frustration of having their addiction appear and reappear and re-reappear. This ongoing struggle often leads to a sense of entitlement with the belief that “I should be over with this by now.” The repetition can also evoke strong feelings of despair and they may think “I’ll never get over this thing.” It can lead to wishful thinking that “maybe if enough time goes by that this problem will go away all by itself.”
A point of reflection is the idea that the universe may keep presenting you with a problem until you find the solution. Practicing resiliency and determination in the face of a difficult track record is the exact nature of recovery.
Believing, despite many obstacles in the past, that today can be different and one can do the work to stay clean will help sustain one through the difficult times. The truth is that for everyone who has struggled, there has been someone who has succeeded.
Dr. Chad K. Cox PsyD
AToN Center 888-535-1516
