Marijuana: Vote "NO" on legalization for recreational use and keep it out of the hands of addicts and people struggling to stay sober.
An Addiction Affects Everyone
Addiction is the most ruthless invasion on the human psyche and physical health. When we are alone at home we really begin to understand what addiction tries to do and sometimes actually can do to us.
In recovery it is recommended that when we are in the early stages of kicking the addiction, that we do not isolate ourselves. The reason for this is that when in early recovery, we do not realize that addiction is like living with a nasty neighbor who does not care about us and shows no consideration for our lives and wellbeing. Most addicts have a mind that wanders into dark places when alone. All addicts have a warped mindset and a twisted reality. Those who love us and live with us become afflicted by our behavior.
Our disease is especially manipulative when we are alone. It is then that we most think that it is okay for us to use, that we are really not hurting anyone. This way of thinking prolongs itself and over time we carry this way of thinking into our social environment. Suddenly the line between who we are and what our addiction is trying to do to us becomes blurred. We know when we are at home alone, no one will judge us because no one can.
When we live with other people our addiction becomes an emotional hostage taker. We look for things in others we can blame them for, most preferably something they can’t do anything about that keeps them in an emotional battle with themselves. We play “I don’t have the problem. You do!” That, until something tragic happens to us and those who love us finally see the evil of our ways and drop us cold. After that, the only consolement we have is the drug that stops us from actually feeling what we are doing to ourselves, from seeing how we burn the bridges, even torching them before we cross them.
When we get sober we realize that our addiction is only one of the things we have done to our lives. We harmed those who love us by denying them to have feelings for us, by denying them to protects us and save us from ourselves. We must always remember that a addiction affects everyone.