top of page
Search
Writer's pictureMike and Glenn

We are all sick

Updated: Aug 13, 2023


Sometimes it takes a couple of times to hear the same thing for such to sink in. We are on the slow bus. In our minds, we are “unique” – or “special.” On a recent episode of sober.coffee, the podcast, Doctor John stopped in and talked all things recovery.


Enough content was left on the table to support the writing of dozens of blogs. For today, we chose one subject that resonated. The matter is controversial and arguable and somewhat discouraging if not seen for all it is:


According to our good friend, it turns out that the world is full of those affected by an ISM. That's right; alcoholics are not exclusive to this age-old spiritual sickness.


In all of us, there is a void that we spend a lifetime trying to fill. And the unfortunate ending to this truth is that most will go to the grave, still suffering from one degree to another. Few will find sustainable inner peace, and many will die in their quest to fill the allusive.


There is no cure for the oft-misdiagnosed condition, but there is treatment through understanding and acceptance. Symptoms can be soothed by applying honesty, openness, and willingness. Unique to humans, this universal dis ease can fester for years, resulting in mild discomfort or occasional flare-up, thus wreaking mental and physical havoc.


Once diagnosed, which nobody is immune to, we are left but two choices: to attempt to fill the void with the material (alcohol, sex, money, power, gambling, drugs, shopping, technology, food, etc.) or succumb to the malady and learn to live with it.


“More well” is the best we can hope for, and successful recovery demands diligence and a healthy amount of perseverance. One can even fall pray to turn recovery into fulfillment to only again become “more sick.”


So, what are we left with? From where do we get our hope? How specifically do we get from hurting to healing?


Noted author, psychiatrist, and advisor Morgan Scott Peck once said, we have heard that when accurate history is written, 12-step recovery will go down as the greatest invention of the 20th century. We agree.


The steps have proven to us that there is a better way to suffer through this condition. They have brought us to a place of love and acceptance, love of selves and love of others, toward acceptance of people, places, and things where they are. Peace through balance becomes attainable if even for snippets of time. We find comfort, though clearly not cured.


Whatever the portal of entry, relief can be found through acknowledgment and effort.


And the real beauty lies in the fact that there are millions of volunteer guides of a program built for you. There are living, breathing examples of success. Every community bears a beacon, a lighthouse, of hope.


If alcohol is your struggle, go to Alcoholics Anonymous. If drugs are your struggle, go to Narcotics Anonymous. If food is your struggle, go to Overeaters Anonymous. If betting is your struggle, then go to Gamblers Anonymous. Simple identify your struggle and find it on a list


No one is alone; We are all sick!


What can be said as a conclusion is that we are not unique. We spent far too long convincing ourselves that we had some rare physical or psychological deformity. The truth is that everybody has a void inside of them that they seek to fill. And if it gets temporarily filled with “a little,” then logic demands “more will be better.” We have learned, painfully, that that is never the case.


We beg every reader to ask, “How am I trying to fill my void today?” And to then take a step (pun intended) toward a healthy existence. NOTE: the effort may not result in feeling better, but we guarantee the result of getting better for those deeply invested in the recovery process.


“the opposite of addiction is connection” anonymous


Connect to us today through: podcast@sober.coffee



 

Thoughts and ideas for this blog post were taken and built upon from a sober.coffee podcast #124 Dr. John Returns: Part 2 the episode dropped on 8/9/2023. Click here to hear the podcast.



BLOG DISCLAIMER:

Alcoholics Anonymous and AA are registered trademarks of Alcoholics World Service. Inc. References to AA, the 12 steps, and 12 traditions does not mean that AA has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication nor that AA agrees with the views expressed herein. This publication is intended to support personal growth and should not be considered a substitute for healthcare professionals' advice. The author’s advice and viewpoints are their own.

0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page