Northwoods Recovery

I had an interesting text exchange recently with a Northwoods acquaintance — a dear friend, actually — texts that told a story all too familiar; her son was to go before the judge for sentencing on his latest DUI. But in the aftermath of bad choices and a mother’s heartbreak comes hope for the miracle we all share; not a drop of booze since the day of his last arrest, and he is currently displaying all the signs of the epiphany that hitting rock-bottom can generate.

Hearing about this triggered in me the same emotional reactions his mother no doubt is feeling; for families of substance abusers it’s always much the same. Always hope — please God, let this be a new beginning, please let the nightmare end. And yet always fear too, like a cancer gnawing at your soul; his demons whispering they’ll never let go. Afraid to trust again after so many betrayals, so many lies.

Families suffer the most from addiction and are least able to understand the why of it. They find themselves in the classically impossible situation of attempting to apply reason to an unreasonable situation. The details of one person’s addiction are distinct to that person, but one fact always holds true: addiction of any kind is a mental disorder. There is no reasoning with addiction. The person you love and care for has allowed an addictive personality to develop and consume their humanity. 

You prayed for a miracle... do you dare hope you’re seeing one? 

It appears so impossible, watching your loved one taken from you and in the clutches of something not even trained addiction specialists truly understand. Nothing you do seems to help, no amount of love given or withheld has any effect; yet as the light of hope dims, the unanticipated but most welcome epiphany bursts from the darkness.

Small wonder this first glimmer of recovery — heralding changes long prayed for — seems a true miracle.

And then we’re blessed with our own miracle. Like Jesus changing water into wine, what had been the distraught, broken family of an addict speeding to his own destruction is transformed into the loving, close-support group critically needed by every addict in recovery.

I’m looking forward to more good news texts, and someday soon a meeting with my friend’s son, when we can share the good feelings that come from living lives gratefully aligned with our guiding truth: We Do Recover.              

Do you think you may have a problem with alcohol? Alcoholics Anonymous can help. Call our hotline at 715-360-4637 or visit our website at www.northwoodsaa.org for questions or to find a meeting in your area.