Contrary to popular opinion, the definition of insanity is not, “Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.” Though this is only a supposed quote, often attributed to both Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, it describes the disease of addiction quite well. It’s a fairly safe assumption that anyone in recovery from addiction would agree that returning to drinking or drugging would be insane. Yet, it happens every single day.
We are not insane people. When our disease is active, it causes us to do insane things that go against our biological survival mechanism. This simply means that the disease of addiction causes us to do things that contribute to a slow suicide. It wants to kill us, plain and simple. For normal people, if they experienced a fraction of the amount of pain that we have, they would never touch a drink or a drug again. For us, we keep putting our hand to the flame, expecting not to get burned…just this one last time.
Even those of us in long-term recovery have those occasional thoughts that maybe, just maybe, it would be different this time. It is this type of thinking that if not dealt with, will begin to consume a person. It will never be different, and it will be worse. Once an addict or an alcoholic has crossed the threshold of addiction, there is no going back. Just like a cucumber; once it has been turned into a pickle, it will never be a cucumber again.
It is insanity to think we can have “just one” or that we can go have a weekend bender in Vegas, and then go about our merry lives like nothing happened. This is what relapse is all about. We convince ourselves that this time will be different, but we soon realize just how wrong we were. Relapse is a part of some peoples’ stories, but it doesn’t have to be a part of yours. There are many of us who have stayed sober without doing more research, and you can, too.
If you are struggling with addiction, you are not alone. We know the feeling of insanity of not being able to stop, and The Lakehouse Recovery Center can help you. All you have to do, is pick up the phone and give us a call. We are available 24/7 at (877) SOBER | (877) 762-3707. Your life is worth saving, and you don’t have to feel like this ever again. You can recover, and your life can change.