KEY TAKEAWAY
Discover 3 specific reminders for dealing with the anger that comes with a loved one's addiction...
Dear Diary,
I'm so angry at them. Over and over again it's:
- trying to keep them safe from harm after a binge, when I know another disaster's going to happen anyway...
- sacrificing my needs hoping for a turnaround in them... that never happens
- and all the while, inside, questioning myself: "Am I doing enough?..."
But then I remember what my therapist said in our last meeting...
Addiction is not a conscious choice, it's a physical compulsion.
Honestly, how do I live with that...in reality?
The next time I feel that angry, I'll remind myself:
- Maybe I'll never be able to keep them safe from the consequences. Is it possible that me removing that pain... is holding them back?
- Maybe it IS possible for me to get my needs met, when I place more focus on them, and get them met in other ways, outside the family.
- Maybe the only way I can feel better about my contribution...is finding others in the same boat. I mean I'm judging me vs me right now, and it's not working. Let me try a few Al Anon meetings, to understand how much others do...
=============================
When the chaos is kicking off, and I give so much every day, it's so easy to feel instantly triggered.
Let me practice these for a few weeks, and see if they meet my needs better, no matter what's going on around me.
It feels like a step in the right direction.
