Addiction Sucks!

That is stated as succinctly as possible:

Addiction sucks!

I listened today to two interviews that Terry Gross had with Philip Seymour Hoffman on Fresh Air. He was a remarkable talent. He had the ability to make his characters come alive.

Of course we never really knew his demons. He had been sober for 23 years and then relapsed.

That relapse took his life this past weekend.

Addiction is never gone.

It is always lurking to take one more grab at the addict-

one more toke,

one more shot,

one more snort,

one more pill

one more needle.

It takes away all that we think we have.

It makes us think we are invincible- or even more to the point-

it makes us think we are gods of our own domain.

I heard a recovering heroin addict on radio talking about the truly scary part of Hoffman's death- the cautionary reminder to absolutely every addict out here that they are in danger. It should make every recovering addict stop in the moment and be grateful for what they have today

BUT at the same moment

to never forget that the addiction is patiently waiting,
doing push-ups, waiting

and waiting.

Don't ever be complacent. Don't think you have it made.

All one has is a daily reprieve based on the maintenance of one's spiritual condition.

I have had alcoholics and addicts question whether they have hit their bottom yet. They wonder. They look for ways to continue using. They look for all the excuses whispered in their mid-brain, just below consciousness:

"What if this isn't the bottom?" they ask.

I have two things I tell them.

• First, if you are still alive and breathing, you haven't hit the ultimate bottom of addiction. It will only get worse if you keep using.

• And second- you know you have reached bottom

when you stop digging.

So stop digging and start building a new life.

Addiction sucks!

What's worse is that it also kills.

Rest in peace, Philip. Rest in peace.