The Battles We Fight Are Within

We almost take comfort in the (presumed) fact that we are battling alcoholism. We prefer to think of alcoholism as something outside of us. We favor the idea that the alcohol is the problem; if only we could get rid of the alcohol, then we would be okay.  We believe that alcohol, of its own, is where the issue lies. If this were true, alcohol would be wreaking havoc in the grocery aisle—clearly this is not the case.

Alcohol becomes the problem when we use it to motivate, initiate, and regulate our feelings and function throughout all, or part of, our day. Alcohol becomes the problem when we abuse it. When we become psychologically and physically addicted to it.  The problem is our attachment to the alcohol, not the alcohol. The problem is within.

We hate thinking the issue is within us—actually, we abhor this notion. We can’t possibly be the problem. We look for answers to curtail or minimize the drinking in hopes of bargaining for a happy medium. We do this to exhaustion, all in the hope that alcohol is the problem.

Alcohol, not in us, is equally as revealing. We are miserable to be around and intolerable to self. Still we cannot see that we are uncomfortable in our own skin without altering our consciousness.

We aren’t fighting with alcohol; we are fighting and arguing with self. We are ill-equipped to have a conversation with self. We are so ill at ease (dis-eased) that we don’t even want to entertain that these words are possibly true. (Bravo if you are still reading and these words apply to you.)

We will never be comfortable until we learn the value and the art of having a healthy internal dialogue. Every decision we will ever make comes from within; from the agreements we have knowingly and unknowingly made with self. As long as we are abusing alcohol we overwrite the possibility that we can accurately hear and relate to our inner self.

The battle isn’t happening because we are drinking. The battle is happening because we don’t know who we are—and of what we do know, we don’t like what we see. If we want to escape the battle, we begin by learning how to relate to self. This starts when we decide to stop altering our mind.

No Responses to “The Battles We Fight Are Within

  • You are right. I was always a functioning alcoholic addict. Thus, when I got clean all of my interests changed. Now I write much more and I paint, which i never did before getting clean. It’s great! I chose the wrong line of work before I knew myself….

  • Great insight. That inner dialogue is tough sometimes though. I’m starting to realize why I didn’t want to listen to it! But I’m committed to loving the whole me, so guess I’m gonna have to listen to that whiny teenager that seems to be in there a little bit. Lol.

    • Once that whiny teenager gets heard, she will be satisfied and finally quiet down.
      (ps BTW it’s the teenager that’s telling you it’s “tough”)
      🙂

  • This applies to many other things as well. Discovery of self is the only way we overcome. We have to know our own assets to know the weapons in our arsenal.
    Red.

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