By Mavis Jackson, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor
Greetings H2H Readers! I am indeed honored to once again grace the pages of this phenomenal ezine, and pray that my contribution will provide information that is useful. My series is entitled “The Art of Living Sober”, because living life, in and of itself, can be considered an art form. The word sober has many different definitions, and we will explore all of them. Just allow me to guide you on this journey and try not to assume anything, because you know what they say about those who do, right?! I will provide information for both brothers and sisters about living life as an art form, and will intermittently address each gender. I look forward to this awesome adventure in writing with you, so let’s get started!
When most people hear the term “living sober”, they immediately think that it is referring to living without the use of drugs and alcohol. That is a definition of the term, but not the only one, and since many of you may know that I am a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor by profession, it’s only natural for that to come up for you. The first myth that I want to dispel is this; “addiction is not about a substance, it is about behavior”. Once a person gets that down in his or her soul, they are well on their way to living sober. I will address living life without the use of drugs and alcohol for those who have questions about it. However, that addiction is not the only one that tears peoples’ lives apart, and those others are just as tough to overcome. Those whose lives have been affected by an alcohol dependency may want to seek something along the lines of Georgia alcohol treatment in order to rehabilitate themselves back to a state of sobriety in order to improve their state of living. A dear friend of mine once had to seek treatment for alcohol addiction. Although she has successfully managed to turn her life around, as part of her rehabilitation, she is still required to submit to a regular etg test to ensure that she has not relapsed. For my friend, cutting alcohol out of her life entirely was the only way she could get better. As with any health-related matter, if you are struggling with substance abuse issues, then speaking out to someone you trust could be the first step to your healing journey.
So many people are unsuccessful and sometimes give up before the realization sets in that it is not hard at all. I believe that, like our current President proves, we can accomplish anything that we make up our minds to do, and living without addictions is definitely possible. I don’t say that because of what I have read or heard, I say it because of what I have lived. There have been numerous addictive behaviors that I have been blessed to overcome, and some I will share. But the most important thing that I want to share is this; You can live life free of any addiction, but it takes dedication, work, and an honest desire to change. This column is intended to put into simple terms, the easiest way to engage in the art of living sober, and I pray it will bless those who read it and then step out on faith, to find the peace and serenity we all need and deserve in life. There is another Book that I read daily which also gave a definition of the word sober. In fact this other Book referred me to the bottom of the page for the definition, and when I looked there, I found the word “responsible”! I was a bit taken aback, but then it made such perfect sense, after all, isn’t that what we all strive to do?
And with that, I bid you adieu, until next time.
Peace and Blessings,
Ms. Mavis
You are welcome to follow Ms. Mavis on Twitter @MsMavis09
