Thought for the Week

Timothy D. Stein, MFT, CSAT

December 26, 2016

“And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was often times filled with your tears.” –Kahlil Gibran

Addiction, at a deep level, is about avoiding uncomfortable emotions.  The avoidance of these emotions does not bring love or joy; it brings emptiness.  Pain and fear are connected to joy and love.  You cannot have one side of the equation without the other.  Recovery is not a path to joy; it is a path to feeling.  When you accept and allow yourself to feel fear and pain, you find love and joy as well.

When have I either consciously or unconsciously used my addiction to avoid uncomfortable emotions?  What has been the emotional cost of avoiding uncomfortable emotions?  What gifts await me as I learn to accept and feel the entire range of my emotions?