falling off the wagon

how many times have you heard this statement from a newly-relapsed addict?

getting free from addiction isn't easy, but it is simple, and it starts with accepting responsibility for the choices you make.

"i fell off the wagon!"

maybe you've even used it yourself; i know i have.

one of the truest indicators of a recovering addict's likelihood of success is the degree to which said addict realizes what a load of crap this statement is: addicts don't "fall off the wagon".

we jump.

"falling off the wagon" implies that there was some kind of unfortunate, unavoidable accident, and nothing could be further from the truth: there's nothing accidental about deliberate, conscious choice.

because if you choose not to feed your addiction any more, and then one day you find yourself sucking on a lit cigarette, that was no "accident": you chose to pick up that cigarette, you chose to apply flame to the far end, and you chose to suck.

you made those choices. deliberately and consciously. and if you won't accept responsibility for making those choices, you're just gonna keep shooting yourself in the foot.

getting free from addiction isn't easy, but it is simple, and it starts with accepting responsibility for the choices you make.

choose life!