Some people say to drug addicts “All it takes is strong will. If you really want to, you could stop cold turkey and never go back to it”. If it was really that simple then people would not have to resort to nicotine patches, there would be no need for anti alcoholism drugs, there would be no rehabilitation centers. But the reality is that getting over addiction is hard. Very hard. And one’s willpower is in most cases not sufficient to bring about a cure.
Have we all not tried to quit something very simple, like not eating chocolate in order to save that pound or two? And have we not found it mentally difficult to bear? If such a small thing was difficult for us to do then can we imagine how much more difficult it would be to overcome a disease which seeps through every aspect of our life? Which attaches itself to our physical, mental and intellectual existence relinquishing to let go despite the best efforts of that individual.
Will power is in most cases insufficient. Especially when we realize that in the case of addictions there is a much more sinister, sly and overbearing enemy which uses every opportunity to push the individual towards this addiction in order to fulfill its own desires. The enemy which lies in the spiritual realm and which can only be overcome on its own turf, by using spiritual means. But we will talk more about that later on.
January 23, 2009 at 1:59 am
Very true. To have a will power to quit cold turkey and not use the drug again is a fantasy. In the real world, you need the support of your family and doctors in order to get your addiction problem cured. Excellent article which made me think hard about the on-going situation of drug addiction.