I'm an Addict and I'm Not Sorry

Let's get real for a second. If you're reading this, chances are you or someone you love has been through the wringer of addiction. And if that's the case, you know that the worst part isn't the withdrawals, the failed relationships, or those awful, gut-wrenching moments of clarity on the bathroom floor. It's the shame. Oh, the shame. It's like someone poured gasoline all over your soul and lit a match.

Well, I'm here to tell you something: fuck the shame. No, really. Fuck it right in the ear. You don't need that kind of toxic garbage holding you back anymore.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I'm an addict. I've done some bad shit. I've lied, I've stolen, I've woken up in strange places with even stranger people. But you know what? I'm still a person. I'm still a person who deserves to be happy, to love and be loved, to leave something better than I found it.

Look, you can't change your past. That ship has sailed, baby. But you can change your now. And your now is all about the next decision you make. Is it going to be a step towards the light, or a step back into the darkness? That's up to you.

And let's be real clear: just because you've made some crappy choices doesn't mean you're a crappy person. We've all been there. We've all done things we wish we could take back. But the people who can admit the fuck up, learn from it, and keep moving forward? Those are the people who are going to make it.

Recovery isn't about being perfect. It's about being a little less of a disaster today than you were yesterday. It's about taking your meds, going to your meetings, eating a vegetable every once in a while. Baby steps, folks. That's how you run a marathon.

And yeah, there's going to be setbacks. There's going to be days when it all feels like too much and getting high/drunk/whatever just seems easier. But easier isn't always better. Sometimes you have to go through the hard to get to the other side.

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of feeling like I'm less than because of my past. I'm sick of feeling like I don't deserve good things. I deserve good things. I deserve love, and stability, and a fucking decent night's sleep. And so do you.

So, let's make a pact to ourselves. Let's leave the shame behind. Let's take our power back. Let's show the world that we're not just junkies, we're warriors. We're survivors. And we're not sorry for it.

Screw the shame. Let's get on with the living.-Belle-