Plenty of people could tell me how to avoid a new relationship, and to focus on my sobriety, but what about dealing with the break-up of my pre-rehab romance?I arrived in South Florida for my eighth rehab in August of 2013.It was simple, but knowing that people were counting on me to show up and brew a pot of dark roast gave me some accountability and a sense of purpose.
Most of the suggestions I got concerned dating in sobriety.Most importantly, through the tears, the sleepless nights, and the doubt, I have learned that no matter the depth of the pain, I do not have to pick up a drink or a drug.When the pain becomes too great, my supports are there to help me carry it. But, the lesson that no crisis means that I must return to the despair of active addiction is one that has served me through all of the ups and downs of my sobriety.What I believed was an earth-shattering sacrifice at the time was, in fact, a gift.And, that’s a lesson that I am grateful to have learned.