A recent issue of Time magazine has an article on a "new" way of thinking about grief and loss. The researchers say that there are no real stages of grief--that people just move. When I think of the process of grief and the process of addiction and recovery, I think the stages of grief identified by Kubler-Ross years ago still hold. Those stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Think about your own addiction and recovery.
Did you "deny" there was a problem?
Were you "anry" when someone told you you had to stop drinking or drugging?
Did you "bargain" by thinking "maybe I can only drink/drug on weekends or switch from the hard stuff to beer or I'll just do marijuana not cocaine."
Did you get "depressed" when you had to stop? or maybe just sad?
Have you moved into an "acceptance" that recovery is your new life? your new normal?
Isn't acceptance the essence of the Serenity Prayer? "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
The Times article doesn't mention spirituality or God as part of the "moving on." Seems to me they miss the most important part of moving on---an acceptance of a new relationship with God.
Blessings-Penny
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