Any time there is a behavior that you wish to change, the first step is noticing when you’re doing it.
![powerless over my addiction powerless over my addiction](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/e0bjz154Up4/maxresdefault.jpg)
People are probably telling you to “let go.” But how do you let go? At times letting go sounds about as possible as jumping over the moon. You didn’t cause it, you can’t control it and you can’t cure it. Addiction is a disease, not a moral weakness. But when it comes to addiction, the practice of powerlessness is the beginning of developing your inner strength. You yell, beg, plead or cry, but nothing changes, no matter what you do.Īs long as you fail to admit your powerless over the disease of addiction, there is a good chance you will continue to expend untold energy trying to control people and situations over which you have absolutely no influence. Or you may put your energy into trying to control his behavior. You’ll keep trying to change your behavior, and he’ll keep doing what he’s doing. As long as everything is your fault, he doesn’t have to change his behavior.
![powerless over my addiction powerless over my addiction](https://www.ukat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/UKAT_Christmas_Uncovered_squares.jpg)
They want you to believe it’s all your fault. Many addicts are happy to have codependents in their lives who think this way. It’s almost like trying to learn a dance, and you feel like you’re always doing the wrong steps. You might think if you can control your anger or stop making him feel like he’s not good enough, the drugs will lose their hold on him. You’re always watching what you say and how you act. You may think you can fix the addict if you just behave the right way or love him the right way. Taking care of the addict has probably been central to your life for so long that you barely remember who you are. You may resist admitting and accepting that you are powerless over a family member’s drug and alcohol use as well as your own inappropriate reactions to addictive behavior. You may believe the addict is the only one with the problem. Those of you who count yourselves among the families or friends of addicts are powerless, too. Until they admit and accept that powerlessness, there is little to no hope for recovery. Addicts and alcoholics are taught that they are powerless over their drug of choice and any substitutes.