The Problem & the Solution

Thanks to psychology, we now know what causes us emotional problems in our adult life. In summary, something went wrong in our childhood development. In other words, we experienced trauma before we were able to process it. Furthermore, there were no adults around to help us understand and interpret the trauma or help us put it into perspective and heal it. Instead, we let it go underground and try to forget it. By underground I mean it goes into what Carl Jung calls the unconscious.

Unfortunately, while trying to forget what happened we develop coping mechanisms like eating or shopping because we are trying so hard to "stuff" our feelings. However, at some point the coping mechanism has to be repeated so many times that it becomes an addiction. Or, we turn to drugs and alcohol that are physically addictive.

A friend recently asked me, "Now that we know why we are addicts, what can we do about it?" Since the beginning of time we have sought treatment for substance abuse and psychological addictions. We are making progress but we have not arrived at a cure. However, in 12-Step programs we have discovered how to reach remission. We "turn our life and our will over to God," and we change how we think and behave one day at a time. We can also do this using a Christian religion. 

Where does this journey begin? It begins with either humility or humiliation. We either accept that we need help, and we do what we are told, or we let our addiction take us to a point of humiliation which sometimes motivate us to change.
When I first got sober in 1982 I was humiliated by my drinking. I was ashamed because I had a conscience and what I was doing did not feel good anymore. However, months later after following the A.A. way of life I wanted to be a better person. So, as my first act of humility I surrendered to God. Then I began a personal relationship with God. Then I was "happy, joyous and free." from addiction.

There are many books that tell us how to heal from addiction, but the solution is simple. Whatever the problem, the solution is God. And, to quote myself in my book, The Art of Changing, "Change is the bridge between the problem and the solution."