Learning about the substitutability of addictions was very interesting to me. I have a family member who is a recovering heroin addict. He has been clean from heroin for 6 years. His addiction has become the women he dates. He becomes addicted to them like a drug and obsesses over them. I watched this end his engagement as he just became so addicted and controlling that his fiancée was forced to get a restraining order. Other family members and I realized that this was due to his addictive personality. Quitting the drug led him to find new addictions, although he is in denial about this truth. I've learned that most addicts find a "healthier" addiction when they give up their drug of choice. The "healthier" option, however, isn't always healthy.
I really sympathize with you when it comes to having family members who struggle with addictions, it's definitively not always the case that replacing a "bad" addiction with a "better" or "healthy" one can even turn out better for the person.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being so open and honest in sharing your story. It really touched me because addiction is something that affects so many families in ways we don't always talk about. The way you explained how addiction can shift from one thing to another—like from heroin to relationships—was really eye-opening. It’s something I’ve seen too, but never had the words for until now.
ReplyDeleteIt’s clear you care deeply about your family, and your insight shows just how complex recovery can be. I admire your strength in recognizing these patterns and your compassion in how you talk about it. This post will definitely stick with me.
Thank you so much. It's really important for those who have family members that deal with addictions to realize that it is an illness and that it can absolutely switch from addiction to addiction. Unfortunately for us, this person is in denial and it is very hard to help him.
DeleteI found your post very interesting because I never thought of how replacing a "bad addiction" could lead to a "better" one that also might not be good for them. I have never experienced addiction in my family, so reading about your experience helped me understand a little better how challenging it really is even after they get clean.
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