Sunday, January 4, 2009

"Crack! Crack! Get Your Fresh Crack Here!"

Despite the title of this post, there is no need to contact the Feds. I of course cannot help anyone find their next narcotics fix. But, it does get me thinking...

The other day I was watching a show documenting several drug addicts who were in the process of recovering. One particular individual really got my attention. He was a meth addict leaving a rehabilitation center and about to enter a halfway house. While touring the halfway house, the counselor went over some rules with him, one being that if he EVER becomes high or brings meth into the house, he is immediately turned out on his butt even if it is at 2:00am.

The documentary followed him for a time, and interviewed him once he was at the halfway house. He was captured one evening telling the camera how hard it was to face reality. He said, "I never expected these emotions to be so powerful. Normally when I felt overwhelmed or anxious, I would just go and get high. It's really hard to face reality right now". His story really got me thinking about all of us food addicts.

These recovery drug addicts couldn't use ANY drugs. PERIOD. However, we food addicts have to keep eating, regardless of our addiction. We can't just stay away from food. Could you imagine what it would be like for recovery drug addicts if they had drugs readily available at all times.

What would it be like if there was crack in their food pantries and refrigerators? In every single gas station location? On every single street corner? Cracky's, "Get your old fashioned crack here", McCrackalds, Crack King, Crack Bell, Crackway, Crack Castle ...etc. They have WHOLE stores devoted just to drugs...Drug Lion, Harris Drugs, Druglix, ...etc. Could you imagine sitting next to a drug addict at a baseball game, "Crack! Crack! Get your fresh crack here!". How would these poor people ever start to imagine a recovery from their addiction? How would they ever be expected to drive past twenty drug dealers, openly advertising easy, fresh and warm crack on their way to work everyday?

Unfortunately, with our addiciton, our "drug" is everywhere. It's a wonder that people are so hard on the over-weight and obese. We are facing quite a difficult battle. Unlike alcoholics and other drug addicts, we must continue to get our "fixes" but we can only have small, moderate "fixes" we can't just stop eating all together. How much is too much for us? Is it okay to have just a little of that? Or should we go ahead an have a lot of that? This addiction is hard folks. There are no concrete lines drawn in the sand or rules for us to follow.

We all have to do our best, whatever that may be for us. This recovery from food addiction is very personal and not cut and dry, and this recovery is far from easy.