There Is A Solution

Today I am grateful that there is a solution to addiction.

I’m grateful for all my friends who not only live beautiful lives free from drug and alcohol addiction but who also help others find the solution. I love you all. You are blessings in my life. You have encouraged me when I was going through hard things.

For those who want to stop using or drinking, there really is a way to stop. The first step is admitting you are powerless and your life has become unmanageable.

To find a meeting near you, go to www.aa.org.

For those who haven’t heard the story…

A few months after The Accident, I wanted to drink. A lot. I wanted to keep alcohol in the house to drink away the pain. To stop hurting.

I didn’t.

I’d seen too many I love in addiction. I’d watched my mom drink away her pain. Until the alcohol stopped working.

I didn’t drink, but I wanted to.

So I went to some meetings.

The people there loved me.

I knew I wasn’t an alcoholic, but the only requirement for membership is a desire to quit drinking. I also knew if I took one step in that direction – towards numbing my grief and pain in alcohol – I knew I could easily end up in addiction. So I went where I had seen others find a solution.

I am grateful for my friends at AA who welcome me and loved me through that time. They shared their lives and their stories to help me not go down a path with which they are very familiar.

If you need help, there is a solution.

Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholism, healing in grief


KathleenBDuncan

I write about my life, my journey, my family, and my faith. I am wife to one, mom to seven with one in heaven, and grandmother to many. I am also full-time caregiver to my stepmom E who suffers from dementia due to Alzheimer’s. In my spare time I like to read, travel, crochet, bike, and play with our black pug Molly.

Comments (6)

  • hisdearlyloveddaughter

    What an awesome testimony! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we felt as confident and comfortable seeking help from the church for these sorts of things? Don’t get me wrong, there are many, many churches that are getting this right, but I think it would be amazing to see that level of support as the norm.
    I hope that doesn’t sound too negative or critical, it’s not my intent to bash the body. But as I was reading your testimony it just struck me that the support you received was so beautiful, and a picture that really should be painted by the church. Lord, help us get this right!

    • Absolutely! I’ve thought the same thing many times!

      Had I shared this with my church at the time, I would have been either rebuked or drowned in trite saying or scripture quotes. “Do not be drunk on wine but be filled with the Spirit” “Rejoice in the Lord (not drinks)” “Trust in the Lord…” etc.

      I know scripture! I’ve memorized whole books of the Bible. I didn’t need trite saying or bible bullets. I needed someone who understands to listen and share their experience, strength, and hope. I needed others who had walked this path to share with me practical ways of dealing with the pain and temptation.

      I think if I shared with my church family today I would get a different response. Maybe because I’ve so openly shared my journey and they’ve seen others walk through grief. Maybe because they are open, honest, and willing to learn how to love those who are hurting. Maybe because our pastor experienced the death of his bride less than a month after their wedding and has openly shared his story.

      We in the body do need to work on loving those who are hurting. And maybe we who grieve need to help by being open with our struggles and trials instead of burrowing into our own safe place at home.

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