Trigger Warning: Addiction
Interview with my friend - two years sober
I mentioned that there are a lot of topics that I am passionate about and want to shed light on. One of them being addiction, not only because it has impacted so many people I know, but because it impacts so many others who may feel alone or misunderstood in their struggles.
I wanted to show the world one of my best friends Lisha, not only because she is a friend who inspires me, but someone who I believe will inspire others with sharing her experiences and mindset. The way she speaks about addiction, her past and accomplishments are ways I hope that everyone I know who is battling this, or anyone else who is struggling will be able to talk someday and she gives me the confidence that they will.
Lisha is incredibly transparent in her ups and downs and road to recovery in order for others to not feel alone, and I applaud her for raising her hand to share these sensitive topics on a broader scale so please be nice. We really hope this resonates.
Some Highlights:
No one wakes up and chooses addiction
Alicia's undiagnosed anxiety and depression lead her to self medicating
What helped her most was making achievable goals, by thinking at first "if I can get through this one hour without alcohol" and then "if I can get through this day without alcohol" "if I can get this week" without alcohol leading her to a lifetime of sobriety
Rehab isn't always a cure all, Lisha went to rehab 3 times (genuinely enjoyed Rehab, met a lot of amazing people and benefited from her experiences) but recognized that you can't only want sobriety because everyone around you wants it, you have to truly want it for yourself and be ready to get the full benefits of it
"You need to play the tape ahead" envision taking your next drink, or drug of choice, what is going to lead you? How is it going to benefit you in the future?
Addiction is like phone notifications, often those going through addiction think about it as much as you would your phone going off at all times
There are studies done showing that addiction tendencies can be based on genetics, your brain structure, etc
Full interview here:
https://vimeo.com/704879619