When I think of acceptance, I think of it in the context of step 1.
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol/drugs-that our lives had become unmanageable
It is super interesting (at least to me) that there are 3 different definitions of the word acceptance that all relate to recovery:
Agreement with or belief in an idea, opinion, or explanation
In the case of my acceptance/step 1, we are definitely talking more explanation, actually more of a hard fact, than any kind of belief or idea. Without taking this step and accepting I am powerless and my life is unmanageable, I have no reason to grow. I'm a very stubborn person so I tried all kinds of different tactics without accepting this about myself before; switching from one substance to another, trying to control intake, etc. None of that worked for me. I can not grow unless I accept.
The action or process of being received as adequate or suitable, typically to be admitted to a group
There are open meetings of AA (and the other fellowships) where all are welcome, but there are also closed meetings where you must be an addict or alcoholic to attend. Addicts and alcoholics are sometimes outcast from society due to the nature of our disease, and especially when we've been nothing but a tornado of chaos in the lives of mostly everyone we've come in contact with. We are able to be accepted by people who share the same experiences when we come into the rooms. We have a common problem, and there is a solution that works for all who are willing to do the work. I find it ironic that people that are, so to say, society's outcasts are welcomed with love in a place where normal people are the odd ones out. We are accepted by the unacceptable.
The action of consenting to receive or undertake something offered
A lot of people are familiar with the show Intervention and the line "do you accept this help". Personally I think rehabs are great because they (at least some of them) introduce people to the twelve step programs. But for me, the real help--what has worked for me so far where everything else failed--came when I accepted what was freely offered to me in the rooms. That includes all the little things like getting rides to meetings when I didn't have a car and suggestions on how to deal with situations I wasn't experienced dealing with sober among many other things. Most importantly it includes the heavy lifting and the real sauce of the program: working the steps with a sponsor.
Once I accepted my powerlessness, through painful trial and error, I came to the rooms and was immediately accepted with wide open arms, then I was able to accept the help offered to me.
There is now a great peace involved. I find serenity in accepting situations outside of my control exactly as they are, moment by moment. Serenity prayer stuff.
-Andrew <-- recovering meth addict
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