Stop Feeling Guilty for Being a Recovering Alcoholic

1. Stop Feeling Guilty for Being a Recovering Alcoholic Many people assume that those with addictions are bad people. They have a stereotype in their mind of what an addict is, which is often a lay about who does not work or lives on the streets. They fail to realise that addiction can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender and social background. Alcoholism, for example, is an issue that many individuals all across the UK deal with on a daily basis. Many of these people are high-functioning alcoholics who go to work every day and who are still providing for their families, despite the fact that they have developed a dependency on alcohol. Alcoholics are not always bad people; however, many recovering alcoholics believe themselves to be bad. They are wracked with guilt about their past behaviour and, in many cases, this guilt begins to eat away at them. It is important that recovering alcoholics learn to let go of the guilt they are feeling and to remember that they are not bad – they may have done some bad things while addicted, but that does not make them a bad person. Alcoholism is an Illness It is important to remember that nobody chooses to be an alcoholic. No one in the world would choose to be so addicted to a substance that it becomes the only thing they can think about until it begins to destroy their lives and the lives of the people around them. The truth is that alcoholism is an illness just as the flu or shingles are illnesses. Those affected by alcoholism are no worse than the individuals hit by the flu or shingles. Alcoholism is an illness that affects the brain. Those who do bad things while under the influence of alcohol do so because of the way that alcohol has affected their brain. Even small amounts of alcohol are enough to affect the workings of the brain. Those who drink alcohol find that their judgement is often compromised. Feelings and emotions are also affected long before speech begins to slur and movement is impaired. Inappropriate Behaviour

2. Alcohol often affects people’s ability to determine what is right and wrong. In some cases, those under the influence of alcohol may have some idea that something is wrong but they will ignore it and carry on regardless. Alcoholics often act aggressively or display inappropriate sexual urges. This type of behaviour is completely different to the way the person acts when sober. Violence is often displayed by alcoholics, and domestic abuse is quite common in homes where one person suffers from alcohol addiction. You are Not a Bad Person It is important to remember that alcoholics have no control over the way they act. As mentioned above, they have developed an addiction to a substance that alters the way their brain works. If you are in recovery from alcohol addiction, you may be feeling guilty about the way you behaved when under the influence of alcohol. This is natural but there is no need to keep beating yourself up about it. As long as you can make amends with those you have wronged, you should be able to move forward and begin enjoying your life again. You do not need to wallow in guilt for the rest of your life. You are not a bad person because you were alcoholic. Feeling guilty will only drag you back down and prevent you from making the most of your new sober life. Provided you stay clean, you can be sure you will never hurt anyone in that way again. All you can do is show your loved ones how sorry you are. Get FREE Help & Advice Today, Please contact us for information on Alcohol rehab as well as drug rehabs, Through our alcohol rehab clinic. Call now for the best addiction help in the UK This article originally published at Middlegate Blog here https://www.middlegate.co.uk/stop-feeling-guilty-for-being-a-recovering-alcoholic/