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- Xref: sparky alt.recovery:3749 alt.support:1571
- Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!uicvm.uic.edu!u60703
- Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
- Date: Friday, 25 Dec 1992 20:15:40 CST
- From: <U60703@uicvm.uic.edu>
- Message-ID: <92360.201540U60703@uicvm.uic.edu>
- Newsgroups: alt.recovery,alt.support
- Subject: Re: New in Recovery, need words on relatioships
- References: <1992Dec16.192810.18999@athena.cs.uga.edu>
- <1992Dec22.194436.26491@informix.com>
- Lines: 53
-
- In article <1992Dec22.194436.26491@informix.com>, hartman@informix.com (Robert
- Hartman) says:
- >
- >>
- >
- >It seems to me that the basic answer is right here. I guess I'd
- >To me, an addiction is a behavior pattern that I can't control, and an
- >obsession is thinking pattern that I can't control. Like an addiction,
- >an obsession keeps me distracted from some underlying unresolved pain.
- >
- >to the strength of the underlying pain, and the only way out of the
- >obsession is to become willing to face up to that pain, with the
- >help of one's HP, and bear it.
-
- >One thing about obsessions: once you begin to recognize them, they're
- >full of clues about the underlying pain. So when my mind focuses on a
- >person or an activity in an unhealthy way, I can ask myself what it is
- >that I want from that person or activity. It's kind-of like doing an
- >inventory. I ask myself what that person will provide me, and why it
- > There's some real fear and some real pain there.
-
- Robert...........(hope I edited this well enough...had some prob.s)...
-
- Thanks for your informative reminders! I needed to hear this again...and your
- way of expressing it hit home again....
-
- I can really relate to an inventory of an obsession....esp. relationships....
- after having done so several times....I had to realize what my cravings were...
- and there was (still is!) real pain there....for me, my pain relates to the
- need/want for love that is deeply embedded in me...that wasn't met as a child.
- ....a longing to connect and be loved for being me...I can think back to some
- pretty outrageous things I'd do....parts of myself that I'd sacrifice just to
- get this love in a relationship....which of course, I'd never get....nobody
- could ever fill that deep void...and shouldn't be expected to do so...it's
- unrealistic.....
-
- I also .....in order to start healing and lose the craving....had to let myself
- begin to grieve....the loss of this love that I never got in the way i needed
- it....this was NOT easy....but necessary...(still greive it when need arises!)
-
- I think part of me will always have that craving....that longing for a deep
- special "real" unconditional love......but the program has helped me fill it
- somewhat with myself...self-love....and continues to do so as the weeks go by.
- I no longer expect things from people that they cannot possibly deliver....
- And I am getting more from all of my relationships....more than I thought I
- would from family/friends/SO......It seems the more I get in touch with my
- humaness (grief/pain in this case)...I am becoming more alive and at the same
- time allowing others to be human too :)
-
- Thanx again Robert.....you've reminded me of just how far I've come....and
- I'm pleased with myself :)
-
- Carole
-