In our journey towards sobriety and recovery, there is a battle waging in our minds.
What is Truth?
The truth does not have to be represented exclusively from religious sources, though many find that a very relevant source of truth. Truth is simply statements that represent reality accurately. Truth can come from external or internal sources. Where does the truth in my life come from?
Sources of Truth
Some truth comes from external sources. Sometimes they can be reliable and trustworthy. Sometimes they cannot.
- Parents
- Teachers
- Coaches
- People in authority
- Books, literature
- News, media
Some truth comes from internal sources. This source usually starts out pretty shaky as we haven’t learned much, haven’t experienced much, and don’t have any basis on how to judge what we do know. Also, we revert to relying on our feelings for truth which makes truth as fickle as are feelings change from day to day.
- Knowledge – facts I have acquired from external sources
- Experience – things I have personally experienced and learned from
- Applied wisdom – situations in which I can extrapolate the truth from other’s experiences or advice
- Feelings – how I feel about a situation which is highly affected by fears, insecurities, past experiences
The Battle of Truth
In our journey towards sobriety and recovery, we learn that from an early age, we have listened to sources of truth that have told us things about ourselves, our environment, and how we should relate to all of these. We identified some of those influencing sources in Step 2. Regardless of whether we were influenced, we picked it up ourselves, we followed after peers, or we emulated our older siblings, we end up with thoughts in our head that tell us things about our addiction and our behaviors. These thoughts have a HUGE impact on how we make decisions. Some thoughts will tell me real truth about me and will encourage me to continue with the hard decisions to practice the disciplines of the SA program. Other thoughts will make me think it isn’t worth it and that it would be easier to just give in.
What kind of thought would make you give in?
- What’s the point?
- No one will know.
- Does it really matter?
- I really need this.
- I don’t have to tell anybody.
- It won’t hurt anybody.
- I have been doing well. I deserve this.
- It isn’t healthy to deny my body.
- I just want to feel that pleasure again.
What kind of thought would make you not give in?
- I have made progress and can continue.
- I won’t die.
- Sex is optional.
- This is the result of damage in my mind and body.
- I can cry out to God for help and he will help me.
- I want to be the man/father/husband that stands strong, not gives in.
- I want my family to be proud of me.
- I won’t be able to lie to my sponsor.
- I’ve got this far, I am choosing health and sobriety.
If you recognize any of these thoughts, realize that part of our struggle, or battle, is to replace the untrue statements with ones that are true. One of the reasons why we recommend calling and checking in with each other is because sometimes I can’t tell myself the truth because the lies are screaming in my head. So I ask another brother to speak the truth into my life so I can hear it and hold on to it.