THE FIFTH PROMISE
The feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
~ Big Book ~
When we were deep within the bewilderment and agony of our addiction, we often moaned, “What’s the use? Nobody cares.” We considered ourselves “lost people.” We thought we were incapable of ever doing anything worthwhile for anyone, including ourselves. Shame and guilt made us wallow in self-pity, but we never blamed ourselves. It was always those people, places, and things out there that made us victims.
We complained, “They did it to me. I’m not to blame. If it hadn’t been for bad luck…. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
In recovery, we often refer to self-pity as the PLOMs (“poor little old me”). We learn to recognize and avoid the PLOMs by working our Program and by focusing on positive things.
When I surrendered to my addiction, I was always sure I had been betrayed by others. I was sorry for myself. Now the promise has come true. I am useful and free of self-pity.
©1990 by Anonymous, Published by Hazelden
Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?
Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrec
No comments:
Post a Comment
I will not allow spam or back links to other sites as I can not moderate where these are going to.