Most persons, once they sober up, get on the path of sobriety and start the hard work of recovery, realizing that all their excuses and delays of finding help, illustrate the insanity of their thinking. How often did I say to myself  (my best thinking?) that “I don’t need help, I can beat this demon on my own.”

In our Depressed Anonymous Manual for recovery from depression, I was told on a number of occasions by some very suicidal and depressed people, “No, I’m alright, I can handle this.” The tragedy here is that two weeks later, my friend killed himself.  Of course, he was thinking that he surely could quit this drug that had him paralyzed and helpless. He was in a dark pit of hopelessness.  He  wasn’t  paralyzed because he had shackles around his legs,  but he was immobilized because of his denial that he needed help.

My situation was pretty much the same as my friends. But thank goodness because of my being cited for driving while intoxicated that I was forced by my boss to go get help  (AA) or check myself in at an in patient treatment facility. I was given a choice: choose one or the other or lose my job. I chose the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and was given the tools to live a life filled with hope.

What works for any addiction and compulsive behavior/thinking  also works for someone depressed and suicidal.  I know, been there and done that. Try it. Happy New year! Have a happy new life.

Hugh