The Dangers of Happiness for the Recovering Addict

Being happy is not a good position for a drug addict, because using drugs led to happiness. Feeling anything can lead to a relapse for the recovering addict. Happiness in a recovering addict will come from countless things: he or she finds a dream job, finds a love, or passes a class course with a 4.0. Perhaps the recovering addict never thought that happiness would lead to problems. Happiness will inevitably lead him or her to the type of thinking that destroys countless lives. The joy makes the addict wonder if success is possible with drugs, and if the same problems from before will disappear. The joy also makes the addict want to be even happier and stay that way.

Relapse is the nightmare of the recovering drug addict. He or she can dream of using drugs, see people using in countless places, and this makes it seem impossible for the addict to escape these thoughts. The dreams remind the addict of the joys in using drugs, and not all the pains the drugs caused. He or she may think these problems were just a fluke. The addict thinks using drugs successfully is possible, because the same bad things won't happen again. The fact is the common drug addict won't find this success. No matter how many drugs he or she uses the happiness will never come. The addict must be weary of associating happy thoughts with drug use because these can lead to relapse. He or she must also be weary of the happy emotions when thinking of drugs, because these lead to relapses.

"I can try just one because I am having a good day." This is what the drug addict says before a relapse. The addict expects change. He or she is happy, and decides to try using successfully. This is the danger of having feelings: the addict thinks too much, and the minds open. When the mind opens, and when an addict is happy, he or she must work twice as hard to remember all the problems that came as a result of our addictions. There are no successful drug users, and addicts should be reminded of these facts.