Recovery In The Lifestyle

Hi. My name is Kara and I'm not an addict.
I never went through "the phase" where drug-use was appealing (including excessive alcohol consumption) and to be completely honest, there was a time when I resented those who did become addicted to one substance or another. I didn't get it. I didn't understand the appeal to use in the first place and more than that I didn't understand why people couldn't just stop. It seemed pretty clear to me, if you don't want to do something, don't.

This was all before I knew people that had overcome their addictions. There was no face to put to the problem other than those that you see on tv and movies where the addicts are unclean, homely, and in general just people that you didn't interact with; they weren't your friends or loved ones. That disconnect made it easier to resent them when doctors treated me poorly for an addiction I never had. I was looking for help with my Fibromyalgia and doctors had the nerve to treat me like those people.
Within the past year I've learned the other side. My partner has recently celebrated being over 3 years clean and I never understood the significance of it until I met him. To hear the stories and see the difference in him, my eyes have been opened completely. Through taking him to a new local meeting for those in Recovery, I've heard the stories of others that have overcome their own monsters, to say it is humbling is an understatement. These people, my friends and loved ones, have overcome such disaster that I would never have imagined in my worst nightmares and I couldn't be happier for them.
With that I want to send out a resounding "thank you" to everyone who has ever gone in to a recovery group and helped others get through their own recovery. The work everyone does to help each other get through their nightmares is beyond amazing. So, to those who set up the Recovery in the Lifestyle groups especially (both local and abroad):
THANK YOU!!