Acceptance of our emotions does not mean that we don’t challenge our emotions. We are much more capable of challenging our emotions when we don’t judge them as good or bad. Feelings just ARE. Feelings are messengers alerting us that something has happened to us. Remaining neutral by observing our emotions and getting curious about them is a better approach than judging them.

Anyone who is in long-term recovery from alcoholism has at some point had to do some deep searching within themselves to find an answer to this question. People can become obsessed with knowing, “am I an alcoholic or do I just really like to drink”? For many, they won’t seek help until they know the answer to this question.

I get this question from so many friends and family members of someone who has a drinking or other drug problem. “Why do I have to quit when they are the ones with the problem?” “I shouldn’t have to let go of alcohol; I am not the one that loses control.” And they very well may not have a drinking or other drug problem, but that doesn’t change my answer to them. My answer is yes, you do need to quit drinking or using drugs too. Here is why.

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