I know it’s hard to accept responsibility for our life choices. I spent years blaming my parents, bosses, husbands, lovers, and even my children for whatever was wrong. And when we’re not blaming, we’re trying to get everyone to focus only on our positive aspects.
How convenient and dishonest to say that all the harmful things I did to people were in my use. Then I could blame my behaviors, attitudes and actions on a substance, not the shadow aspects of myself or my character defects. Although my use distorted my thinking, behaviors, and attitudes, it was the shadow aspects or myself and my character defects that fueled my actions as much as my use.