restoring order

  I did make a post on Facebook about this as it riled me up a bit. That's what my wife and some others call it when I am annoyed or bothered by something that really doesn't effect me, riled. Yes you could say that I should just let this stuff slide on by, but I find that I'm not much of a casual observer. I'm not an activist though, more of a commentator. I guess the old adage, if you can't play, coach applies. I think I would make a great life coach, I'm very good at knowing the right responses. But then again, I see a lot of that on social media as well so I'm assuming it's a common trait. It's self discipline that is lacking with most people, myself included. But whatever the case my be, I was watching the television and this advertisement comes on. It is some football player, I suppose he is supposed to be a celebrity endorser of sorts, his name is vaguely familiar to me but I can't recall. That shows you how impressed by that. Anyway, he is talking about recovery. You can recover, with help and therapies, from Substance Abuse Disorder. Wait, what? Substance Abuse Disorder, you mean what I call a bad habit? That's how I view that, and a habit is something you develop. It isn't a disorder, it is something you alone are responsible for. You are not born with Substance Abuse Disorder, well unless your Mother developed that habit while pregnant, but you develop the habit.

 You may ask why does this bother me, get me riled up? It bothers me because our children are being lied to. They are making this sound like it just something you can catch, like a cold. When, in my opinion, it is a choice. You can use that stuff, alcohol or drugs, in any form for good or bad. I'm tired of all this making excuses for our own shortcomings. If, I abuse those substances that is my fault, it isn't some inherent disorder. I can control that! Yes, yes there is such a a thing as a physical addition, one prescribed by a physician, and it's not your fault. Sorry, I'm not buying that either. You know when it becomes a problem very early on. Many want to feign ignorance later on, but they knew. They also chose not to do anything about it, preferring the "relief" over anything else. It's true the initial decision to take those substances may have been driven by a medical doctor, under that advice, but the continuation of the habit is yours! You may chose the prescription as the excuse, hey the doctor says I should take this, but you know the truth. 

 It isn't just this one thing. There are so many things we are teaching our children that is just wrong. You know what? There are other kids that are smarter, better looking, and better athletes than you. There are other children whose parents have more money that yours. Not everyone gets the trophy in life! And most importantly, you are responsible for the choices you make, you and you alone. Your parents, your friends, your counselors, your therapist, social worker or other good seminarians can not assume that responsibility for you. At best they can delay accountability. In the end you will have to pay the price in either a financial or emotional way. Ultimately you cannot escape consequence. Yes, and choices have consequences both good and bad. When the consequence is bad, it isn't always someone else's fault. It's yours, choose wisely. The truth is, most times it is your fault!

 Substance Abuse Disorder? Really, a bad habit. And now we can cure that? That's what the advertisement says. It also says if we don't cure it the first time, we are open 24/7 and will try again. If you die in the meantime, it wasn't failure of treatment though, that's on you. A very convenient business model don't you think? The message is, it's not your fault and we can cure that, unless it kills you. You can't do it on your own, you need professional help! No, what you need is someone holding your hand and telling you it will be alright. You need mommy and daddy, love and compassion. Reassurance that it wasn't your fault. it was those bad drugs that crept into your system. It wasn't your fault. And if it happens again it isn't because treatment failed, you just need more treatment for it to work. Not your fault. Well I was taught early on. in order to cure disorder you need order. Order in your life, otherwise known as discipline. Maybe we should start teaching that again. Independence and self discipline.