The Myth of Hitting Rock Bottom

We often hear of the concept of addicts and alcoholics needing to reach their “bottom” before beginning to recover from their addiction; and until they reach their individual bottom they will not be able to achieve meaningful and lifelong recovery.  “hitting rock bottom” is oft described as the place all of us addicts and alcoholics “must reach” in order to admit we have a problem.  34 months into recovery; I’ve seen enough to be convinced there truly is no true “bottom” in addiction and alcoholism.  That’s right – the concept is totally and utterly false.  I’ve seen active addiction and alcoholism take people to unimaginably low places of despair and hopelessness; losing everything that ever meant anything to them and continue to crawl back into the cocoon of addiction.  I’ve seen people suffer comparatively minor consequences and experience little in the way of personal or material loss recover in the most meaningful and beautiful of ways.  I’ve experienced the unimaginable and tragic loss of those who lose their battle with addiction; seemingly never to have reached a bottom that never existed in the first place.  

The dangerous “hitting the proverbial bottom” concept needs to be shattered amongst the recovery lexicon; and instead we need more examples of people recovering out loud and sharing their stories, like we do on “The Way Out Podcast”.  The more examples we have of all different types of people recovering from all different types of circumstances surrounding their addictions; the more those still in active addiction and alcoholism will have the opportunity to relate; and experience the antidote to the downward spiral and often deadly grip of addiction.  When we listen to those recovery stories; we can say “Yes, I felt like that” or “I did that too”, or “I used to think like that too” – and we suddenly realize that there is someone who used to be a whole hell of lot like I am now; but they found a way out.  They recovered, and they are living fulfilling and purposeful lives; and for the first time since maybe ever I feel that glimmer of hope that I too can recover.  I too, can do what they did and get better.  I too, can live a sober, meaningful, and purposeful life.  I too, can share my story; so that someone else might experience the miracle of hope that was given to me; allowing me to live one day at a time in recovery.

-Charlie LeVoir
Host
The Way Out Podcast

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