I don’t have to like your behaviours to love you as a friend. I can look and see your pain, I can see your addiction as the disease it truly is. I can love you & be encouraging & supportive of you getting help. I can remind you that relapse is only a small part of addiction, & encourage you to simply keep moving forward!
I don’t have to lower my standards or expectations of you just because you are struggling right now! I do however have to be fair, & mindful of your journey & choices.
I am allowed to be upset, hurt, disappointed. I am not allowed to however, judge you, mistreat you, or disrespect you.
I can meet you where you’re at, in this process. I can verabilze to you my concerns & I can express how I feel.
I understand so much more that you know. But I see you’re not ready to talk, or open up, or engage in treatment.
So I sit back, gather my thoughts & pray. I reach out, I just try to remind you; of the person you lost… I see him…
I hold back my anger, I just try to remember, my goals in life & your goals aren’t the same, nor do they have to be; but that doesn’t mean, I don’t love you, or that I don’t respect you, or that I am not your friend!
Thing is…. I just might believe in you… more than you believe in yourself! I see you, I see through the phase you’re in. I know you, I know what you are capable of. I know…. who you are, inspite of your actions… I know that when you’re feeling very much the victim of life… that in fact, you are a survivor, a warrior of life!
I never stop believing in you!
I just simply love you… as you are!
#addiction #recovery #mentalhealthawareness #sfami #thestruggleisreal #supportingfamiliesofadultmentallyill
#meetingyouwhereyouare #healthycopingskills #healthyboundaries
jenzphelps 