labels..

i loathe labels. they carry a stigma and connotation with them. the terms "anorexic" "addict" or "alcoholic" describe that the person is out of control. that their life is deemed unmanageable. 

when sober, clean, or in recovery, we are accountable, articulate in the words we speak, and are insightful about our experiences. we want to make a difference in peoples lives. we want to share our journey with people "in the rooms". we want to shed light on addiction, mental illness, and eating disorders. that they are NOT  a choice but rather something we struggle with on a daily basis. a "weakness" per se. a portion of our life we experience every day but does NOT define who we are as a person. it defines who i am today and who i am in the future.

i have learned that my comfort zone is not safe. it is that comfort zone that keeps me sick. "it is our secrets that keep us sick. & we are as sick as our secrets" recovery is a series of decisions, all within my control.

morel of the story--> be careful of how you label people. those labels can and will remain with that person FOREVER. it will haunt them and play in their head like a never ending movie. it will alter the course of their life with that one word, phrase. or expectation.

it certainly did for me...