The Depression Season is the time of year between Thanksgiving and Christmas. While the media is full of mentions of joy, peace, and happiness, there are many who, due to their own circumstances, can not bring themselves to feel these emotions. They have lost a loved one, a family, a job, a relationship, are in prison or just got out. They may be lost in the world of alcohol or drugs.
All around them are reminders that they are missing so much and now not able to provide anything to their loved ones who may or may not still love them. There is no relief in sight to their not being able to take part in the joy of the season. This brings on depression. This brings on the thoughts of “If you had my problems, you would drink too.” Then they try to prove this point. They prove it by drinking and/or drugging more and many times “chucking it all” by committing or attempting suicide. That’s right. It happens during this time of year more than any other comparable length of time.
For many of us, an answer to the depression was found. We are blessed to have discovered a recovery program that takes us back to basics and a happier, more joyous feeling. This answer is recovery from depending on a mind altering substance for anything. Another plus of our recovery is that we discovered that the 12 Steps of the AA Program mostly apply to everyone, not just alcoholics and addicts. A remarkable part of this program is that only the first half of the first step even mentions alcohol. The other 11 ½ Steps are all about our thinking. Change our thinking, change our lives.
“Ya but…” Hold it right there! There are NO ‘Ya Buts’ in this remarkable program. They just take us deeper into the depression. We all have been there, done that, and have discovered an entirely new way of life. This life is a great way to live. Not merely exist. Once we see others who have been just where we were and these people are laughing and enjoying life, we can start to think differently. “If they can do it, maybe I can too.” YES YOU CAN! How? Just by working the program. Not by trying to do it perfectly but just to the best of your ability.
This is a very simple program for very complicated folks. My problems with the program, when first introduced, were that I saw 12 Steps that I thought that I had to memorize and work perfectly in order to gain the rewards. I was very quickly advised to look for the simplicity in the program and the ease would soon follow. I knew that these people had not come into AA on a winning streak either and were now Happy, Joyous, and Free. Many were deep into depression. So, I looked and from then on didn’t look beyond the simple answers that were here. Just waiting for me to take advantage of them.
I learned early in my program to not try to complicate a simple, straightforward program. My life then began to immediately get better, much better. The depression started to leave. Step 1, got it. Alcohol is no longer my friend. Step 2, there is a Power that is bigger than I who can and will help me IF SOUGHT! I didn’t even have to name my Higher Power with names such as God, Allah, Jesus, Satan, or anything. Just realize that something had to be larger than me to create all of existence. Step 3, if my Higher Power can create all of existence, then it is powerful enough to help me with my problems. This is what I mean by simple. If, later on, more detail is needed, it is available. But for now, JUST DO IT! It could not be any more simple
The parts that are not easy become much more easy to “swallow” when I learned that I do not have to know why. Since it works so well with the others, I just used it until I was in a much better position to delve any deeper. I wanted to leave the depression that my alcoholism had brought on.
This is how I started working my program 45+ years ago and still do today. If it works so well for me, I have total confidence that it can and will work for you. After taking the 3rd Step, just never take back ANYTHING that you turned over in this Step. “Let go, let God” is much more than a saying from AA. It is a wonderful way of life. AND IT IS YOURS if you JUST DO IT! Bless you all!
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