Some thoughts from Gerald May’s “Addiction & Grace” compiled by David Vraza MA.
Last week I shared some of May’s thoughts on denial and repression. They are amazingly effective at keeping us enslaved without awareness. When denial and repression fail, our fallen nature engages the brain in rationalization. Our excuses are so convincing! “It’s not a problem because …” or “I deserve this because …”
May writes, “The very occurrence of such rationalizations is irrefutable evidence that addiction is present, for if there were no addiction, there would be no reason to make excuses.” Reality continually knocks at the door of our awareness. When truth finally and painfully breaks in, “Denial, repression, and rationalization do not necessarily stop; they simply fail to keep the truth hidden.” Now we shift our efforts towards hiding our behaviors from others. The truth has made us uncomfortable therefore we dedicate our gifts of intelligence and creativity to protecting our addictive behaviors from discovery. This is a significant step in alienating us from ourselves and others. We devise endless compensations, but our addictions have a stranglehold now.
For further assistance, please call 763-566-0088 and speak to our Client Services Coordinator or stop by the NewPath Mental Health Services office at 8401 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 340, Golden Valley, MN 55426 to find out about services you are interested in.