The cost of addictions across Australians is distressingly high. A new report on addictions released by firm KPMG indicates that addictions cost the Australian economy $80.3 billion in 2021. This report also calls out that 1 in 4 Australians will struggle with at least one if not multiple addictions in their lifetime. We are suffering at scale and many, In silence.
https://www.rethinkaddiction.org.au/understanding-the-cost-of-addiction-in-australia
I’ve been on both sides of the equation; grabbling with multiple addictions personally, and working with others to find their recovery, stability and freedom. Addictions are still largely misunderstood. Addictions are not the result of a moral failing. It’s not just escapism. Nor is it lack of willpower. Leading medical research Is delving into how an addicted versus a non-addicted brain function and there are distinct differences even when at rest. We need to open up the conversation about addictions to collectively overcome the stigma which exists. Like any mental health condition, we must treat It with respect, care and compassion.
I went to rehab, twice before I got clean. I was a high functioning addict and the denial runs deep in us. I kept tap dancing and I was a high performer, so I was able to present well in all arenas for decades, but what no one knew while I was in the throes of addiction,
was that I felt like a fraud and my addictive behaviours fulled credit card cash advances to support a $5000 a month habit which had a devastating financial and emotional impact on me and my relationships. I knew I needed help but I didn’t know where to start. On the way to Wonderland; Alice’s journey from financially fucked to freedom shares some of my rock ‘n roll backstory, OK, it’s not Keith Richard level, but there are some still some zingers, about how I found myself at an emotional, spiritual and financial rock bottom down under before finding my path to personal and financial freedom. If you’d like to hear more of my story please go to https://www.alicecrawley.com/on-the-way-to-wonderland-presale/
If you are suffering with addiction or you know someone who is, you don’t have to do it alone. There is help. You can flip the script and shift the trajectory of your life, relationships, wellbeing and financial health with these simple steps:
Step 1: Be honest with yourself. This can be the most challenging one as addiction goes hand in hand with denial. Reading, hearing and identifying with other people’s stories on addiction can help you get clear on whether you are dealing with one or multiple addictions. As deeply confronting as it is, stepping out of the dark and into the light is your key to freedom. As Ram Dass once said, ‘to get out of prison, you need to know you’re in prison’, you are the only one who can acknowledge and own whether you need to break free.
Step 2: Be honest with someone you trust about your situation. At my lowest ebb, I was cut off by my drug dealer, which, arguably, takes commitment, but not in the best direction. The flags were getting redder. I was terrified of telling someone, even my partner, about how my addiction and spending was spiralling out of control, but I had to get honest with someone or, as one rehab specialist once said to me, ‘you’re dead in the water‘ if you don’t . Find one person who you can be completely transparent with; someone who can hold a high trust space for you free of judgement to share what’s happening and how you need help.
Step 3: Explore the avenues of recovery, support and treatment available. Millions of us have found a path to personal and financial freedom no matter how far the rabbit hole we’ve fallen. Take that next right step, right here and right now. I still do recovery a day at a time and sometimes a minute or a second at a time. Decades of addiction won’t be resolved overnight. Simply take that next step to seek the support and treatment that you or your loved one needs.
Above all else, remember that you are not alone and you are loved, no matter what. Facing addictions can be painful at times, but you can break the behaviours and turn your life and your finances around with that first phone call. That’s how I started. I rang a friend and asked for help. You are more than your addictions, debt or difficulties, you are an infinite being, capable of claiming a life of peace, flow and freedom. Please remember that you hold within you universal life force, unlimited energy and power to be, do and have whatever you want and you are worthy of living free.
