Taking Things for Granted in Recovery
It is common for people to take things in their life for granted. This not only applies to possessions but also to loved ones and situations. It is only usually when these things are taken away that the person appreciates just how important they were. If humans could fully appreciate all the good they currently have in their life the world would be a much better place, but this is not likely to happen anytime soon. Taking things for granted just seems to be part of human nature.
Those individuals who are recovering from an addiction need to be particularly careful not to take their sober life for granted. If they become complacent they might stop doing the things that have been keeping them away from alcohol or drugs. This could then spell disaster for them.
Complacency Defined
William Pollard once warned:
The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.
Complacency can be defined as a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy. To say an individual is acting complacently means that they are taking things for granted. They have developed a type of smugness over their achievements, and they just expect that things will remain the same forever. When an individual becomes complacent they no longer feel that they need to work in order to find success in life – they view it as something they have already earned.
Complacency Danger in Addiction Recovery
Those individuals who are recovering from an addiction are at risk of developing an attitude of complacency. When people first become sober they will tend to be eager and motivated. They are relieved to be free of addiction and this means they are willing to put the work in to maintain it. As the famous saying goes, time heals all wounds. Over time the individual forgets how bad things were for them at the end of their