Honesty Step 1

"Freedom from addiction and cleanliness begin with a tiny flicker of will. The only requirement to Begin recovery is the desire to stop participating in the addiction.

Rarely do people caught in addictive behaviors admit to being addicted. To deny the seriousness of our condition and to avoid detection and the consequences of our choices, we try to minimize or hide our behaviors. One does not realize that by deceiving others and ourselves, we slip deeper into our addictions. As our powerlessness over addictions increased, many of us find fault with family, friends, church leaders and even God. We plunge into greater and greater isolation, separating ourselves from others, especially from God.

When we, as addicts, resort to lies and secrecy, hoping to excuse ourselves or blame others, we weaken spiritually. With each act of dishonesty, we bound ourselves with "flaxen cords" that soon become as strong as chains (2 Nephi 26:22). Then a time comes when we are brought face to face with reality. We can no longer hide our addictions by telling one more lie or by saying, " It is not that bad!"

We must let go of our Pride and seek humility.Pride and Honesty can not coexist. Pride is an illusion and is an essential element of all addiction. Pride distorts the truth about things as they are, as they have been, and as they will be. It is a major obstacle to your recovery.

"Pride is  very misunderstood....

most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtinee. All of these are elements of pride, but the heart, or core, is still missing.

The central feature of pride is enmity (feelings of hostility and hatred)

Enmity toward Fod and enmity toward our fellowmen." Ezra Taft Benson

When we choose to admit to ourselves that we have a problem and we become willing to to seek support and help, we gave that hope a place to grow. We have knowingly or unknowingly taken the first step to our recovery and are then ready to take the next step."

HOPE



All material taken from the LDS guide to Addiction Recovery and Healing