Entering the rooms of recovery, whether they be twelve step meetings or the walls of a treatment facility, we learn something very quickly: there’s no room for comparison. Yet, most of us come in comparing. We weren’t that bad. At least we didn’t do that drug in that way. The list can carry on: we weren’t arrested, we weren’t arrested for that, we didn’t get a DUI, we didn’t get that many DUI’s, we didn’t steal, we didn’t steal that much, we didn’t use at work, we never left a job, we didn’t cheat on partners, we didn’t hurt ourselves, we didn’t get into accidents- as it is said, the list can go on, ad infinitum. Many men hesitate coming to recovery because they don’t think that their addiction has become “bad enough” to warrant treatment. Many men in recovery relapse because they think the same- I wasn’t as bad as these guys, I’m not supposed to be here. Men who have developed an addiction to marijuana might think, I’m not an alcoholic, and I don’t do hard drugs. Men who have developed alcoholism might think, I don’t drink all that much and I don’t do drugs at all. The bottom line is: it doesn’t matter

Not all drugs and mind altering substances are created equal. Heroin is certainly more dangerous than marijuana. One dose of heroin can bring instantaneous fatal overdose. It would take an obscenely large amount of marijuana consumed in the course of about 15 minutes to incur any kind of overdose. Alcohol is more addictive than marijuana, more deadly than marijuana, and causes more health risks. While some medical professionals tout the regular glass of wine to be beneficial for cardiovascular health, heavy marijuana smokers are at a higher risk for heart failure. Comparisons and risks are unending.

Addiction is addiction regardless of the substance, the method of use, the severity of use, or even the longevity of use. Everyone comes to their experience of addiction differently and each person’s experience of addiction is different. If your life has become completely dependent upon your use of drugs and/or alcohol, or your use of drugs and alcohol has caused a significant problem in your life, recovery is for you. Recovery is possible for you. Help is available.

Tree House Recovery is a men’s treatment program located in Portland, Oregon. Creating sustainable recovery through sustainable change, our programs help men learn how to live sober with adventurous lives. Call us today for information: (503) 850-2474