The opposite of freedom....

Captivity....confinement.....imprisonment....incarceration.....slavery.....oppression...bondage.

Antonyms for the word 'freedom'. 

You know another word that is the complete opposite of 'freedom'?  Addiction.  No matter how long you search, there can be no freedom found in it.

There is no freedom found in waking up, putting your feet on the floor, and starting the daily routine of chasing a drug. 

There is no freedom found in desperately wanting to get clean, to recover, to be sober, yet not being able to. 

There is no freedom found in looking your loved ones in the face, seeing how much they love you, knowing in the back of your mind how much you love them, yet stealing from them, lying to them, and deceiving/manipulating them. 

There is no freedom in having to be high for every single occasion, whether good or bad. 
No freedom in barely remembering a family vacation, because you were high the entire time. 
No freedom in nodding out at Christmas dinner, birthday parties.......and church.

There is no freedom in being in treatment or prison and not seeing your family for months and months and months at a time.  No freedom in missing out on those important days that happen during your imprisonment.

There is no freedom in getting clean....then relapsing.  Then getting clean....then relapsing.  Then getting clean....then relapsing.  Again....and again...and again...and again.

There is no freedom in planning your entire life around your addiction.  In making sure you have enough pills for vacation. In planning out your prescription schedule so you don't run out.  In never leaving home without your stash.

There is no freedom in withdrawals.  In cold sweats, tremors, vomiting, leg cramps, body pain, insomnia.  No freedom in feeling like you have been hit by an eighteen-wheeler.  No freedom in not making it through the withdrawals and picking back up again.  No freedom in those withdrawals continually appearing. 

There is no freedom in vowing to get clean 'tomorrow', or tapering your use, then tomorrow comes and you are powerless.  No freedom at all.

There is no freedom in lying to your loved ones.  In lying to your friends.  In lying to your mentors.  In lying to your employers.  In lying to your sponsors.  In lying to yourself.

There is no freedom in every dime you have being wasted on your drug of choice.  No freedom in having absolutely NOTHING to show for it.

There is no freedom in knowing you are the only one who can unlock the shackles, yet you lack the energy to even look for the key. 

There is no freedom in thinking you can control your use.  Of thinking you can only take one pill or one drink, then blinking your eyes and realizing you are out of control....yet again. 

There is no freedom in having to fight the horrible disease of addiction for the rest of your life.  No freedom in triggers and cravings. 

There is no freedom in your loved ones no longer trusting you.  No freedom in not being able to look them in the eye.  No freedom in constantly being questioned.  No freedom in not trusting yourself.


There is no freedom in hopelessness.  In despair.  In powerlessness. 
No freedom in being sick and tired of being sick and tired.
No freedom in hoping tomorrow never comes. 


There is no freedom found in addiction.  None at all.  And, lest you believe there ever can be, remember this.  The only things found in addiction are captivity, confinement, imprisonment, incarceration, slavery, oppression and bondage.  Oh yeah.....and death. 

Just for today, let's choose freedom over addiction.  Freedom over captivity.  Freedom over confinement.  Freedom over imprisonment and incarceration.  Freedom over slavery.  Freedom over oppression.  Freedom over bondage.  Freedom over death. 

Let's choose freedom one day at a time.

Why?

Because freedom trumps addiction.....any day of the week. 


To read about what true freedom is, click here.