Act as If

I recently checked out a book that is an entire dictionary to the “12 step culture”. It is very interesting and I have learned a lot. However one phrase within this “addictionary” stood out to me. It is a saying that sponsors or “old timer’s tell people who are new to recovery and are feeling like using. They are told to act as if they do not want to use or as if they do not feel insane. It says that “all you really change for the moment is your actions, not your feelings”(Cavanaugh,1998). Wow! I am not an addict, unless you look in my closet and see the insane amount of shoes I have, but this mantra really caught my attention.

There are so many times that I feel as if I am going insane in my life. There are times that I think most of us feel down and start considering the crazy alternatives that we normally wouldn’t-but we cannot change our feelings on this, just our actions. I am a firm believer that regardless of our feelings we can “fake it till we make it” on a situation. Perhaps it is gradual but just the action of trying to change your outlook can alter your perspective of your life.Mahatma Gandhi once said,”Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed.Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.” Perhaps this may sound a little idealistic, but I do believe we can change the actions against the “harmony”.

There were over 800000 suicide attempts in 2005; it is said that a suicide occurs in every 16 minutes. Henry David Thoreau said that the “mass of men live quiet lives of desperation”. I think that these suicide attempts and completions are a reflection of Thoreau’s quote.Rather than faking it till we make it, we often just fake it. We often wear the facade of a happy life. Ashamed of the real turmoil we face in our own lives. Haven’t you ever had your mother or a friend ask you how you were and rather than worrying them or exploiting your problems you just simply reply, “I’m fine. Everything is good.” Short, simple, and through the teeth lying.

I suppose this phrase can fall under the category of wishful thinking.We hope our lives are okay, we try to stay positive, and hope for the best. Rather than enacting the awful desperate times we are in, enact that we are great in all aspects. Saying it is not enough; it must be a life style. And as a plus most men and women are highly drawn to positive people. And so when in doubt or depression, change your actions, because you can’t change much else.

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