If you were faced with a fatal and progressive disease, you’d likely do everything in your power to rid yourself of it. Humans are wired to go to great lengths to avoid death, and I imagine you would, too. You’d follow your doctor’s orders, take medications, try experimental treatments, explore holistic remedies, change your diet, or even resort to extreme measures like eating your own hair if it were the prescribed solution. So, if a way to cure this disease was offered to you, you’d take it — no matter what that solution entailed. And you’d be deeply grateful for it.
But what if this disease was so insidious that it told you everything was fine? What if it convinced you that you didn’t need to follow your doctor’s advice, take your medications, or treat it in any way? In fact, the disease would actively tell you not to do anything about it at all. Eventually, you might even start desiring the disease, believing that the solution is far scarier than the disease itself. You might run away from the cure, clinging to the sickness instead — so much so that you’d willingly face death, no matter how gruesome it might be.
Now, imagine there’s a choice. You can either continue suffering with this disease, potentially dying from it, or seek treatment and live. And what’s wild is that the solution is surprisingly simple. It doesn’t require any horrifying procedures like chemotherapy, there are no handfuls of pills with terrifying side effects, and you don’t have to spend hours at various doctors appointments. The solution is simple: it involves not doing one thing each day. Just one thing. You can carry on with everything else in your life, but you need to refrain from doing that one thing. And you don’t even have to leave your house.
People with conditions like cancer, asthma, or heart conditions would likely jump at this chance. One thing? No pills? No hospital visits? No endless treatments? They’d be willing to pay a lot for this option.
But when it comes to the disease of addiction, most of us would rather die. That’s the harsh reality of substance abuse.
The simple solution? Just don’t pick up.
Sounds easy, right? It’s not. Some of us can’t just stop and are compelled beyond all logic, reason and willpower to pick up. So hearing “why don’t you just stop” from those who don’t suffer from addiction is blood boiling. Because, as simple as the solution sounds, it’s the furthest thing from easy. For many of us, it’s the hardest thing we’ll ever do.
“Don’t pick up” is a straightforward answer to an incredibly complex issue, and yet so many of us would rather pick up than choose life itself. So much so that we die from this fucking thing every single day. In the United States, alcohol alone is responsible for approximately 500 deaths a day. That’s 500 unnecessary deaths, every single day.
The disease of addiction convinces us that we don’t actually have a disease. As described in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, the disease is “cunning, baffling, and powerful.” And believe me, it truly is. Addiction masks itself as stress relief, fun at parties, a coping mechanism, a way to bond with others, and even the means to feel “normal.” But as the disease progresses — as it did for me — it becomes the only reason to get out of bed in the morning. Life becomes unmanageable without it. Eventually, we start using the substance to ease the pain caused by the substance itself.
The truth is, addiction is a battle fought on two fronts: the disease itself and our refusal to believe we have it. We’re often tricked into thinking the substance is a solution when, in reality, it’s the very thing keeping us from living. The solution, though simple, requires a radical shift in how we view the world and ourselves. It’s not easy, and it’s not something we can do alone, but recovery is possible. It requires tremendous strength and courage, but it is possible.
Horrifying withdrawals aside, one of the many reasons why it’s so hard to just stop is because adapting to life in recovery after years of using a substance can feel like stepping into an alien world that’s both foreign and frightening. For so long, the drug of choice has been a constant companion, providing comfort, relief, or even a sense of control in times of chaos. It becomes ingrained in every aspect of life — a way to cope with stress, escape from pain, or even feel normal in social settings. When you take that away, it’s not just about quitting a substance; it’s about reinventing how you navigate the world without it.
The emotional, mental, and physical void left behind can feel suffocating, and the cravings can be relentless. Every day, you’re forced to face discomforts and triggers you’ve spent years avoiding. The routines, the habits, and the very identity tied to the drug are hard to break. Recovery requires patience, resilience, and a willingness to face a new way of living that doesn’t promise immediate relief but offers the hope of a life more meaningful and free from the chains of addiction.
We all have the power to make a choice: to continue living in the chaos of addiction, or to embrace the discomfort of change and choose life. It might be the hardest thing you ever do, but the alternative — continuing to suffer in silence and eventually losing the battle — is far worse. The solution for this fatal and progressive disease is within reach, and it starts with not picking up. One day at a time, one moment at a time, we have the chance to overcome addiction. It may feel impossible at times, but it starts with that simple solution. Just don’t pick up today. That’s it. Just for today, you can stop.
If you have a physical dependence on alcohol, benzodiazepines or opiates, seek medical attention or consult your doctor prior to stopping use. Withdrawal from these drugs can kill you, and it is unsafe to withdraw on your own. You can withdraw safely and comfortably under medical supervision. Withdrawal is no joke. Get help, don’t do it alone — you’re worth it
Laura is co-creator and writer at The Wagon. She’s written for Newsday, ran a marathon and fallen off bar stools. At 3+ years sober, she currently lives on Long Island, NY with her husband and little dog.
