Why not raise the BOTTOM?


addiction and alcoholism

You’ve heard it said, “They must hit bottom before they will be ready to get help.” Do you have to wait until they hit bottom? Or is there something you can do to help “raise the bottom” so your loved one can get help sooner?

What does it mean to “hit bottom?”

We often look at a person who has lost everything—job, car, home, respect, often family relationships have been destroyed by broken promises. They “hit bottom” when they are homeless and living on the streets. They’ve hit bottom when no one will loan them money to make it through their current “crisis.” One ex-addict told me, “ ‘Hitting bottom’ meant giving up my dignity and self-respect—doing whatever it took to get money for drugs. I even sold my body for a few dollars.”

For another young mother on her way to “hitting bottom” it meant losing custody of her children—and still falling deeper into her addiction.“‘Hitting bottom’ meant I was in so much pain—I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. ‘Hitting bottom’ meant I was ready to change—to give up on my miserable life and find help.”

“Hitting bottom” means facing reality—hitting a hard painful place— with nowhere else to go.

 

Do you know someone struggling with an addiction? We have many resources that are here to help them. What are some ways you can think of that will raise the bottom in your loved ones life?