The walls are caving in

How many times have you felt the walls are caving in? For many of us, this can be a common thought that can lead back into the negative thinking that can cause urges and cravings or spiral one back into high anxiety with feelings of depression. This last week I was skyping with a new face that needed some addiction education. The person, was suffering from that same feeling, the walls are caving in she acknowledged many times in the beginning of our Skype. She was very honest about her situation, and wanted to share her experiences with others if it could benefit them in any capacity. It was clear that this professional woman was sincere about getting help for herself and determined to not let her negative energy influence her life anymore. I listened to her speak, and was amazed how organized her thoughts were. I thought this was a good time in our discourse to ask what her addiction problems were? The walls were caving in she replied again, but this time she seemed confused why this writer was not picking up on her, "venting". I let her continue on with her story. It was a sad story. Her son, had recently exited or abandoned his residential treatment program and went missing. He was struggling with addiction behavior, and she was exasperated with him. The son was living in Colorado, where he went into his fourth treatment in three years. The family has the resources to help him, she noted several times during the conversation. She explained the last treatment the son decided to do something he had never done. The son came out of the closet. He expressed his own sexuality to the group. The mom reports he was ridiculed, and assaulted by two other clients. The night of the assault, her son fled the treatment facility. She began to cry and talk loudly how the walls are caving in. Slowly, I began to draw on my magic marker board, attempting to make walls that were surrounding her. She looked up, and started to give me direction on how big the wall was. I was not making the wall big enough, she shouted out. I then made the wall bigger, and bigger, I soon made the wall as big as the board when I stopped. She then told me that I was making this way to big on the board! I stopped, put the maker down, looked back at the screen, and said, "The walls are not caving in", "take a deep breath, squeeze your hands, tight, tighter, and release". She did. We then started to erase part of these walls. She directed me on where I could and could not erase. The positive I began to tell her, her son broke down these walls, and came out, for who he wanted to be for himself. She nodded her head in tears, but realized this was a positive. You are the only one that can let these walls get bigger, I told her. Control the thought, let out the negative energy and focus on how you balance your thoughts right this second. She nodded again, this time with a small smile. We talked more. She began to see that her walls were not caving in. She loved her son, and knew all along. Things started to make sense in her mind she replied. Tod, I am a therapist she explained. I thought so, I replied. Addiction can manifest in any family, any person, and the feeling of walls caving in happens. But, you have the mindset and power to erase these walls, see the positives, set appropriate boundaries for yourself, and try again with your son. Tod, you will be the first call when I talk to him again. Stay in your health, stay in moment.