Living in a world that is as tumultuous as ours can be a grueling experience. It seems that we encounter so many problems. Facing setbacks, pains, hurts, loss, health problems, and many other troubles can really drag us down.

This can make the temporary euphoria of using drugs or alcohol very attractive to a person. Getting a taste for such a thrill, we might start seeking it as a release or simply for the sake of experiencing the high that comes from altering our brain chemistry.

Paying the price for that can become quite costly, and not only in terms of money. Turning away and finally losing the very people that we love the most is tragic. No drug is worth that. Destroying the life we built is a terrible waste. Burning the bridges of beneficial relationships comes with many consequences.

When the addiction is strong enough, stealing, cheating, tricking and hurting others for the purpose of getting what we crave may seem attractive. Listening to one man describe his experiences, which eventually led to the suicide of his mother because he treated her so badly, was sad and sickening. It was hard to hear.

Growing an addiction to that point is a true horror. When drugs or alcohol become so important that we put the addiction before everything else it is the end of being a human being. Such a person is merely a tool for the addiction itself. The addiction has achieved its goal: total domination of its human host.

Is there hope for such a person? Possibly, but it will take something extraordinary. There is one sole ingredient that must be there for the road to recovery to be possible. The person must want to change. Without this willingness, the situation is almost hopeless.

When someone falls to this extent the road to recovery may be a rough one. Turning back to the addiction, even momentarily, can spell the beginning of the end all over again.

This is the time for a fundamental change. Putting others before ourselves becomes absolutely crucial at this point. When we realize the additional pain that we have brought to the already difficult existence of the people we have and love in our lives, we must experience deep regret.

Every second becomes a battle to put others in front of our addiction, changing and altering the pattern for the better. Accomplishing something solely for ourselves may be difficult in this situation. When we start living by putting others before ourselves, that is when we can really overcome an addiction.

A famous cancer surgeon discovered that when his patients became more loving towards other people in their lives their cancers often went into remission. The mind and body are truly connected.

Perhaps breaking the cycle of addiction could be possible with a similar approach? An addiction's basic characteristic, aside from the physical, is one of selfishness. Thinking of others first is addressing that most fundamental problem head on. The one absolutely necessary component for success is the person's willingness to change his very character. A strong will must be developed for an addiction to be destroyed. Not all professionals will agree.

This article is not meant to provide advice. An addiction as well as any other health or mental health issue should be diagnosed and treated by a licensed physician.