The newness of things and situations (and, yes--relationships)
wears off. Always.
Intensity and thereby interest cannot be maintained extensively.
Look at a child and the way they get accustomed to the presence
of an older pet, or a favorite toy. The personality has become
commonplace, the regularity taken for granted. The child gets
bored, complacent.
Then a new and exciting unknown new pet or toy is introduced,
and the child rejuvenated, revitalized with expectation, curiosity,
infatuation, anticipation. The simple allure of new and unexplored
territory has snagged their soul.
In AA, the surge of emotions from constant new blood is enough
to keep coming back long after the initial thrill of attendance is
gone. They remain addicted to the opiates in a heady froth of
New Member smell, similar to that sense of ownership that
overtakes us in a new car.
There's only so much endless reiteration and hearing the
repetitious old timers' stories that the average person can
withstand, and even the constant revelries wear thin after
exposure and losing their mystery.
A never-ending stream and supply of emotional surges and
anticipation to keep addicts distracted from their bottom line;
what more could you ask for? (Besides a vulnerable target
that can be fooled into thinking the fiction that the addict
presents is real, and engendering them to you, even if only
momentarily.)
It really does take a special kind of person to make it through the
'recovery' process inherent in a 12 step meeting.
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