Amongst those who do escape the perils of addiction, other demons remain. Rarely have I met a person in recovery from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) who did not have a great deal of repressed trauma, a wealth of unresolved grief and loss, and underlying mental illness.
Boredom in recovery is a red flag
One of the very best additions counselors I know refers to ideas like boredom as, “Beautiful lies I tell myself.” I’ve come to see boredom as a lack of imagination and an avoidance of responsibility. It’s often a product of procrastination and/or insufficient investment in self and others.
Ambivalence is a barrier to recovery
There’s a fine line between, “I don’t know if I want this” and “I’m afraid of this.” That line is imperceptible when we’re on the fence.
Alcohol, Zoom, and the Pandemic
“While I’m in a meeting, my disease is outside doing pushups.” We know this is true – we also know that the disease is not “out there” it’s inside of us and seeking to undermine us at all times.
How do I let my walls down?
Nearly everyone I’ve ever served as a therapist or as a coach has said to me, “You’ll have to be patient. I have trust issues.” My response to that statement depends on how good I think their sense of humor is. What I’m most likely to say is, “Relax. We all do.”
What you say vs. what your therapist hears
My clients can only be as honest with me as they are with themselves. My job is to challenge what they’ve convinced themselves of.
The 6 Most Common Lies We Tell Ourselves
Self-deception is part and parcel to addictive thinking. As we grow in our recovery, let’s move toward rigorous honesty with sef and avoid these pitfalls.