Recovery With a Capital R!

Recovery is not something you just fall into because you stopped your addiction. It is imperative that you view Recovery as Active, Alive, Constantly Changing, a Verb…and something you never take for granted.

Yes; there are simple things you can do (e.g. eat healthily, exercise, attend meetings, avoid triggers, go to work), but unless you really reinvent yourself, you will always be at risk for relapse. “What does this mean — Capital R, dynamic, a verb? I thought I just did what I was told and followed the program.” Yes and No!

Until you understand the extent of the practices, habits, beliefs, emotions, you developed to be in an abusive relationship with a substance, you will always be at risk. Abusive because you became brainwashed by the substance to sabotage your own life for that substance. In the same way, you must understand how you became brainwashed by another, you also need to understand how you became brainwashed with your addiction.

Recovery With a Capital R: Revisit Your History

With a competent therapist, dive into your history with a commitment to a new understanding. This practice is not about recanting war stories, but rather about seeing how off course you became in life. You need a dynamic understanding of what your normal became vs what is normal enough for you to stay on the path of life. For this article, we will say “normal” is behavior that allows you to become who you want to be and fulfill your dreams. Now, this is tricky because of the brainwashing that happens. Have you heard yourself or others say things like:

“I could stop, I just don’t want to.”
“I like to party, so why would I stop?”
“What’s wrong? Everyone I know does what I do so we can’t all be that far off.”
“I don’t have to; I just enjoy it!”

It takes a skilled therapist to shoot non-judgmental holes in all of these buckets. Now, fast forward and think about how different versions of all these conversations can rear their ugly heads to sabotage your recovery. Capital R Recovery says “Look how masterful I was at convincing myself that I could stop, I just didn’t want to,” or that I had a great life.

Capital R says “I understand brainwashing because I explored how crazy my thinking became — and crazy thinking is not part of my recovery now!” Be active in dissecting the brainwashing and eventually you — not your therapist — can shoot holes in all those buckets. Until you do, they will try to come back in different clothes:

Continue reading here: https://backbonepower.com/recovery-with-a-capital-r/