I see a lot of people posting shit on social media platforms, like Instagram, pictures of "not sober" and "sober". Usually the picture of them intoxicated is a shitty candid picture to begin with, and their "new sober me" picture is professionally shot, all smiles running through flowers type bs. I can't help but get the impression that the message they are trying to send is something along the lines of "drugs were my only problem and since getting clean life is amazing."
It all just seems to fake, disingenuous and nothing like my experience with recovery has been. Part of me believes that these types of people, assuming their honesty, were not really all that bad to begin with. I don't doubt that they had a substance use disorder, but I would question how severe the addiction was if there was not severe biopsychosocial implications on the individuals life. Maybe there really are some, but the majority of people dealing with substance use disorders are also dealing with other disorders, such as depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, past and current trauma, and so on.
I guess what bugs me the most is people identifying themselves as an addict, but not talking about any of the struggle. I admire people like Brandon Novak and Steve-O who have been able to address their disease without minimizing it. Brandon Novak publicly talks about some pretty dark stuff and makes no attempt to cover up how bad things had become.
By many measures, my life hasn't improved at all. By some, it could even be said that things have gotten worse. I am less social and have less friends. I make less money and was in a better financial place while still using. I am less motivated now and having to relearn how to motivate myself without drugs. I am having to learn how to cope with simple things like social anxiety without drugs. It isn't easy. My life is definitely less chaotic, but it is far from all smiles. I am in a more stable place now, and more likely to sustain any success, but I wouldn't say I am more successful yet. I still have trouble sleeping- more so now, in fact my nightmares have come back. I wake up nearly every morning in a near panic state usually drenched in sweat... It takes at least 15-30 minutes to calm myself, something that has been notably harder since not using. My memory has drastically improved and lot of the anxiety and nervousness has dissipated. The depression has been harder to address for me though.
I know not everyone paints a fake picture, and am hoping to build some honest and open dialog for those that want it. Complain about things that aren't going right. Talk about struggles and difficuties. I think embracing the struggle is just as important as embracing success. To struggle is not to fail and the two should not be equated with each other, instead the opposite. No success has ever been achieved without sufficient prior struggle. If youre not struggling, what are you really doing..? Doesn't take much to fake a smile for a instagram.
It all just seems to fake, disingenuous and nothing like my experience with recovery has been. Part of me believes that these types of people, assuming their honesty, were not really all that bad to begin with. I don't doubt that they had a substance use disorder, but I would question how severe the addiction was if there was not severe biopsychosocial implications on the individuals life. Maybe there really are some, but the majority of people dealing with substance use disorders are also dealing with other disorders, such as depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, past and current trauma, and so on.
I guess what bugs me the most is people identifying themselves as an addict, but not talking about any of the struggle. I admire people like Brandon Novak and Steve-O who have been able to address their disease without minimizing it. Brandon Novak publicly talks about some pretty dark stuff and makes no attempt to cover up how bad things had become.
By many measures, my life hasn't improved at all. By some, it could even be said that things have gotten worse. I am less social and have less friends. I make less money and was in a better financial place while still using. I am less motivated now and having to relearn how to motivate myself without drugs. I am having to learn how to cope with simple things like social anxiety without drugs. It isn't easy. My life is definitely less chaotic, but it is far from all smiles. I am in a more stable place now, and more likely to sustain any success, but I wouldn't say I am more successful yet. I still have trouble sleeping- more so now, in fact my nightmares have come back. I wake up nearly every morning in a near panic state usually drenched in sweat... It takes at least 15-30 minutes to calm myself, something that has been notably harder since not using. My memory has drastically improved and lot of the anxiety and nervousness has dissipated. The depression has been harder to address for me though.
I know not everyone paints a fake picture, and am hoping to build some honest and open dialog for those that want it. Complain about things that aren't going right. Talk about struggles and difficuties. I think embracing the struggle is just as important as embracing success. To struggle is not to fail and the two should not be equated with each other, instead the opposite. No success has ever been achieved without sufficient prior struggle. If youre not struggling, what are you really doing..? Doesn't take much to fake a smile for a instagram.
