Wanna Know More About Me?

My photo
Minocqua, Wisconsin
I'm Belinda. Plot twist: I'm both a recovering addict AND a substance use disorder clinician. If you'd told me years ago I'd be where I am today, I would've laughed so hard I might've fallen off my barstool. But here we are, and somehow life turned out way better than any high I chased back in the day. I started this blog because we need to cut through all the BS around addiction and recovery. There's enough shame and stigma out there, and I'm pretty much done with it. It's time to get uncomfortable and talk about the stuff nobody wants to talk about. The messy parts. The real parts. Home-wise, I'm living my best chaos in northern Wisconsin with my incredible partner (our family's human rock), two amazing boys (one rocking the autism spectrum), a weirdly lovable dog named Baby Dog, and a cat named Steve. While our neck of the woods is postcard-pretty, we're not immune to the addiction crisis. This blog? It's going to be honest. Sometimes painfully so. Sometimes funny (because if we can't laugh at the darkness, what's the point?). Always real. Welcome to my corner of the internet, where recovery meets reality, and we don't sugarcoat a damn thing.

Thursday, May 16, 2024

Busting it wide open

 Top 3 Myths About Addiction Recovery: Busting Them with a Smile


Addiction recovery, a journey as arduous as climbing Mount Everest backwards and blindfolded, has its fair share of misconceptions. Let's put on our myth-busting capes (complete with a flashy “M” for Myth-breaker, obviously) and tackle the side-splitting fables that swirl around this noble quest for sobriety.


Myth #1: You Can Recover Alone – Just Grow a Willpower Beard!

Ah, the Lone Ranger of sobriety, striding into the sunset with nothing but their steely resolve! Who needs support when you have a willpower so mighty it could bench press your addiction like a feather? Newsflash: Recovery isn’t a spaghetti western. Growing a Gandalf-esque beard of sheer tenacity is certainly visually impressive, but let's face facts – Frodo didn’t toss the ring into Mount Doom solo. He had a whole fellowship! Likewise, support from friends, family, professionals, and fellow recoverers can mean the difference between "one day at a time" and "I'm not even sure what day it is."


Myth #2: As Soon As You're Sober, Life Turns into a Musical

The credits roll, you get your 30-day chip, and suddenly your life bursts into spontaneous song and dance numbers. Birds chirp harmoniously as your formerly confused brain cells now execute flawless ballet routines. If only! The reality is that recovery involves work – like rebuilding relationships and coping without your former crutch. Don't get us wrong: there are plenty of happy tunes on the playlist of sobriety; they just take some time to shuffle through the more reflective ballads and the occasional heavy metal scream.


Myth #3: Relapse? Game Over.

Ah yes, the myth that views recovery like an old-school video game: one wrong move and BAM! It's back to zero with no saved progress. In truth, recovery is less of pixelated linear quest and more of an open-world RPG. It’s about growth, learning from every step-back and becoming stronger. A relapse isn't the final boss defeat; rather think of it as accidentally bumping into an NPC – you might lose some progress points, but you’re stacking up experience for your journey ahead.


In conclusion, addiction recovery is neither a solo nor an overnight serenade in sobriety paradise – and it certainly isn't over if you hit a snag along the way. We tip our hats to all those bravely embarking or continuing on this adventure; keep smirking at those myths as they get tossed aside like empty bottles by one stellar sobernaut after another. Stay strong, stay smiling!-Belle-

No comments:

Post a Comment

No Place to Land: Homelessness, Addiction, and the Search for Stable Ground

No Place to Land: Homelessness, Addiction, and the Search for Stable Ground Let’s get brutally honest. When I was a kid, “homelessness” was ...