Why is this important to understand?

     For one, if you understand the state of being recovered then you will see the great and tragic flaw in the mainstream view of addiction and treatment. You will see that it makes no sense whatsoever. You will see that the information being pumped about addiction is nonsense and that treatment is literally designed to keep addicts from truly recovering. You will see that the so-called intellectuals of today want you to believe that addicts are damaged beyond repair and so we should see them all as victims and then coddle them clinically with substitution drugs and therapeutically by validating all of their feelings, reasons and excuses as to why they use.

     While it may seem on the surface that this new-age, progressive understanding of addiction is one of compassion, the truth is that it’s quite the opposite. Mainstream treatment and its accompanying propaganda cripples addicts. It does not heal nor does it save. It validates the sick idea that addicts will always be diseased and damaged and subpar, and thus to expect much from them lacks compassion. To hell with personal responsibility and accountability. To hell with hard work and exceptionalism. To hell with freedom, success and launching oneself beyond the ash heap of mediocrity, beyond the average, beyond even the non-addict. To hell with literally conquering one’s entire life and his or her surrounding world. To hell with dreams.

     So regarding “recovery,” we are either completely ok or not at all. Even those with relatively strong physical recovery to their lesser counterparts are subject to randomly experience the mental obsession (recurring or spontaneous thoughts to drink or use that do not respond to ration or reason) and just pick-up one day for no reason at all. This is one of the more difficult things for non-addicts to understand (families & spouses) and even non-recovered addicts, as there is no direct experience from which to comprehend the state of being recovered.

     The state of being recovered is when the broken or insane mind of an addict is now entirely free. That is, they no longer suffer from this “mental obsession” and are therefore no longer at risk to drink or use under any circumstance, whether internal or external. This doesn’t just include conscious thoughts to drink or use, but more importantly, includes the inability to suddenly go insane and just reflexively pick-up (as addicts often do and people wonder wtf).

     The non-recovered person may make strides and try hard at their recovery, yet still has a broken mind and can just randomly get high one day with no idea as to why they used. So the brain of a sober addict with some time under his belt and some sort of consistent program may still be completely insane. This is crucial for people to understand. We are either insane or recovered.

     On the other hand, the state of being recovered is pronounced and profound. It cannot be mistaken. Not only is there absolutely no desire to use or drink, no urges as it were, but there is a deep-seated peace and contentment associated with a drug-free life. Those who are recovered hate drugs and alcohol with a passion. They see substances as nothing more than poison, the work of satan, something that stands in the way of them and God and of their spiritual growth. Their minds and souls have cracked wide open and have been released. They cherish their lives and their health, as they are now filled to the brim with purpose and spirit. The become disgusted by drugs and alcohol, and see them for what they really are. They see all that is toxic and begin to naturally repel such things.

     The recovered mind no longer suffers from thoughts to drink or use. In fact, he or she can sit there and purposely think about drugs or work as a bartender or pack bags for a heroin dealer (obviously don’t work for a heroin dealer, as they are, needless to say, doing the work of the devil despite what these progressive idiots and judges here in Massachusetts would have you believe about how dealers are good people just trying to feed their families and should be released) but my point is that they are entirely safe and free.

     There are no triggers. The truth is that triggers do not exist, as the only trigger is simply breathing, i.e. the state of being alive, for the non-recovered. Nothing MAKES someone use – no person, place, memory, event or thing. The idea of “triggers” was invented by clinicians etc who do not understand addiction and do not realize the existence of the state of being recovered, a state that is characterized by a world in which there are no triggers. I could put Oxycontin into bottles all day and not once would it occur to me to destroy all things precious in my life. Not once would it occur to me to destroy my relationship with God, to take back my will, to prevent myself from being able to serve my family, friends, and other addicts and their families or spouses. I have no urge to self-destruct, regardless of what happens around me or what happens inside me emotionally. Do you see?

     I’ll copy and paste the chapter on what happened to me spiritually in the next blog to better explain the state of becoming/being recovered and the total, fundamental shift that can occur within an addict or alcoholic.