It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that recovery from a mental illness, emotional trauma, or an addiction happens in a straight line, linear progression- with no setbacks, slips, detours, failed experiments, relapses, regression, addictions to replace addictions, bad therapists, toxic relationships, or the like.
Journeying through 25 years of recovery (a never-ending journey) has taught me that the road is hilly, windy, and filled with ruts, bumps, and pot-holes. It’s not an easy road, but despite having experienced all of the pitfalls mentioned above, I would much rather be on this sometimes treacherous road than hopelessly lost and wandering in the perilous wilderness I trekked before recovery.
Look at difficulty and mistakes as learning opportunities. If you fall down, get back up again. It’s progress, not perfection.
INSPIRATION AND EMOTIONAL COURAGE: MENTAL ILLNESS, ADDICTION, AND RECOVERY 