BIPOLAR SOBER / ADDICTION / PERSPECTIVES
ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
MORE THAN ONE STORY.
DIFFERENT FUCKING LENSES.
START WITH THE STORIES
BEFORE
THE LENSES.
Read these stories first for context. The perspectives below return to these experiences to examine the decisions, circumstances, consequences, and patterns involved. Same stories. Different ways of understanding what happened.
01 / THE STORY
FIRST
DUI
Read the account of my first DUI before exploring how the different perspectives interpret the experience.
READ THE STORY →02 / THE STORY
THIRD
DUI
Read the account of my third DUI for the context behind the reflections on responsibility, mental illness, addiction, and consequences.
READ THE STORY →03 / THE STORY
PRESS
SEND.
Drunk texts. Impulsive words. Sober consequences. An account of the things I said while intoxicated, the relationships affected, and what happens when you can't take back what you've sent.
READ THE STORY →01 / PERSPECTIVES ON ADDICTION
PICK A
LENS.
Addiction involves behavior, suffering, habits, relationships, and the environments in which you learn to live. Explore different ways to understand your experience, take responsibility, and build a life in recovery.
01
BUDDHISM
Suffering, craving, attachment, impermanence, mindfulness, and compassion. Examine your relationship with relief and what it means to live with greater awareness.
LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER →02
HINDUISM
The Self, discernment, dharma, devotion, and non-harming. Explore identity beyond addiction and the practice of acting with care while accepting uncertain outcomes.
EXPLORE →03
STOICISM
Judgment, desire, responsibility, and what is yours to act on. Approach setbacks with resourcefulness and consider how your daily actions express your values.
FOCUS ON WHAT'S YOURS →04
CBT
Thoughts, expectations, learned behavior, and the stories you tell yourself. Examine the evidence, recognize distortions, and develop a more accurate account of your experience.
QUESTION THE THOUGHT →05
DBT
Acceptance and change, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and relationships. Develop practical skills that support recovery and a life you want to participate in.
FIND THE MIDDLE →06
IFS
Get curious about the parts of you carrying pain, seeking relief, demanding control, or holding shame. Understand what a behavior was trying to accomplish while considering its effects on your whole life.
MEET YOUR PARTS →07
SHINTO
Sincerity, relationship, renewal, and care for the life around you. Consider what these ideas can offer recovery.
EXPLORE THE LENS →08
TAOISM
Adaptability, balance, simplicity, and responding without forcing an outcome. A different lens on change and recovery.
EXPLORE THE LENS →09
PAGANISM
Nature, cycles, ritual, reciprocity, and personal meaning. Explore how these ideas might connect with living in recovery.
EXPLORE THE LENS →10 / PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
THE BIG
PICTURE
Buddhism. Hinduism. Stoicism. CBT. DBT. IFS. Shinto. Taoism. Paganism. Bring these perspectives into conversation with treatment, community, accountability, and everyday life. Consider what each offers and how it fits your own recovery.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER →