From Matthew Perry to Jamie Lee Curtis to Drew Barrymore, more and more celebrities are sharing their stories of recovery with others. The recent comeback of actress Lindsay Lohan is another shining example of how those who are in addiction recovery can thrive despite falls from grace.
They show us a couple of things by being open and honest about their past and current struggles.
One: even those who seem to have it all can benefit from entering a treatment center in Costa Mesa, CA, or otherwise.
Two: The stigma surrounding addiction is reduced when others come forward and share.
But you don’t have to be a celebrity to share your recovery story. In fact, stories like yours are just what someone may need to start their journey. And as much as this can be a selfless act, there are benefits for you as well.
Let’s look at each one.
Sharing Your Story Reduces Stigma
Addiction and addiction recovery have long been sources of pain and shame that were kept under wraps. Along with commonly co-existing conditions like anxiety and depression, there is a great deal of stigma surrounding addiction. These include the false ideas that:
- Addiction is due to a lack of willpower
- Addiction is a moral failing/addicts are inherently bad
- Addicts are broken people who don’t contribute to society
- Only minorities or those from poor, urban areas struggle with addiction
The truth is addiction is a chronic brain disease 1 and can impact anyone, regardless of gender, race, and economic status. However, when we share our stories of addiction recovery, we put a face to the struggle and humanize what it looks like to struggle with substance abuse disorder.
Sharing Your Story Reduces Shame
There is a great amount of power in personal experience. 2
Over the past few years, Tiktok has become a place for people to share parts of their lives. From crime reports to recipes to dance routines, videos range from informational to light-hearted and funny. One side of Tiktok gaining popularity has been dubbed Recoverytok, as it has over 8 million views.
The content includes stories of addiction recovery from start to finish. People share their stories, including treatment center experiences, days clean, to relapses, and restarts. The sense of community is strong, and commenters express how connected each story makes them feel.
Telling personal stories of addiction recovery reduces shame for both teller and listener, regardless of platform. So, whether you’re sharing in a treatment center, Costa Mesa, CA support group, or some other place, the key is to keep sharing. 3
Sharing your Story Helps You Grow
The stories we tell about ourselves and our past greatly impact our future. After all, they directly affect the beliefs we have about ourselves. These narrative identities 2 or internalized stories can be very powerful, especially for those who are connected to a treatment center in Costa Mesa, CA or addiction recovery.
A university psychologist Dan McAdams has studied narrative identity for over three decades. He has identified two types of narrative stories that people tell: redemptive stories and contamination stories.
McAdams explains, “People who believe their lives are meaningful tend to tell stories defined by growth, communion, and agency.” On the other hand, contamination stories have a theme of life going from good to bad, better to worse. McAdams found that people who tell these tainted tales tend to be more depressed and anxious and contribute less to society.
Which story you choose to tell is completely up to you. However, choosing to craft a redemptive tale will not only help others with their own addiction recovery. It can also solidify yours and help you see yourself more positively and profoundly. 4
If you need help with the recovery process, Clear Life Recovery can help. We know that the path isn’t linear, and everyone has a chance of recovery, no matter what stage they’re at in their addiction. If you’re still in active addiction, don’t delay seeking treatment any longer — reach out to Clear Life Recovery today.
Sources:
[1] https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/programs_campaigns/02._webcast_2_resources.pdf
[2] https://ideas.ted.com/the-two-kinds-of-stories-we-tell-about-ourselves/
[3] https://nida.nih.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2020/04/addressing-stigma-surrounds-addiction
[4] https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2021/03/03/the-importance-of-sharing-stories-when-helping-others-find-treatment-for-addiction/?sh=51e24077536a
