This is true. I see it in so many people in recovery I talk to. I had a guy ask me if I had any febreeze recently because he couldn't be around the smell of pot.. it was a HUGE trigger for him and even made him anxious that he would fail a drug test if he had accidently touched something that someone who toked had touched. It's that simple to be set off by something..
Namaste Belinda ~ i the original 'Big Book' Mr. Bill says "We are 12 recovered Alcoholics who are no longer troubled by the drink". (THEY have removed that statement from the newer books) i HAVE reach that stage ~ i'm not sure when it happened ~ but one day i just realized my addictions were no longer a problem ~ i don't kid myself ~ i still work the 12 Steps etc through a Buddhist based recovery program "Recovery Dharma". . .
This really hit me. I’ve been writing lately about anger and how it often shows up as something to be “fixed” or managed, but that really it is a trigger pointing toward something deeper. I love how honestly you name the messy parts of healing without shame. It’s so refreshing to see recovery talked about in this way, real, raw, and human.
Thank you so much for this. I totally agree—anger gets such a bad rap, but most of the time it’s just holding up a big neon sign to something deeper that needs attention. It’s not just a “problem to solve;” it’s info about where we still hurt, or what we need.It means a lot to know that naming the messy, unglamorous parts of healing resonates. Recovery is never a straight line, and I think the more we talk honestly about the real stuff—the rage, the backslides, the stuff we wish we could just “fix”—the less alone we all feel.I’d love to read some of your writing on anger if you’re open to sharing. What’s something unexpected you’ve learned about your own anger?
I really felt what you said, it’s such a hard thing to navigate when you’re trying to stay true to yourself in situations that feel unfair or heavy. I’ve been exploring some of that in my own writing lately. Last week’s post(s) were on grief, and this week I’m diving into anger. Here’s the first piece if you’d like to read https://andrea8294.substack.com/p/the-hidden-cost-of-repressed-anger?r=5hi4j1
Belle, this is one of the most honest takes on triggers I’ve read in ages. I love how you cut through all the polished recovery talk and just say what it really feels like — messy, sneaky, sometimes even a little ridiculous, but so real.
That line, “You’re learning, not losing,” hit hard. It’s the kind of truth people need when they’re in the thick of it. And “nobody here gets a map, but we know what the ditches feel like” — that one stopped me. Thank you for saying all this out loud — it honestly feels like a breath of oxygen~
This is true. I see it in so many people in recovery I talk to. I had a guy ask me if I had any febreeze recently because he couldn't be around the smell of pot.. it was a HUGE trigger for him and even made him anxious that he would fail a drug test if he had accidently touched something that someone who toked had touched. It's that simple to be set off by something..
Namaste Belinda ~ i the original 'Big Book' Mr. Bill says "We are 12 recovered Alcoholics who are no longer troubled by the drink". (THEY have removed that statement from the newer books) i HAVE reach that stage ~ i'm not sure when it happened ~ but one day i just realized my addictions were no longer a problem ~ i don't kid myself ~ i still work the 12 Steps etc through a Buddhist based recovery program "Recovery Dharma". . .
This really hit me. I’ve been writing lately about anger and how it often shows up as something to be “fixed” or managed, but that really it is a trigger pointing toward something deeper. I love how honestly you name the messy parts of healing without shame. It’s so refreshing to see recovery talked about in this way, real, raw, and human.
Thank you so much for this. I totally agree—anger gets such a bad rap, but most of the time it’s just holding up a big neon sign to something deeper that needs attention. It’s not just a “problem to solve;” it’s info about where we still hurt, or what we need.It means a lot to know that naming the messy, unglamorous parts of healing resonates. Recovery is never a straight line, and I think the more we talk honestly about the real stuff—the rage, the backslides, the stuff we wish we could just “fix”—the less alone we all feel.I’d love to read some of your writing on anger if you’re open to sharing. What’s something unexpected you’ve learned about your own anger?
I really felt what you said, it’s such a hard thing to navigate when you’re trying to stay true to yourself in situations that feel unfair or heavy. I’ve been exploring some of that in my own writing lately. Last week’s post(s) were on grief, and this week I’m diving into anger. Here’s the first piece if you’d like to read https://andrea8294.substack.com/p/the-hidden-cost-of-repressed-anger?r=5hi4j1
Belle, this is one of the most honest takes on triggers I’ve read in ages. I love how you cut through all the polished recovery talk and just say what it really feels like — messy, sneaky, sometimes even a little ridiculous, but so real.
That line, “You’re learning, not losing,” hit hard. It’s the kind of truth people need when they’re in the thick of it. And “nobody here gets a map, but we know what the ditches feel like” — that one stopped me. Thank you for saying all this out loud — it honestly feels like a breath of oxygen~