Recovery begins when we become aware that addiction is creating problems and begin addressing those problems. For Bill, getting sober interrupted his drinking, but it also disrupted the strategy alcohol had used to stabilize his internal state. In this first article of the series, he explores how sobriety exposed what alcohol had been managing, how recovery identity became another strategy for coping with internal distress, and why the next movement of recovery required a deeper question about the thoughts shaping his suffering.

Recovery begins when we become aware that addiction is creating problems and begin addressing them. But recovery often reveals more than the addictive behavior itself. It exposes the thoughts, beliefs, fears, and protective strategies that have shaped how we experience ourselves, others, and life. In this article, Bill explores how Byron Katie’s question, “Do you believe everything you think?” opened a new direction in his recovery beyond abstinence and helped him begin questioning the thoughts that had been shaping his suffering.