Dallas Bragg argues recovery success is about perception, not perfection. One use after 100 days of abstinence is progress, not failure. A positive self-image and flexible, choice-driven recovery work better than rigid metrics for gay men navigating chemsex recovery.
If you have 100 days of abstinence and you use, do you have to start counting your days over? Who says this? Who is the arbiter of these made-up rules? Successful chemsex recovery is about perception, not perfection. If you shift your perception to say, in the last 100 days, I've used once, and guess what? That's the most I've been abstinent in 5 years. That's an improvement for me. I'm proud of my 100 days. I worked fucking hard for 100 days. They didn't just disappear. The perception you have of Self is what will empower you and move you forward. But to say, well, I have to start over again, day one, what is that? What does that feel like? Negative failure. And if you believe you're a failure, and if you believe you're not getting it right, then why not just use again anyway? Because it just confirms your self-image. For gay men especially, successful recovery is about how we view ourselves and anchoring into a positive reinforcement model. So go to the meetings if they help, but also don't go to the meetings if they don't help. Either way, as As long as it's a choice you make out of inspiration to be authentic, not obligation to some arbitrary person or book. You are investing in your highest version here.
