Dallas BraggFormer crystal methamphetamine user, I help men who have sex with men break free from the addictive patterns associated with Chemsex. Currently expanding my expertise by seeking to become a Certified

Curiosity vs. Condemnation

23 Mar 2026 · 1 min

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In this solo monologue, Dallas Bragg argues that successful recovery from addiction hinges on cultivating curiosity rather than self‑condemnation. He explains that condemning oneself after a relapse only deepens the problem, whereas approaching relapse with a questioning, investigative mindset turns the individual into a compassionate observer. Bragg advises adopting a third‑person, student‑like perspective—viewing one’s feelings and sensations from a detached “true self” stance—so that emotions are observed without being carried away. This curiosity‑driven approach is presented as a practical method to stay engaged in recovery and prevent relapse from derailing progress.

Chapters

If you listen to me, you know that I say that successful recovery is about curiosity, not condemnation. Condemnation is placing judgment, condemning yourself for the things you do. Of course, first thing I'm going to think of here is relapse. Responding to relapse with condemnation is not going to get you anywhere. In fact, it's going to be the very thing that puts you behind in your recovery, not the relapse itself. That's not the problem. Your response to it. When you respond with curiosity, you're asking questions. You're an investigator, a compassionate observer. You're a student in a lab. And as a student, you are able to observe that you're feeling the feelings, you're feeling the sensations, and you're observing what's happening to you, but you're not carried away by it. Observing allows you to zoom out so that you're not attached. You're not being carried away with the feelings. You are watching what happens to you. from a third-person point of view. The third person is your true self.