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

Don’t Make this Recovery Mistake #addictiontreatment

29 Dec 2024 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:17

In this short YouTube monologue, Dallas Bragg warns against the common mental mistake of demonizing the internal voice that urges relapse. He explains that both the “angel” (the authentic self) and the “devil” (the addictive drive) are parts of the same person, often rooted in past trauma and feelings of rejection. By labeling the addiction voice as an enemy, individuals reject a part of themselves, perpetuating the cycle of use. Bragg proposes reframing the addiction voice as a protective, trauma‑driven part that seeks relief, and suggests treating it with compassion and curiosity. This shift allows individuals to love and integrate all aspects of themselves, fostering self‑compassion, which he argues is the key to lasting recovery.

Chapters

Hey, this mental mistake could keep you relapsing forever. I really wish someone would have told me this early on in my recovery. All addicts know the dynamic of having an angel and a devil on their shoulders. Part of us want to make a choice aligned with our authentic self, and part of us wants to indulge in the substance or behavior. Guess what? They're both a part of us, and you are caught in the middle. Where we go wrong is demonizing the voice telling us to relapse. When you create anger and reject the voice of addiction, you are effectively rejecting yourself. And I would bet being rejected was probably a huge part of what got you trapped in the addiction cycle to begin with. The devil, or addiction, is only trying to protect you from hurting. You get triggered and you're starting to feel trauma, it wants you to take the route you took before to feel better. So if you could shift the way you see your addiction, maybe think of it as having 2 angels on your shoulders. You begin to love that part of yourself and And appreciate the fact that addictive behaviors are only trying to protect you. That helps you begin the process of loving yourself because you love all parts of yourself. Loving yourself is ultimately how we heal from addiction.