Dallas Bragg tells men in TINA recovery that measuring success only by abstinence sets them up to fail. Instead, track what you can control: journaling daily, learning your limits, building a better self-image. Shift from perfection to perception.
So here's why you think you're failing at TINA recovery. You know, I hear from guys every day who are upset and down on themselves because they are failing at recovery. And the first question I ask is, okay, what is your measure of success and failure? The answer is, well, obviously whether I've not— whether or not I've used TINA. That is called a perfection mindset, and that will leave you disappointed every time. TINA recovery is not about perfection. It's about perception. How you interpret your success and failure, how you respond to life events, the lens through which you create narratives about what's going on around you. What if you measured success by, today I wrote a journal entry, or the last time I used, I learned that I definitely cannot drink alcohol? Positive and empowering perception will elevate your self-image, which will naturally elevate you out of Tina use.
