Dallas Bragg argues that people who never hit rock bottom face a harder recovery because they lack an external crisis to force change. Instead, they must deliberately build a new identity and a compelling daily vision that makes sobriety the obvious choice.
Many people don't stop using drugs until they hit rock bottom. But what if you can never hit rock bottom? What if you're getting away with using and you're not really suffering any consequences, but you know that you have to stop? If you can't hit rock bottom, you have to level up. Leveling up means creating an identity of who I am post-drugs. How do I show up in the world without using? You have to create a vision strong enough that it challenges you every day to be better. Something that is so viscerally exciting that you cast a vote every single day to be this new version of yourself. In many ways, not hitting rock bottom is actually harder to get in recovery from drugs than those who actually lose everything like I did. But you cannot move forward without a vision. So decide who you're going to be and do it on purpose.
