This is a brilliant piece by a very cool blogger:
http://whatmesober.com/2019/05/24/the-guru-syndrome/
I’ve seen this happen and also been there. I’m seeing this more and more on *social media too, the newly sober snapping glamorous pics & dolling out therapy as if they’ve been sober for 20 years. This platform gives us addicts a way to ‘rebrand’ ourselves and its very tempting indeed. No more the hapless alcoholic now new and sparkly sexy and sober… We do need to clasp back any tiny shred of self esteem we can get after being kocked down by addiction so I GET IT.
The issue is just that someone who has been sober for 11 months is still very much in their infancy in terms of sobriety. The danger of course is ALSO relapse as you are building your recovery on such a public platform and not really focussing on the internal process needed for a deeper understanding of addiction and how to treat it. It troubles me greatly but everyone’s path is different. The only thing worse than a relapse is a public one after you’ve been ’spreading the sober gospel all over instagram’
* (instagram & facebook not our blogging community, this community saved me and I managed to really get amazing help and support here in this space)
It’s funny, I saw that piece when it first turned up in the feed, and though of course I can relate to the principle behind it, and yes of course, like most of us, I’ve both “seen it and been it,” I felt irritated by the way it was written, which felt ironically guruesque. I actually had to write a whole step 4 rant about it. 😉 I like your own version better 🙂
I loved your closing caveat and agree: “(instagram & facebook. not our blogging community, this community saved me and I managed to really get amazing help and support here in this space)” — yes same for me 💛
love your blog btw, mentioned it in my day 10 post
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Right on. Kid’s these days!
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Ha! I was just thinking about this the other day. I subscribe to some people but then I unsubscribe… same with podcasts. But, I am still struggling with REALLY deciding to quit drinking forever. However, I did let my therapist know about my blog. I know she has been reading it since the last time I saw her and I see her later today. I am a little nervy about it. I am hoping she has some insight into way I am so stuck. I don’t have many more hangovers in me…
You are right about our blogging community- I want to plug back in, I still read but I haven’t written in a long while. Glad to see you!!♥️
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Ps… stopdrinking on Reddit is pretty good too.
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One of the best lessons I think o have learned is that just because something is for me does NOT mean it is for everyone.
I remember years ago being evangelical about low carb diets. I was fit, thin and thought it was the answer to all problems.
Turned out it helped me as I was celiac and didn’t know it. But at the same time I starved myself into severe adrenal fatigue.
I try to stick with soft and gentle now. Often I bite my tongue and say nothing. I definitely don’t have all the answers.
Anne
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Hi! I haven’t been around for a while but it’s great to see that you’re still sobering on and writing cool stuff 🙂 x
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