Life after addiction - a story of renewal and recovery in the countryside
Today I wanted to celebrate several years of being the happiest and healthiest I have ever been. I went from barely being able to stay standing during a work shift (and downing liters of soda a day to keep me going🙈) to hiking 5 miles up a mountain last year! I was so proud of doing something I never thought I could. I have fallen in love with life again! Just felt that it is a story worth sharing, I gave some details and links below.
🦊🍄My Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thecottagefairyart
❤️ No obligation whatsoever, but if you would like to donate to support this channel. $5 will get a thank you postcard (my own art) from me in the mail (you must include address in your note so I can send it!). It is much appreciated: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=HHM6PC6SV23UN
🦋Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_cottage_fairy/
Information and conservation efforts in the beautiful Okanogan County: https://methowconservancy.org
🌎 Take action to protect our lands (no donations necessary): https://www.audubon.org/takeaction
🌙 My favorite charity: https://www.nrdc.org
☀️Take Action: https://www.sierraclub.org/take-action
This video is a collaboration with my brother Rohan. You can find him on Instagram @ Rohan_Merrill
Additional music found at @
https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/dhkfzn/
(Get a month free with my referral code)
More Details ⬇️
Addiction is a word people often avoid, I am using it specifically to try to normalize the word and spread awareness that it is a broad and sometimes misunderstood term ❤️ I would say many of us have benign habits we cannot manage to break (and that’s not necessary a bad thing - we can simply be addicted to processed foods, the internet, our morning cup of coffee). What we often associate with true addiction is drugs or alcohol, and yet we often don’t recognize other types of addictive behaviors that can also severely damage our health and wellbeing.
The word can bring up a lot of uncomfortable feelings for many, and often shame in those who have experienced it. I wanted to make this video to encourage everyone to reach out before problems worsen, but mostly to empower anyone who wants to change their life. Also, to celebrate the beautiful journey of healing! We are all worthy of receiving help and practicing self-love.
When I use the word addiction I use it in regards forms of habitual and compulsive self-sabotage that can affect your health and wellbeing. In my case, I was not having serious problems with hard drug use in particular - therefore, I was not always taken seriously when I opened up to others about food addiction, workaholism, and stimulant/sedative abuse (and that’s ok, I do not blame anyone for misunderstanding what someone shares, especially when they cannot relate to it. The journey to recovery is one that only I could make).
I am a highly sensitive person, as many people naturally are, and combined with pmdd I struggled to manage my thoughts and emotions as a young adult. While I cannot speak for anyone else who has had an eating disorder, in my case the behaviors associated with this condition resulted in the temporary alleviation of stress, therefore, it was a very addictive cycle. I consider that, along with workaholism (and the abuse of sedatives), these are very powerful addictions that are often not recognized as such (along with many others, including other types of food addiction, technology addiction, etc). I am happy to say that thanks to an incredible support structure I was able to make a full recovery several years ago. I am the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been - I hope everyone can find the courage to embrace life in all it’s colors, as I can say with confidence you will reap the rewards, though the journey there takes time.
Of course, I know that everyone’s definition of addiction is different, I’m not here to split hairs on what is and isn’t a serious addiction. We are all on an individual journey, and I’m just sharing my story. I’m not using the word in the context of mental illness as I am not versed in it, I’m using it simply from my understanding of being addicted to the release of repetitive self-harm. Please, I encourage everyone commenting to be respectful and refrain from speculation in relation to other people’s addictions and problems, all personal inquiries on someone else’s health should be done privately between the two people involved only. It is unkind to make baseless claims about another persons health (particularly a stranger’s) in a public space.
Books I found helpful in my journey:
The Highly Sensitive Person: https://amzn.to/3ngyPDi
Quiet: https://amzn.to/3BYnegv
ED (I read this a long time ago, there is likely better updated options out there): https://amzn.to/38Ru22T
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