The True Goal of Recovery – Finding Peace of Mind

What is the real goal of recovery? Is it reaching some perfect state, free from all struggles? No. That’s the illusion of a suffering mind – a mind that believes it’s broken and needs fixing. Perfection, “making it,” or reaching some ultimate destination of flawless living doesn’t exist. Everyone has human moments. We all have reactions, struggles, or times when we feel overwhelmed. That’s simply part of being human.

So what is recovery about then?

Recovery isn’t about never feeling sad, angry, or lost again. It’s not about becoming some perfected version of yourself. Recovery is about finding peace of mind, It’s about freedom, not from human emotions, but from the self-destructive behaviours and coping mechanisms we once relied on to escape those emotions. I would say that recovery is about feeling more, not less, and learning to manage, be with, own those parts of yourself, instead of escaping them.

When we talk about freedom, we mean freedom from addiction, whether it’s drugs, alcohol, gambling, food, spending, or secret compulsions like porn. Recovery is about freeing yourself from these destructive habits, habits that you’ve turned to in order to cope with the internal discomfort, the unresolved pain, the trauma that’s been shaping your life.

Here’s the truth: Those addictions, compulsions, and escapes are not the problem, they’re symptoms of the real issue, the internal struggles you’ve been trying to manage, they are intelligence at work, coping mechanisms, ways to avoid facing the pain or discomfort within.

So what happens when your internal world becomes one of peace, joy, and love? You no longer need those coping mechanisms. You no longer need to self-destruct or hide behind addictions because you’ve found a more sustainable and fulfilling way to live.

Peace of mind is the ultimate goal of recovery.

This is not about erasing your humanity or avoiding difficult feelings. It’s about gaining the freedom to live your life without the chains of addiction or destructive behaviours. It’s about knowing that you don’t need to escape your life anymore, you can live it fully, with all its ups and downs, and still feel a deep sense of well-being and peace within.

So remember, recovery is not about being perfect. It’s about being free, free from the habits that once held you captive, free to experience life as it comes, and free to feel peace no matter what.

Does this sound possible to you? That you can be free of all addictions? and ride the roller coaster of life more gracefully.