“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom”
-Soren Kierkegaard
Freedom’s derivation is the inkling of possibility and hope. It is the feeling in the pit of the stomach when it becomes clear that bliss is possible and joy is limitless. It is a precursor of action and forward movement in early recovery. Anyone who has risen out of the pits of addiction can attest to the fact that it is anxiety-provoking; that process can be beautiful and poetic. The process represents the death of old, maladaptive patterns of behavior and the rebirth of healthy, salubrious ones.
As a Chemical Dependency Counselor, I welcome the anxiety of early recovery in the courageous people with whom I am privileged to work. Depending on the approach, anxiety can be generative rather than destructive; it can fuel action rather than inhibit it. At AToN Center, we strive to re-frame anxiety as a normalized part of recovery because that is exactly what it is. If you do not feel anxious in early recovery, you are not doing it right.
The following are the daily Recovery Studies that touch on anxiety at AToN Center:
- Grief and Loss in Recovery
- Post-Acute Withdrawal
- Cycle of Addiction
- Relapse Prevention
- Burning Bridges
- Frustration Tolerance
- Healing Toxic Shame
- Lies and Apologies
- Honesty in Recovery
- Trusting Your Story
Kate Judd, M.S., CADC-II
CD Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516
