The Difference Between Coping and Healing
You’ve done the hard work of surviving. This might have looked like long nights, silent days, and uncertainty about what life looks like after everything has changed. You’ve read all the books, listened to all the podcasts, and tried shifting your routines, and maybe outwardly it appears as though you’ve got it all together. But sometimes, even after all the effort, you notice that you still feel stuck. You’re not falling apart, but you’re not free and thriving either. That’s the quiet in-between space where many people find themselves: where coping has done it’s job, but healing hasn’t begun yet.
Sober but Still Numb: When Quitting Isn’t the Whole Story
At first, you expect sobriety to feel similar to waking up. The light is supposed to pour in, right? You might image early mornings with fresh energy and pride that carries you through temptation. And sometimes, it does start that way! But for many people, that light never fully arrives, or it fades too quickly. You wake up sober, but still feel detached. You’re clear-headed, but feel hollow. Life is sharper, but it doesn’t feel meaningful.