Tragic Optimism

Reality can sometimes be extremely uncomfortable. For example, I have witnessed institutional and community denial and mismanagement of Substance Use Disorders for decades.

Resulting horrific outcomes. Yet change is aggressively resisted.

People are pretty good at putting a positive spin on a pretty shitty situation.

When you take a more realistic stance you are a trouble-maker. A pessimist. A buzz-kill.

Victor Frankl talked about “tragic optimism”.

Not the pie in the sky “everything is going to be okay” optimism.

Rather, reality based assessment of the situation followed by an operating system that says:

• Yes, things CAN get better and we CAN get through this.
• It is possible.
• There is hope.
• But it’s going to take monumental effort.
• And it’s going to require some really difficult decisions and crucial conversations.

Social psychology tells us these situations progress along a pretty predictable timeline.

A Sentinel Event occurs (911, 2008 financial crisis, COVID19, OR a more localized tragedy/event).

Sentinel Event

Things UNFOLD:

1) Initially, people are stunned and in shock.

2) People may even be energized by the adrenaline rush associated with such a dramatic and threatening situation.

3) Some people may even be excited. Everything is closed. Like a “snow day” from school. That is naive and it wears off quick. People say things like “time to catch up on some reading and complete some projects around the house…” I do not understand such thinking. I can not accept that position. However, it is relatively common.

Fear & Anxiety

4) In terms of work and the economy, the fear and anxiety may set in quickly. Depends on your circumstances. If you have a family you probably start spinning up pretty quick. The uncertainty is hard to reconcile. You are worried. At the same time, some people will be apathetic and indifferent until they are forced to take notice.

5) People double down on their “preferred interpretation” of the situation AND begin to vigorously defend said interpretation. In this particular case of COVID-19 it goes like this

• If you hate Trump. This is more of a reason to hate Trump.
• You need to make sure you take every conversation about the virus and turn it into an indictment of Trump.
• If you love Trump then you want to make sure you repeatedly state “things are not that bad. We should not even have this lock-down. More people die from the flu” etc…

6) In the meantime, some people know that they do not know. Some prefer to not make statements without a relatively high level of confidence in the accuracy and truth of the position. In this case, there are limited sources of objective information. There are preferred sources. Remove the middleman as much as possible.

7) As time goes by the tensions and concerns mentioned above will become more pronounced.

Calm Waters

An intervention or external circumstance can sometimes calm the waters.

8) In this case, the stimulus will help calm these waters. The stimulus, especially support for small business and support to bridge payroll and unemployment insurance. That will help ease the pain.

9) The recovery community will experience a similar progression of emotions and reactions. Online meetings will continue but enthusiasm is likely to wane. Again, the early “adrenaline rush” will be replaced by the mundane day to day reality of “cyber life”.

10) There will be ongoing decision points. On an individual level, a family level and an organizational level. There will be roller coaster of emotions. There will be difficult decisions along the way.

11) On an individual level, a family level, a community level, an organizational level, a business level and a societal level. We will need to make some bold move and there will be some unpopular decisions made.

We Will Get Through This

There is no question, we will get through this.

But if you think its going to be easy you need to think again.

Time to focus. Time to get to work. Keep moving forward and keep pushing.

Do all you can with all you have to help keep your tragic optimism in control. And…

Some Hints

1) Take time in the morning to calm your mind. Don’t jump on your phone right away to check the headlines. All bad.
2) Go outside for a walk.
3) Listen to music. Late 80’s / early 90’s east coast rap. Or whatever you are into.
4) Laugh: YouTube videos of cute kittens and shit like that.
5) Start a journal. Get your thoughts out of your head.
6) PHYSICALLY take care of yourself. I’ve stopped eating Zingers….
7) If so inclined, pray… Pray.

That’s all for today. Love each other, Rich Jones | Recovery Cartel

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Positive Psychology Lecture Series

Join Rich Jones as he presents his newest Positive Psychology Lecture from FAVOR Greenville in South Carolina. Topics include: Tapping into your full potential. Living your life to the fullest.

Positive psychology is “the scientific study of what makes life most worth living. Another definition would be, “the scientific study of positive human functioning and flourishing.

Positive psychology began as a new domain of psychology in 1998 when Martin Seligman chose it as the theme for his term as president of the American Psychological Association.

The Good Life

Positive psychology is concerned with eudaimonia, “The good life”.

Rich talks and takes a look at what we hold as the greatest value in life, in addition to the factors that contribute the most to a well-lived and fulfilling life.

Positive psychologists have suggested a number of ways in which individual happiness may be fostered.

Social ties with a spouse, family, friends and wider networks through work, clubs or social organisations are of particular importance, while physical exercise and the practice of meditation may also contribute to happiness.

The post Positive Psychology Lecture FAVOR Greenville appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

The Positive Psychology Emphasis

Action yields results. If you have an adequate map you can find your way to increased level of “subjective well being” (SWB). This is the positive psychology emphasis.

Research conducted worldwide has revealed universal aspect of the human experience-as it relates to SWB; otherwise known as “happiness”.

Beyond positive psychology, therapists have known for decades the importance of action in recovery from emotional struggles. The behavioral component of therapy.

You can probably come up with your own individualized map.

Just think about things in holistic/comprehensive manner.

Physical, Emotional / Mental, Social & Spiritual

For example, focus on categories: physical, emotional/mental, social and spiritual.

• Physical:
  1. What do I put in my body?
  2. What am I eating and/or drinking and how does it impact my mood?
  3. How does it impact my state of being?
  4. What role do medication or supplements play in recovery?
  5. How about exercise? Are you moving everyday?

• Emotional/Mental:
  1. Are there any core issues that need addressed?
  2. Do you have untreated trauma for example.
  3. Address negative rumination and/or cognitive distortions.
  4. Find the patterns.

• Social:
  1. Are you isolating. Americans are lonelier than ever before. Americans are more isolated (online connection doesn’t count).
  1. Get into a group. Get out and join a meet-up group.
  2. Volunteer.
  3. Also…are there any toxic people you need to cut out of your life. Bad relationships can suck the life, and the happiness, right out of you. Good relationships lift you up.
  4. Spend time with people who lift you up.

• Spiritual: (whatever that means for you)
  1. Can you tap into the greater good.
  2. Can you identify your purpose for being on the planet?

One More Thing

We must acknowledge that circumstances (health issues, family issues, financial disaster etc…) can drag you down at any given moment in time.

But in the big picture, circumstances (on average) will only impact about 10% of your overall happiness….

It will pass. It will always pass.

The post Action Yields Results – Follow The Map appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

“Living life to the Fullest” by Richard Jones

As we enter  into a positive recovery lifestyle, learning to live life to the fullest can be overwhelming and seemingly impossible to attain.

In this latest post from Richard Jones, Rich shares with us his thoughts and ideas about how adopting a positive recovery attitude and how taking action is key to overcoming the negative effects of addiction.

We Need More Stories of Hope.

Addiction has become a headline issue. For good reasons. The overdose rate continues to climb year over year (65,000 annually) and alcohol continues to take out about 88,000 per year.

It’s stunning to see the explosion of advocacy and recovery groups. This has to be a good thing.

The stigma is being confronted and people are willing to speak out. Of course, there will be problems and it’s not all positive but we need to talk about recovery.

Recovery Occurs In Many Different Ways.

We need to emphasize that recovery comes in all shapes and sizes. There are multiple pathways. There are multiple solutions. Recovery requires hard work.

However, there is great joy and there are many ways that a person can thrive in recovery.

Not everyone makes it. Not everyone thrives. But many do!

And many more would if we PROMOTE recovery and emphasize the upside.

A Lifestyle Management Issue

But let’s think about this! LIFE IS HARD! Life is a fatal proposition. All human beings have ups and downs. All human beings have dark days.

There is no such thing as addictive thinking. There is only thinking!

Life can involve recovery from all types of things!

We need to inform people that there is great possibility around the corner.

We need to emphasize what we gain in recovery; not what we give up!

We need to focus on this as a healthcare issue. A lifestyle management issue.

There Are Multiple Pathways for Success.

Some people get well through existing programs of recovery. There are many different pathways to recovery.

Most know of the 12-step programs –

• Alcoholics Anonymous,  
• Narcotics Anonymous,
• Cocaine Anonymous, and such.

There are other mutual support groups such as –

• Life Ring
• SMART Recovery
• Women For Sobriety
• Celebrate Recovery
• Rational Recovery.

In addition, some people find recovery through ongoing clinical support. Medication Assisted Treatment is a legitimate pathway to recovery.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

• IF YOU ARE ENGAGED IN A PROGRAM AND IT WORKS FOR YOU!
• BY ALL MEANS KEEP DOING THE PROGRAM!
• IF IT’S NOT BROKE…DON’T FIX IT!

Personal Experience

I have noticed in my personal experience my recovery has evolved and progressed over time.

I have been actively engaged in therapy, actively engaged in 12-step meetings, actively engaged in family recovery groups and actively engaged in church.

All these things have helped me over the last 17 years. But my level of involvement has changed over time.

My needs have changed over time. I have no intention of staying stagnant.

Helping Others – Get Involved

It is interesting to note that the one thing that has stayed consistent over time is my involvement in helping others.

Not just in the addiction and recovery world. I have spent time providing mental health therapy, stress management coaching and positive psychology coaching.

I have spent time working with seriously and persistently mentally ill in the streets of Pittsburgh. Five years with homeless population in Pittsburgh.

Helping people can extend beyond the rooms of recovery. Altruism is altruism. Spread your wings!

What Is The First Thing You Have To Do?

The first thing you have to do is stabilize. However, we also know that addiction is more than bad behavior.

There is more involved than merely making better decisions. There is a fundamental “brain change” that occurs when addiction enters the picture.

This has been hotly debated and many people challenge this assumption.

There are some who believe addiction is a moral choice, there are some who believe it is a problem of connection, others who believe it is a problem of learning disorder, and some who believe that it is a spiritual problem.

There are also people who believe addiction is a combination of all of the above.

We Stopped Learning in The 70’s

There is probably much we do NOT know about addiction. We essentially stopped learning in the 1970’s when the Minnesota Model took over treatment.

However, I think it is important for people to realize that the brain is impacted.

Regardless of how you semantically describe the process; something changes in the brain. This contributes to compulsive use and obsessive thinking about the substance and use despite consequences:

This image displays the depressed dopamine levels that occur with chronic substance misuse. I’m not a neurologist but I would prefer the brain on the right over the brain on the left.

What Can I do About This?

The best way to answer this question is to describe the treatment and recovery process.

There are multiple options and ways to attack this issue. Most people have heard about “rehab” and many equate this to recovery. Rehab does not equal recovery.

There are different levels of care associated with the treatment process and a thorough clinical assessment can help determine the recommended level of care.

Regardless, you must start with a stabilization process. It’s going to be difficult to thrive in life if you do not address the neurobiological aspect of this healthcare issue.

This will require putting the substance down and getting through an initial period of detoxification and stabilization.

Let’s assume, however, that you are stabilized. You have “come back online” and you have regained the ability to make better decisions.

Let’s take it one step further and assume you have established a good routine and, for the most part, using substances is no longer a daily threat to your health and welfare. You may be thinking: “What’s next”?

As stated above there are many programs that address life in recovery. Some promote a spiritual solution. Others a rational solution. Others a social solution.

Many promote a combination of these as a solution. However, I would like to introduce a new concept.

Introducing Positive Recovery

Positive psychology was developed in 1993 by Martin Seligman and colleagues. Via his own personal experience, Seligman became interested in the concept of subjective well-being. Or what is more commonly known as happiness.

There have always been a multitude of interventions to help some who was clinically depressed get better. However, there were no interventions to help someone who was “okay” live a fuller and more robust life. We could help people survive. But nothing existed to help people thrive.

Positive psychology developed as a discipline to fill this void.

Since its inception in 1993, Positive Psychology has developed, tested and validated countless interventions that have proven to improve quality of life.

The program of Positive Recovery: post stabilization we apply the principles, exercises and framework of positive psychology to our lives in order to THRIVE NOT JUST SURVIVE.

NOTE: OF COURSE, THIS APPLIES TO BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL IN RECOVERY AND TO FAMILY MEMBERS!

Positive Recovery / Lesson #1
Engage in The “Free Three”

If you are feeling down. If you are worried, anxiety ridden, preoccupied, laden with fear and overcome by stress…

Starting today and  for the next 6 weeks make this part your daily routine.

Every single day try to engage in the 3 most affordable and effective stress busters known to mankind. Scientifically proven to positively impact mood and decrease stress.

1. GO OUTSIDE – If you can get into nature that is ideal. If not take a walk. Or even if you just go out and stand there (although, that may be deemed kinda strange depending on the setting)
2. LISTEN TO MUSIC – Preferably listen to something upbeat. Whatever you are into. Me, I’m into late 90’s east coast gangsta rap. But whatever floats your boat.
3. LAUGH – YouTube makes this easy…pull up a funny video and laugh!

Do those 3 things every day and see what happens. Taking action in and of itself can improve things.

Getting out of the same old routine and rut. Change it up. What do you have to lose?

Positive Recovery and Psychology

I will be rolling out more information related to positive recovery and psychology.

I encourage you to check out my facebook group and my YouTube page on Positive Psychology as applied to my EAP practice:

Rich Jones Positive Psychology – Click Here

Positive Psychology on Youtube – Click Here  

And to make things more convenient.

Here is a video summary of THE FREE THREE! 

The Free Three – Click Here

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