If you follow the standard narrative, you’ve probably been raised to believe that addiction is either:
A. A character flaw that comes from laziness and too much partying
B. A disease that hijacks a person’s brain and a chemical reality that you cannot change.
As it turns out, both these answers are incomplete
C. None of the above
Recent studies in neuroscience, psychology and sociology suggest that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety: rather, it is authentic connection and a deeply rooted sense of purpose & belonging.
Sadly, connection experiences are often outsourced or missing from the modern human experience, regardless of socioeconomic background or cultural affiliation.
The modern opioid addiction crisis is out of control.
The people we love who are recovering from opiate or heroin bonds have a limited set of options for their post-detox life, and often even fewer resources available to create and follow plans that lead to sustainable health. Most return to the dysfunctional environments they came from, or find their way into rehab facilities, halfway houses and prisons where they feel lonelier than ever.
Long-term healing is rare because most options make people feel even lonelier
Rehab
Prison and/or solitary confinement
The SeekHealing project implements creative ideas that turn the traditional rehab model upside-down
Our facilities & programs are intentionally designed to enhance an individual’s experience of connectedness, rather than diagnosing & treating specific problems.
We believe that using the label addict facilitates socially-acceptable shaming. Stigmatizing people as addicts and creating non-addict/addict relationships in therapeutic settings often worsens the roots causes of addiction: isolation and disconnectedness.
We’re all humans first, and we all experience hardship and loneliness
In the face of pain we all have the choice to either do nothing, or to become seekers.
seek · er / ˈsēkər / noun
a person who is actively seeking to become a better human by overcoming unhealthy behaviors, addictions, and/or compulsions and their associated emotional triggers.
If we choose to accept the challenge and to seek healing, we will each also have the opportunity to become a listener & support our fellow seekers.
lis·ten·er / ˈlis(ə)nər / noun
a seeker who chooses to help another seeker by intentionally creating a context for authentic interpersonal connection
As we grow, we learn how to continuously transition between these roles with humility and grace. Usually, with the help & community support of a particular booster
con·nec·tion boost·er / kəˈnekSH(ə)n / ˈbo͞ostər / noun
any ritual, activity or practice that facilitates healing, personal growth, mindfulness, inner peace, and/or a sense of connectedness to self/other/nature
Healing and happiness don’t come in a pill
The right prescription might help you get started, but the journey to integrated health is a long road in which we need each other to help navigate. The truth is, the only ‘medicine’ that works for everyone is connection: meaningful and authentic connection with ourselves, with each other, and with our planet.
