Did you know alcoholism and anger go together? For those suffering from alcoholism or addiction, do you want to let go of your self-defeating patterns and change your life for the better? If so, here’s something you might not have considered: connecting with your own buried anger.

Today, we have the honor of speaking with author and spiritual teacher Jim Tolles, who helps people grow, heal, and embrace their spiritual paths and spiritual awakening.

Jim teaches that we all have our truth and love within us, and offers tools that help people cut away the lies and misconceptions so that they can be more firmly rooted in truth and love.

If the title of this post gave you pause, you’re not alone. The idea that there is a positive purpose to any part of your addiction likely flies in the face of what you’ve been taught about recovery.

You’ve probably heard a lot of shaming messages about your addiction, so the idea that there may be something positive may feel strangely subversive. But we invite you to consider the possibility...  

Do I really need God to get sober?

Maybe and maybe not. But we've found connecting with spirit to be a profoundly moving and transformational approach for the healing of addiction as well as hopelessness and depression.

Did you know that anxiety often coincides with depression ... and that these conditions are very common in people suffering from addiction?

Furthermore, did you know that depression can be defined as “anger turned inward”?

It’s a statistical reality that most people who struggle with addiction also have an underlying mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety. 9.2 millions adults in the US have this situation, called dual diagnosis, according to NAMI - the National Alliance on Mental Health.

How Bipolar Disorder and Addiction Go Together

Why do so many people who suffer from addiction also have bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder is often defined as experiencing extremes. A person with bipolar disorder can go from depression to mania and back to depression in a very short period of time. For a variety of reasons, people with bipolar disorder often turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate.   

What does it mean to be in recovery from bipolar disorder?

To answer that question, we sat down with Dave Wise of Dave Wise Matters, a blog focused on sharing the truth that people matter.

Why do I keep feeling this way? Why can’t I get over it already? Why can’t I make the changes stick? I’m worried that I’ll start using ... again.

If you’ve ever had these thoughts flash across your mind, then you’re familiar with the struggle to sustain positive behavioral change through addiction recovery. You may believe that you need more willpower or personal strength in order to stay clean and sober.