Hey, it’s Matt with The Addiction Newsletter.

Here’s what’s inside today:

Let’s get started.

If you want some extra accountability from me, feel free to reply this newsletter with how many days it has been.

I read every single reply and do my best to reply to them. I am always here for you.

(Example: “Hey Matt, it’s been 33 days since I have used X”)

Days Since Last Use: 346

Thought: There was a time when I believed pain made me special. Like suffering gave my life meaning. But it didn’t. It only kept me stuck. Real strength is not in how much you can endure but in how gently you can live after everything you’ve survived. Healing taught me that softness is not weakness. It’s peace finally choosing you back.

You always knew it was there. The light on the edge of the sea. Steady, constant, patient. It was never loud, never demanding. It simply shone. But you were too far out, caught in the pull of darker waters. You told yourself you would turn toward it someday, when the time was right. For now, the waves felt easier. They carried you where you wanted to go.

At first, it even felt peaceful. The current rocked you gently, and the light seemed too distant to matter. You told yourself you didn’t need it. You could handle the sea on your own. You could swim through anything. But the farther you drifted, the more the water changed. The waves grew colder. The wind turned sharp. You started to lose direction, and the light became harder to see.

Alan Carr says addiction does not steal your strength it hides it. It makes you forget that the way back is simple: stop swimming against yourself. The lighthouse is not a rescue ship waiting to find you. It is the part of you that never stopped believing you could return.

You drifted so long you began to believe the sea was your home. You got used to the chaos. You convinced yourself that struggle meant life, that exhaustion meant meaning. But the truth is quieter. The light has never left. It has been calling to you in silence.

When you finally turn toward it, something shifts. The waves do not disappear, but they lose their power. The current that once dragged you down begins to feel manageable. You take a breath and realize you have been holding it for years.

The swim back is not easy. It takes patience. The water still tugs at you. The voice of the sea still tempts you to stay. But every stroke brings you closer to the shore, and with each one, the light grows brighter.

You start to see that it was never about the storm or the sea or the distance. It was about remembering that you always had a guide. You just stopped trusting it.

Carr says freedom does not come from strength but from truth. The truth is that the light was never outside you. It has always been inside steady, waiting, ready to guide you home.

When you finally reach the shore, the world feels still. The air smells clean. The ground beneath you feels firm. You look up, and for the first time in years, you do not feel lost. You feel whole.

You do not thank the lighthouse. You simply understand it. It was never saving you, it was reminding you who you were.

And now, you do not need to search for the light. You are the light.

Addiction tries to convince you that peace is dull. That you need drama, highs, or intensity to feel alive. But real aliveness doesn’t come from chaos, it comes from calm. The kind of calm that doesn’t demand more. The kind that simply is.

When you can sit in stillness without reaching for escape, when quiet feels safe instead of empty, that’s when recovery starts to bloom. Freedom isn’t found in the noise ending. It’s found in no longer needing the noise at all.

Here is the win of the day for one of our readers. I will keep most of the information anonymous:

"I caught myself comparing my life to how it used to be. Then I noticed something new: I wasn’t longing for it anymore. The chaos that once felt like comfort now feels like noise. I don’t want it back. I want this, quiet mornings, real conversations, and the kind of peace that doesn’t need to be earned."

(Note: If you have a win, no matter how large or how small, reply to this email and I’ll include it in the future.)

I refer thousands of people every month to detox and treatment centers across the United States. Depending on if you have insurance and what type, a lot of the time you can get treatment completely free. If not, it does cost money unfortunately.

If you’d like to use this free service, click below.

(Click here)

Disclaimer

This newsletter is for educational and motivational purposes only. It is not medical advice or a substitute for professional treatment. If you’re in crisis or need immediate help, please contact your local emergency services or the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)