Your Daily Motivation (Oct 22nd, 2025)

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: 332

Thoughts: Nothing happened to me today in regards to my recovery. It was a slow day and it has been about six months since my previous addiction played any role in my life or thoughts.

There’s a simple trick that every addiction plays on us, and it’s one of the most convincing lies in the world.

It makes you believe that using gives you something. Maybe it gives you relief. Maybe it gives you confidence, focus, calm, or just a little escape from stress. Whatever it is, you start to feel like you need it to function or to feel normal. But here’s the truth: it doesn’t give you anything at all. It just removes the discomfort that it caused in the first place.

Think of it like this: imagine wearing shoes that are one size too small. At first, it’s uncomfortable, but you get used to it. Then, when you finally take them off at the end of the day, it feels amazing, like a huge sense of relief. You might even start thinking that taking off those shoes is a kind of pleasure. But the only reason it feels good is because the shoes were hurting you all along.

That’s what the substance does. It creates the tension, the anxiety, the emptiness, and then tricks you into believing that using it is what fixes those feelings. It’s a cycle of pain disguised as comfort.

Once you really see that, something shifts inside you. You stop seeing it as a reward or a comfort. You see it for what it truly is, a trap. And the funny thing about traps is that they only work when you don’t realize you’re in one. The moment you recognize it, you can simply step out.

The truth is, you’ve never needed the substance. You’ve only needed to remember what it feels like to be free, to wake up clear-headed, to live without that background noise in your mind, to not constantly think about when or if you’ll use again. That’s real peace. That’s real relief.

And once you’ve felt that kind of freedom, you’ll never want to trade it back for the illusion of comfort that was keeping you stuck.

If you ever feel the urge to use or even think about it for a second, smile.
Lift your head up, take a deep breath, and say to yourself:
“Wow… I’m actually free from (substance).”

Then go back to your day feeling grateful for that.
The more you focus on freedom, the stronger it grows.

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

“Hey Matt, small win today. I found an old lighter in my car that I used to always keep for smoking.

For a second I almost put it back, then I just laughed and threw it out.
Didn’t feel sad or tempted or anything. Just done with it.”

(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)