How YOU doin?! Compare and despair: how keeping up with the jones’ can cause depression, anxiety and relapse!

2022-03-25

RMA-Episode 79 Show Notes: Compare and despair! It has been said that comparison is the thief of joy, but we still do it all the time. Why? Maybe it’s grounded in self-esteem, an area that typically proves challenging to a person suffering with substance abuse disorder. One theory is that you have an unconscious belief that you lack self-worth. Because you already believe you are in some way inadequate, your brain constantly searches for evidence to support its theory. When you compare yourself to other people, you always assume they're prettier, smarter, more successful, an...

RMA-Episode 79 Show Notes:

Compare and despair! It has been said that comparison is the thief of joy, but we still do it all the time. Why? Maybe it’s grounded in self-esteem, an area that typically proves challenging to a person suffering with substance abuse disorder. One theory is that you have an unconscious belief that you lack self-worth. Because you already believe you are in some way inadequate, your brain constantly searches for evidence to support its theory. When you compare yourself to other people, you always assume they're prettier, smarter, more successful, and better. What a mess! Social media exacerbates this condition by only showing the positive parts of people’s lives, thereby distorting reality and exacerbating underlying issues like depression and anxiety. How can we navigate through the pitfalls of social media and keeping up with the Joneses while maintaining a sense of self-worth? Mike and Nat have some ideas…

Also, the life update, listener emails, and Monkster’s Speak on a meandering but still on topic episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages.

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