Shame kills women in—or seeking—substance use recovery. It almost killed me when I was in active addiction.
And then, when I did find recovery, I felt engulfed by shame for things that I did or didn't do, said or didn't say in my past. I couldn't handle the guilt and shame, and I returned to using drugs for a time.
My saving grace was learning that sharing those things with other women in recovery was liberating and healing, and when I started to practice that, I found my footing in recovery again. Learning how to release shame is paramount to our personal healing journeys.
Learning how not to shame other women for things they do or don't do in their recovery is paramount to recovery for all of us. Evidence shows that the shame of a return to substance use often prolongs use.
If you are a person in recovery from substance use, I invite you to think carefully about how you judge yourself or others for a break in recovery time. We all have to get on the same page on this.