The 3 Principles of Addiction & Breaking the Cycle
Simple, but not easy
In recovery, we have a saying: “Simple, but not easy.” This makes sense when there’s clarity around the obvious choice or next right step.
Do I drink or not? Do I drug or not? Do I binge cookies and ice cream or not?
You know the answer. You know what will be helpful or unhelpful, and what will make you feel better or worse. It’s simple, but not always easy.
But what if the next part isn’t so clear? What if, for example, you ask:
Okay, I know this is making things worse. I’m exhausted by this “bad cycle on repeat.” But how do I get out? What do I do now?”
Oftentimes—even when we’ve surrendered to the truth—knowing what to do (or even what to ask) gets tricky.
Whether you’re the identified addict or supporting a loved one, overwhelm and uncertainty are common in addiction. Knowing how to recover is anything but simple—much less easy.
This is in part because of the thousands of “solutions” out there—and solution holders shouting from a thousand internet rooftops. Options are awesome. But what’s the right one for you?
If this sounds familiar, just know that I’ve been there. Also know, I’ve got you. Let’s walk through how to find your answers and next steps.
The 3 Principles of Addiction
The Sober Shaman's Path of Recovery starts with three principles:
Addiction affects the whole person.
Addiction is a cycle.
Addiction impacts every close relationship in our lives.
I’ve applied these principles with all kinds of people in all stages of discovery and recovery. I’ve also used them in my own journey and integrated them into my work with private clients and at world-class treatment centers.
This week, we’ll focus on Principle 1. In coming weeks, we’ll hit 2 and 3.
Principle 1: Addiction affects the whole person.
As I say: “Addiction is predictable, but you are unique.”
While there are universal, predictable cycles in addiction—whatever your drug of choice—not everyone’s recovery will look the same. Your recovery journey involves identifying your “right language,” applying your “right medicine,” and doing this in your “right time.”
Some addiction treatment professionals, centers, and programs highlight the predictable part and downplay what makes each of us special. Such approaches are easy to spot. They insist: “You MUST do it this way—or else!”
While perhaps well-meaning (and perhaps helpful for some), the result is often feeling pressured, overwhelmed, and even threatened. It also carries an element of stigma and shame—one reason many folks delay or avoid treatment.
In the early stages of helping someone explore and choose their best path, I use Principle 1 as a form of triage. Let’s take a look.
Above, we have four aspects of the whole person:
Mental
Spiritual
Emotional
Physical
Each of these aspects has a corresponding domain—meaning, how it’s expressed for us to see, sense, and work with in recovery and our lives. They match up like so:
The domains provide material to examine and work with. Indeed, each of these pairings comes with a vocabulary and paradigms. Those align with various modalities and therapies.
A key element in finding your best, most effective path is acknowledging that each pairing has its own language.
As a practitioner, this is my first point of triage. There will be one or maybe two of these aspect-domain pairs that speaks loudest to you. They’ll just feel right—or wrong—in your gut.
You know what resonates and what you want and don’t want. Together, we identify that and push off from there.
A Yes or No might look like this.
Mental
Yes: “I need to understand why my addiction shows up this way.”
No: “I’m not here to be psychoanalyzed.”
Spiritual
Yes: “Addiction is like trying to fill a God-sized hole. Spirituality holds answers and healing.”
No: “I don’t want anything with G.O.D. in it. Spare me the shamanic drumming and woo.”
Emotional
Yes: “I need to learn how to regulate my emotions. When I feel XYZ, I want to use.”
No: “I’m done talking about my childhood. Give me the straightforward nuts and bolts of what I need to do.”
Physical
Yes: “I need ways to manage physical pain without meds or numbing with booze. What movement exercises or somatic therapies should I try?”
No: “I’m not big on exercise and don’t see what that has to do with my addiction. Let’s focus on the issue at hand.”
Any of those ring true? Whether a Yes or a No?
Your answer—the one you know in your bones—reveals a lot about what language will work best and what medicine’s a good fit.
Whatever your aspect, domain, and language of choice, there’s a medicine that matches. For example:
Chances are, the person or practice delivering or facilitating the medicine will also be different!
It might look like meditation or Chinese Medicine or shamanic exercises. It might look like yoga or martial arts or prayer.
Of course, more conventional biomedical and psychological therapies work too. You might even combine modalities and medicines—an alchemical approach is helpful and powerful.
The key with Principle 1 is that we find what works for you.
We eliminate approaches that aren’t your best fit. We honor your beliefs, respect your unique path, and get you fully on board. Since no one but you can get you sober, your buy-in and full participation is essential.
In the The Sober Shaman’s Path of Recovery, all four medicines are woven into each lesson—both as teachings and exercises.
Meaning, all 52 lessons in the program cover: awareness, experience, connection, and practice. They impart universal insights, while offering pathways for unique, individual exploration and expression.
Here’s a short list of examples:
The Medicine of Awareness
Lesson 1 - Definitions: Alcoholic, Addict, Addicted
Lesson 8 - How Did I Get This Way?
Lesson 17 - Belief vs. Reality: Which is Stronger?
The Medicine of Experience
Lesson 23 - Qi: Hold the Ball
Lesson 26 - The Power of “No!”
Lesson 45 - Pilgrimage & Your Family Tree
The Medicine of Connection
Lesson 34 - The Perfect Home
Lesson 35 - Communion: The Power of Nurturance
Lessons 38 & 39 - Forgiveness: Self & Others
The Medicine of Practice
Lesson 22 - Movement Is Medicine
Lessons 30 & 31 - Soul Courting: Parts 1 & 2
Lesson 51 - Agreements: It Takes Two to Tango
Again, each of the 52 lessons delivers all four medicines—but a particular medicine or medicines feature prominently in particular lessons. This allows us to customize your path in sobriety and, at the same time, address what’s universal when it comes to addiction…and sustainable, longterm recovery.
Stay tuned next week, when we’ll cover Principle 2: Addiction is a cycle.
Meanwhile, share your best medicine or ask questions in the comments! Also feel free to email me at Randy@AlchemistRecovery.com. I’d love to hear about you and your journey.
With All Good Medicine,
Randy
Copywriting and editing by my wife and partner, Dr.
, who wrote most recently about daily routines for addiction and eating disorder recovery at ).
I enjoyed reading about Aspect, Domain, Medicine, Delivery. This framework allows all addicts to see, hear or feel their addiction with some clarity.