Genius Recovery Understanding Addiction Recovery

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Uncover Elements of Addiction Many Ignore, and
Shed Light On This Affliction Killing Far Too Many People

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Joe Polish Interviews Four Leading Experts In The Addiction Recovery Movement:

Bestselling Author and Trauma / Addiction Expert, Gabor Maté

“Founding Father” of Sex Addiction Therapy, Patrick Carnes

Addiction and Recovery Therapist, Ken Wells

Master Yogi, Guru Prem

Joe Polish is a world-renowned marketing expert who has transformed the modern-day mastermind.

While he’s passionate about helping entrepreneurs collaborate, learn from each other and grow both their businesses and minds, his true passion is to change the global conversation around addiction and recovery.

A recovery advocate who’s overcome his own debilitating addictions to drugs and sex, Polish brings just as many personal development experts, therapists, and recovery experts into his Genius Network community as he does business leaders like Tony Robbins.

Understanding Addiction and Recovery is made up of seminal interviews Polish has conducted with these four leaders.

Our Mission Is To Change The Global
Conversation Around Addiction With
Compassion, Curation, Content & Connection.

We want to change the global conversation around how people view and treat addicts – with compassion instead of judgement – and find the best forms of treatment that have efficacy and share those with the world … with loved ones … with YOU. Today, the conversation is, “Addicts are moral degenerates.” If this continues and we don’t change the conversation, how will we get to a solution of treating addicts well?

We need to ask, “What is the pain that’s underneath the addiction? And, how do we love these people as much as we can?” Instead of just punishing these individuals, we can start to treat them.

For most people that struggle with addiction as adults, most of it started with childhood where connection and intimacy starts off in an unhealthy way.

We believe that intimacy is a mutual exploration of a shared safe place. Abuse is anything that takes away the safe place. Addictions are what we do to make ourselves feel good when we don’t have a safe place.

When we don’t feel safe in the world, we try to self-soothe. We believe addictions are an attempt to sooth a pain. The opposite of addiction is connection. If our introduction to connection at a young age starts off in a very unhealthy way, the only model we have leads to very dysfunctional relationships. It can feel like there’s a dark cloud you’re trying to outrun. You may never feel comfortable in your own skin. It may lead to behaviors that are numbing…

Addiction is a response to trauma. You have to find ways to get into your body. Meditation. Yoga. Float pods. Breathing. These are great for connecting and getting back into your body. On this educational platform you will find stories of recovery. You will discover videos, content, and education from experts and those in recovery. You will be able to access trusted recovery resources. You will find ways to network and find meetings that can help you and/or your loved ones with addiction and recovery…

We believe we are as sick as our secrets. If we keep something inside that has shame, pain, fear, remorse, regret or resentment, it festers.

That’s why connection is important. In the 2016 Surgeon General’s report, they stated that 1 out of 7 people in the United States is struggling with addiction. Addiction is making their lives incredibly difficult, and most of these people get no treatment.

WHAT the current conversation is: ____
WHAT (Vision) we are changing the conversation to: treat addicts with compassion instead of judgement. Connection is the opposite of addiction. Ask not “why the addiction” but “why the pain” and focus on treating the pain with compassion.
WHY this is important: personal, global, generational ____
HOW we are changing the conversation…
Compassion: recovery stories
Content: videos + content … education from experts
Curation: Recovery resources you can trust
Connection: meetings and network… anywhere in the world and FROM
anywhere in the world. Connection… no matter where you are. Connection is the opposite of addiction.

These people have children, families, jobs – and they’re living silent battles. Silent battles are the hardest battles to fight. If we vilify, punish, and shame addicts, they are going to stay in isolation. We want to find and support the best forms of treatment and be a part of this conversation and development.

The primary goal of Genius Recovery is ultimately to reduce suffering.

An Open Letter to Anyone Struggling with Addiction

By Joe Polish

First, I want to say how sorry I am that you or someone you love is struggling with addiction. I know first-hand how painful it is. Addiction nearly killed me when I was 18 years old.

What I’ve learned since then is that almost all addiction stems from trauma. This can be difficult for some people to understand; they assume trauma has to mean a person was beaten, molested or in a life-threatening accident. But we all have different levels of sensitivity.

Addiction is something you are driven to do—anything you crave that gives you temporary pleasure or relief but then causes negative consequences. Addiction is something you are unable to give up, despite the suffering it causes.

The challenging thing for people that don’t have this craving to understand is how someone could have that craving in the first place. They wonder why the addict can’t just make a better choice.

I’m of the belief that addiction is not a choice…

The Four Ways To Get Support With Your Recovery

CONNECTION

Online & local 12 step groups are
the way to freedom from addiction

Find A Meeting

CURATION

Access our trusted and curated
Recovery Resources

Discover Solutions

CONTENT

Read & watch Our educational
content for recovery

Read and Watch

COMPASSION

Read & watch Recovery stories to
inspire your healing

See Stories

Content With Context

Explore Education From Trust Experts In Addiction Recovery

Roommates? – Hello in There!

Day by Day Awareness

Keeping Score

Letting Go of Who You've Been for Who You Can Become

Implementing this Miracle Morning practice will help you develop strength you never thought possible.

The Miracle Morning for Addiction Recovery outlines cutting edge research, all designed to support your recovery.

By Hal Elrod, Anna David, and Joe Polish

"This book is a game changer for both transforming the way you start your day and live in recovery."

"I didn’t get sober to live a mediocre life—this book is my roadmap to living full-out!"

"This book has the potential to be the missing link and serve as a catalyst for sustainable change."

"For everyone who is trying to fill the void after coming back from rehab or trying to redesign their days with a new structure this is the book to read - even if you normally don’t read you will enjoy it."