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

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.   Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it’s released. We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we’re doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON    Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.   As always, we thank you for your support.   LINKS:    Recovery in the News   The Week in Weird   Recovery News You Can Use, Any Day of the Week:   www.soberliningsplaybook.com   The Big Three With SLP JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!! LISTEN TO RMA ON YOUTUBE PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you’re enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.    You can reach us by email at: [email protected] [email protected]   Send comments, complaints, death threats, ideas and requests to be interviewed. We’ll talk to anyone! Check out the website: Www.middleagesrecovery.com   While you’re there, buy a T-Shirt and support your favorite recovery podcast.   Visit MiddleAgesRecovery.com and tell us your story. Fill out the “tell us your story” form on the website, write your recovery or using story and we will read it on the air! (Anonymity guaranteed).   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Join the Facebook Page! Exciting things are happening there!   We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It’s a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. If you’re in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step on the road to recovery.     https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/   Marijuana Anonymous (just in case):   This Naked Mind   Addiction Recovery Podcast