I originally joined PaxilProgress.org in 2006 to help with my withdrawal and recovery. The members there were incredibly supportive and helpful. One thing that's stuck with me is the website's motto, "The Solution is Within You". That's a very powerful statement, because its both comforting and challenging. Its comforting because its an affirmation that anyone can recover, and there is no magic to it. But its also challenging because it requires active movement towards recovery. In essence, its the difference in outlook; the acceptance that something isn't happening or being done to you, but rather its from within you. That's not a bad thing--it just means you have the ability to grant or withdraw the power given to ruminations, guilt feelings, and self-blame. Its such a simple concept but so hard to put into practice. It means we have to stop looking for external forces and external cures; the power to recover is in us. There is no option for being passive. That's why I'm always referring to CBT/ERP coping tools, because they take that internal power and provide an outlet for us to achieve our own recovery.

It can be tough to practice CBT in the early stages of recovery when everything seems hopeless, but the sooner you start, the sooner you can start recovery. Even little things, like using distraction for just a few minutes per day, can help. For me, its a daily morning routine: my wife is into yoga and energy medicine, and she gave me a series of stretches and exercises to do in the morning. They take about 10 minutes. For those 10 minutes, I make a conscious decision to reserve my thoughts just for the exercises, and no other thoughts or feelings get to intrude into that time. It gives me a peaceful start to the day. Again, anything, no matter how small, can help you make progress. But it requires action on your part and a deliberate move away from guilt, catastrophic thinking, and looking for external sources to blame, or to rescue you. Recovery is within you!

I really like this. We can't choose our circumstances but we can choose our actions. And we have everything we need inside of us.

Thanks, @callieflower Its cliche, but the saying is we can't control what happens around us, but we can change how we react to them. We may not be able to control intrusive thoughts, but we don't have to give them any power.

I've often said if you can't change your circumstance, change your attitude. It is why gratitude even for the small things, is so important.

I love the illustration: is it a stumbling block or a stepping stone? ❤️🙏

On 4/21/2026 at 3:32 AM, mstimc60 said:

"The Solution is Within You"

This is such a strong state of mind, thank you for sharing it.

2 hours ago, Being the tortoise said:

This is such a strong state of mind, thank you for sharing it.

Thanks! PP really helped me gain perspective on my recovery journey. Its already inside of us, we just need to set it free.