Does the external reflect the internal?

[missparkles]

Sparkles just replied to another topic and it got her thinking.
When she was in rehab she was told that her external surroundings, her home, work, and relationships, were all indicators of her mental and emotional state. If her home was untidy/unclean, her job was problematic or her relationships with others were unstable, it could all be an early warning sign that her recovery was floundering. Basically her internal world was reflected by her external world. Chaos outside, chaos inside.
Sparkles knows that life can throw us all a curve ball occasionally, but if everything in our lives seems to be in disorder, could this mean our recovery is in jeopardy?
Just wondered what experience of this others might have had. Is it a good rule of thumb or just another recovery "myth?"
TIA.
Sparkles.

[chillinwill]

Some of that makes sense but for instance, about my room being clean or not: Ever since Red Rock can remember, he always had a messy room and this was way before he started using drugs. Does that mean if he has a messy room now that his life is in disorder and his recovery is going downhill or does it mean that he is returning back to his old self (in terms of recovering from drug use) and being a normal human being. Now I can understand if one's relationships were problematic and had financial problems as well as no job, maybe this could be a sign that one's recovery is dwindling.

Red Rock thinks these external factors are something to pay attention to, but if one is happening to cause a problem in one's life, that could be an early warning sign or it might not. However, if one has several problematic external factors, this is probably a good indicator that they are not managing their life as well as they could/should.

[missparkles]

Sparkles thinks if Red Rock was normally quite organised in his life and habits, disorder in his external world might be an indication that something is not right. If he's a recovering addict, that's one of the first things ( to be on the safe side) he might want to look at.
Sparkles was wondering if anyone had noticed this before they relapsed, when they were on the verge of relapsing, or after they had relapsed?.
Thanks.
Sparkles.

[Breedlove]

Yeah... The Bonehead is currently a wreck and the external is the same. When he was clean once for 4 years he was obssessed with getting evertyhing done(cleaning, c hores,etc. until I could kinda relax. He never did learn how to relax. That's what knocked him on his ass he thinks.

Peace Sparky and all

[cooki]

Well....swim has wanted to reply to this thread for a while, but had to be in a brave enough mood to SHOW swiy all what she means, and in a frame of mind that can accept that this reply will help swim in the long-run.

Swim's external surroundings are almost a mirror to her internal state. Although swim does NOT think that this is a sign of relapse, she definately believes it is a window into how well her physical/mental recovery is progressing on a daily basis.

Now for the brave bit...

This is swim on a great day. Swim feels positive, motivated and physically well.

And yet, just days later, swim can look like this.


Swim feels really brave for showing swiy, but hopes it can serve to illustrate what a change swim's internal mind-set can make, and how swim's own physical well-being whilst on a methadone reduction plan is so transient.
This is swim's house on a day she is feeling really brilliant and buzzing around the house...


and yet here it is only two days later...


Swim knows that the condition of her external appearance and surroundings are entirely controlled by how 'well' her recovery and reduction is doing. Hope this gives swiy food for thought....

Reputation Comments on this post:

Insightful explanation of this topic, and very honest.

[nutellajunkie]

You know I think SWIM can relate to this whole chaos thing..

The feeling inside certainly reflects whats going on outside. This would lead to a very untidy home, bills not being paid on time, never engaging in social events, etc etc you know the drill.

Personal hygene can also be problematic, see while on a high you dont care, but then when you are on a low you REALLY dont care. Well SWIM would think if hes not going out or doing anything, he wouldnt be getting unclean. But how wrong that is.

Even the poor pet suffers from not getting cleaned out

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good point about feeling chaotic inside leads to not caring about anything outside, if they rely on you for everything, ...