Can changing your environment be the key to overcoming addiction? In this heartfelt episode, we delve into the powerful influence of our surroundings on behavior and addiction recovery. Follow the journey of a young woman battling substance abuse as she learns that sobriety requires more than just willpower—it demands a change in scenery. We discuss how our brain's limbic system drives cravings and behaviors, and why embracing discomfort is essential for true transformation.

Key Takeaways:
- The environment plays a crucial role in triggering addictive behaviors.
- Embracing discomfort can lead to personal growth and lasting change.
- Restructuring one's surroundings post-rehab increases chances of sustained sobriety.

Tune in now to explore how altering your environment might be the game-changer you need!

In this morning's podcast, I want to reflect on the power that the environment has over us and how it impacts our behavior. I have a heavy heart as I'm dealing with a beautiful young lady in her mid-20s. I've been working with her for about two months. She is heavily addicted to drugs and alcohol. She almost overdosed and died, ending up in the hospital. That's how she came to me—her parents reached out and said, "Please help our daughter." Since that time, she has been clean and sober for about three months.

When she almost died, she had a heart attack. She felt something was wrong, and they rushed her to the emergency room. Somehow, she survived it. What she says to me is, "Man, that was a wake-up call. I'm moving forward. I need to get in to see someone. That's why I'm talking to you." I explained from my understanding how our brain works, particularly what I call the two-part brain. You have this emotional brain—the limbic system—where the pleasure centers are, driving your behavior. It's the unconscious part of the brain.

We need to learn how to manage that and understand these cravings and drives because they will come back when you get bored, lonely, angry, stressed, or tired. It's that system's job to try to take you away from pain. So I have to help people striving to get clean and sober embrace some discomfort and learn to make peace with it. This idea that we should be free of any discomfort and pain in life is just one of the biggest lies of all.

No, we need to do hard things that create discomfort. That's how we succeed; that's how we find joy in life. I love the statement by the Greek general philosopher Thucydides who said of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men the most. Or Marcus Aurelius, the last of the great Roman emperors, saying pleasures when unrestrained become punishments.

Learning to embrace discomfort is the way to peace—pushing ourselves with hard things, physical challenges, and so forth. We've just become so soft in our culture. A couple of fantastic books, some of my all-time favorites by Michael Easter: *The Comfort Crisis* is one and *Embracing Discomfort* is the other. I highly recommend those books; I seem to listen to them over and over again and never get tired of them—at least not yet.

Back to this client: she had been clean and sober for about three months. Her life has been chaotic—she’s been in a number of different relationships, living with guys off and on for the past three years. She just broke up with her boyfriend amid constant conflict. She's not working; her parents are torn but helping support her so she has a roof over her head.

Her Bolivian boyfriend was doing some work but not much—working from home—and they were both smoking weed all day long. Their relationship was chaotic anyway; they broke up, and she knows she needs to move on because it's not healthy.

One of her friends recently got out of rehab—and this is what I want to talk about—the power of environment.

Bottom line: she had two friends who went to rehab because her whole culture is a drug-using culture—that’s where all her friends are. They go to raves together all the time; they're always high; they're always partying in the rave culture.

Two of her friends finally got into rehab but then came out and both overdosed in the past couple of weeks and died, which sent her into a tailspin.

When I talked with her during a session, she said, "I relapsed last night. I drank to the point of passing out; I have no memory of what happened." She knew she was with some guys who ended up at their house; then she woke up in the morning and Ubered home.

While talking to me, she said she felt so sick right now that she couldn't stand it anymore—she had to change her life and get away from this.

This is when her parents called me trying to work on a plan: "What about rehab?" I said rehab's wonderful because I spent many years in addiction treatment—I used to oversee residential treatment facilities or intensive outpatient programs.

Here’s the challenge with rehab: you go away from your environment and get clean and sober—it’s wonderful—you’re safe; triggers are taken away; you can’t use; you’re in a safe environment; your body begins to heal; your tolerance changes.

But then you come out of rehab—and most always (and this is where individuals don’t understand what they need to change)—they will go right back into their original environment.

That’s what these two young ladies did: they got clean in rehab but returned back into their old environment—the triggers were still there—so they relapsed, went back using what they normally used, overdosed, and died.

The most classic research indicating the power of environment came in the 1970s by researcher Lee Robbins during Vietnam War's end.

It was discovered that around 30% of Vietnam soldiers had tried heroin; between 20-30% were addicted.

There was concern about an epidemic when soldiers returned home.

Lee Robbins followed these soldiers for a year after returning home—with stunning results: only 5% became re-addicted.

How did that happen? Because heroin is considered highly addictive—but it had everything to do with environment—all triggers were back in Vietnam.

Take someone out of that environment—they can restructure their life.

Individuals going into rehab often return right back into their previous environment—and about 95% relapse immediately—that's how powerful environment is.

For change to occur (and we can apply this broadly), if we want change we must change our environment however possible.

People going into rehab must get out of their old environment—they have to change their friends—you just have to change your friends.

Here's another interesting thing about this young lady: though committed to sobriety, she's not willing to change her friends.

She went sober to a rave and was disgusted by what she saw—all using and acting like idiots; eyes glassy—it hit her that’s what she must look like when using too.

Some people might say "We respect you being clean," but see how long those relationships last?

Any relationship where both use substances will likely deteriorate if one stops using because their limbic systems are wired differently now—the non-using partner becomes more rational while the other tries pulling them back into old habits—that creates conflict quickly.

So we're at a crossroads with this young lady—talking with her parents—we have got to get her out of that toxic environment—to move—to change—that's her best chance at recovery.

That's extremely challenging—most people aren’t willing—but if you're not willing, understand how stunningly powerful environment is—you must be willing do whatever you need—including moving somewhere else—to switch environments.

I know it’s super hard because those struggling with chemical addiction can enter any city worldwide and within 15 minutes find someone using drugs—their limbic system acts like a sixth sense identifying who’s using where they need to go.

They must surround themselves with clean sober friends; engage actively in recovery movements; get treatment and therapy.

That’s why I advocate more intensive outpatient programs—to help deal with environmental factors rather than residential facilities alone (though sometimes residential care is necessary).

The key after treatment is changing your environment—it’s critical for healing and recovery—and setting up systems for support along the way.

I love this statement: “We do not rise to the level of our goals; we fall to the level of our systems.”

Triggers overpower limbic systems constantly—all those I've worked with wanting change know they want it but haven’t found methods yet.

So we focus on putting systems in place—non-negotiables done daily—and learning to embrace discomfort regularly because healing requires doing hard things sometimes.

Again, I’m an advocate for physical challenges as part of recovery—a great book recommendation: *The Comfort Crisis* by Michael Easter plus his other book *Embracing Discomfort* offer amazing insights on finding inner strength—which ultimately leads us toward peace within ourselves—to look in the mirror liking who we see rather than being controlled by addiction-driven limbic responses making us miserable.

Remember Marcus Aurelius’ words: “Pleasures when unrestrained become punishments.” This applies broadly including food addictions too.

Those are some thoughts I wanted to share this morning: ponder your environment! If you’re struggling with anything at all, look closely at where you place yourself—and do whatever it takes make changes—to see how that impacts your life.