January 16, 2026

#80 Control in Relationships and Addictions | Recovery Secrets Series

58 minutes

Want to coach with me? Book a free no pressure consultation call here: https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation

Learn the proven system that’s helped 2,000+ trauma survivors reduce symptoms by 77.9% in just 4.5 months without therapy or medication 👉 https://overcomingptsd.com/

How to Stop Letting PTSD Control Your Relationships

Trauma, Addiction, and Control: How to Take Your Power Back

PTSD, Sobriety, and Control: What You Can (and Can’t) Change

From Out of Control to In Charge: Reclaiming Your Life After Trauma

Breaking Addiction Patterns in PTSD: The Truth About Control

Trauma, Relationships, and Control: Why You Feel Stuck (and How to Get Unstuck)

How PTSD Tricks You Into Chasing Control (and What to Do Instead)

Letting Go and Moving On: Control, Acceptance, and PTSD Recovery

Emotional Control After Trauma: Redirecting Your Energy to What Actually Helps

Stop Fighting What You Can’t Control: A Practical PTSD Recovery Reset

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad and Kaylene break down one of the most confusing parts of PTSD and trauma recovery: control. If you’ve ever felt out of control in your relationships, addictions, or habits, this episode helps you see exactly where your real power actually lives.

You’ll learn why trying to control other people, outcomes, or the past always creates more pain—and how to shift that energy into what you can control: your thoughts, actions, and how you process emotions. Brad and Kaylene walk through real-life examples like drinking, scrolling social media, binge-watching TV, overspending, and nitpicking your partner.

You’ll also hear a powerful reframe on addiction and “powerlessness,” and how to understand the moment when control really starts to slip. By the end, you’ll have a simple mental checklist you can use daily to stop wasting energy on what you can’t change and start building calm, confidence, and real momentum in your healing.

💡 What You’ll Learn

How to recognize when you’re trying to control things you simply can’t

The three things you always have control over, even with PTSD or trauma

How to spot the red flags that a habit or addiction is actually running you

Why time “slipping through your fingers” is a sign of lost control

How to redirect your focus from controlling others to changing your own actions

A simple question to ask yourself whenever you feel regret after a behavior

How to use short-term resistance to build long-term freedom from addiction

Practical ways to stop nitpicking and control battles in your relationships

How focusing on what you can control builds confidence and lowers anxiety

🧠 Key Takeaway

You can’t control other people, the past, or every emotion—but you can always control your thoughts, your actions, and how you respond, and that’s where your real power is.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

00:36 Welcome and Announcements

01:30 Today's Focus: Control in Relationships and Addictions

03:21 Understanding Control and Acceptance

08:05 Control in Addictions: Personal Insights

13:54 Practical Steps to Regain Control

19:30 Identifying and Breaking Habits

30:19 Breaking Free from Addictions

30:24 The Power of Pushing Through Resistance

30:45 Controlling Your Thoughts and Actions

30:59 Empowerment Through Control

33:24 Steps to Regain Control

34:39 Applying Control in Daily Life

35:34 The Illusion of Control

38:21 Emotional Control and Acceptance

43:30 Focusing on What Matters

46:39 Upcoming Topics and Final Thoughts

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • trauma healing • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • control in relationships • addiction recovery • sobriety and PTSD • letting go of control • acceptance and PTSD • breaking trauma-driven habits • people-pleasing and control • relationship conflict after trauma • recovering from addictive coping • mindset for trauma healing • self-awareness and PTSD • reclaiming personal power • healing from childhood trauma patterns • practical PTSD recovery tools

...more

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By Overcoming PTSD

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