There’s a certain confidence and moral superiority people have when they’ve never lived something.

Addiction is one of those things.

In this conversation, I’m speaking directly to the judgment that gets thrown at addicts from the outside. The “just stop.” The “it’s a choice.” The quiet belief that it’s really about willpower.

We talk about what addiction actually is. Not from a moral lens, but from a scientific one. A chronic brain disorder that changes how the brain handles reward, impulse control, stress, and decision-making. Calling it an illness is not an excuse. It’s an explanation. And without that understanding, we keep reaching for judgement as if it’s "treatment".

Trust me when I say, no one has ever judged me or other addicts or alcoholics into sobriety. That's not how this works.

I share what I’ve learned inside the rooms. Alcoholism isn’t just about alcohol. It’s about the "ism". The mental obsession. The distorted thinking. The "ism" that doesn’t disappear just because the drink does.

Addiction is not one size fits all. Recovery isn’t linear. Some people relapse. Some people take multiple attempts at sobriety. That doesn’t make them hopeless or wrong. And judging someone for going back out doesn’t make you better than them or right.

Addiction is an illness. Recovery requires responsibility. Judgment helps no one.

If you’ve never lived it, this is an invitation to listen instead of passing blind judgement.

And if you have lived this, you already know what I''m talking about.