One on One with Coach Blu: You Are Not Your AddictionOne on One with Coach Blu: You Are Not Your Addiction
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Coach Blu and Marissa talk about why a person is not their addiction, stressing how language, self-worth and purpose shape recovery. They discuss relapse, new coping strategies and the importance of replacing old habits with healthier ones through movement, connection and honest self-reflection.
42:20•5 Oct 2022
You Are Not Your Addiction: Rethinking Identity, Relapse and Self-Worth
Episode Overview
- Addiction is something a person experiences, not who they are; the label "addict" should not be their entire identity.
- The words "I am" are powerful, and repeatedly calling yourself an addict can lock you into limiting beliefs.
- Relapse is reframed as a "slip" where sobriety has lost its purpose; the key is what you do next, not the slip itself.
- External motivators like courts or children can start recovery, but long-term change needs internal purpose and values.
- Healthy replacements such as athletics, team connection and small daily actions can gradually build confidence and self-worth.
“"You are not your addiction. That it's part of you. It's not who you are."”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation with Coach Blu and Athletic Director Marissa Robinson zooms in on one core message: "you are not your addiction. That it's part of you. It's not who you are." If you're tired of being reduced to a label, this one speaks straight to that frustration.
The episode grows from a simple question sent in by an athlete: is there something for someone who struggles with finding their worth, especially after giving in to their addiction? From there, the talk widens into identity, self-worth, relapse, and why words like "I am" can quietly shape your entire life. Coach Blu questions the habit of saying "I'm an addict" forever, pointing out that whatever follows "I am" quickly becomes your "absolute truth" in your own mind.
You'll hear them break down different types of substance use and what kind of pain people might be trying to cover, while staying clear that the person is never just the behaviour. They share the idea of "erase and replace"—not ripping away someone's coping tool and leaving them to sink, but replacing it with something healthier, like movement, team connection and goal-setting.
Self-worth gets a big focus: believing you're still worthy of love "no matter what I've done or haven't done," learning that your past actions don't define you, and seeing limiting beliefs like "I'm not good enough" for what they are.
Marissa reminds everyone that change starts tiny—"sometimes by just going on a walk around the block"—and Coach Blu reframes relapse as a "slip" where "sobriety's lost its purpose," stressing it's "not the relapse, it's what you do with it." For anyone in recovery, their families, or those supporting others, this episode offers straight-talking reassurance, a few laughs, and a clear nudge: what story are you telling yourself, and is it time to rewrite it?
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