Dr. Jacques de Broekert
Dr. Jacques de Broekert
The Addiction Identity Crisis
The Addiction Identity Crisis
The Addiction Identity Crisis
Friday 13th February 2026
Dr. Jacques tackles the addiction identity crisis, offering steps to move beyond recovery and reclaim your life.
27 minutes
Inspiring
Informative
Encouraging
Supportive
Transformative
About this podcast
Author:
Dr. Jacques de Broekert
Overview:
Categories:
Sobriety Toolkit
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Family Recovery from Addiction
Recovery from Trauma
Creative Recovery Journeys
Links:
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Episodes:
152 (View all)
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Episode Overview
- Recovery should be a foundation for life, not an end point.
- Over-attachment to recovery identity can stall personal growth.
- Ask 'Who am I becoming?' instead of focusing on past identities.
- Develop new roles and pursue goals beyond recovery.
- Use energy from addiction destructively into building new competencies.
"Recovery is supposed to give you your life back. It's not supposed to become your life."
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? In this episode of 'Doc Jacques: Your Addiction Lifeguard', Dr. Jacques de Broekert takes on the challenge of the 'Addiction Identity Crisis'. Dr. Jacques, a seasoned psychologist and addiction specialist, breaks down the often-overlooked trap of becoming overly attached to the identity of being in recovery.
He uses vivid analogies, like building a house on the beach where you nearly drowned, to illustrate how recovery should be a stepping stone, not a destination. You'll hear about the dangers of allowing your recovery identity to become your whole identity, potentially stalling personal growth. Dr. Jacques shares real-life stories, like that of an Olympic-level athlete who quit due to an identity crisis, drawing parallels to the recovery journey.
The episode offers practical steps for moving beyond the 'recovered addict' label, encouraging listeners to ask themselves, 'Who am I becoming?' rather than dwelling on past identities. Dr. Jacques also highlights the importance of developing new roles and pursuing goals beyond recovery, urging listeners to harness the same energy they once used destructively into building new competencies. This episode is a compelling reminder that recovery is not just about quitting substances but also about reclaiming and expanding one's identity.
Are you ready to look beyond the rearview mirror and focus on the road ahead?