The only labels or words I need to know are the ones that describe my core values, the kind of person I want to be, the kind of person I wish my daughter would bring home one day—the kind of person that, if everyone in the world were like this, it would make the world a better place.

I just need to compare my behaviour to that model and correct it when it doesn’t line up.

I don’t need a label to do that, and I don’t need to wave the label like a banner above my head and be proud of it when doing so actually prevents me from changing my behaviour.

I’m quite critical of 12-step drug rehabilitation programs, mostly because statistically, they’re very unsuccessful.

This idea that you are an addict—well, not if you’ve stopped using, you’re not.

Okay, that doesn’t mean you can go back and use again.

You’re clearly someone who doesn’t do drugs well, but you don’t need to call yourself an addict.

You don’t say, “I’m an addict, and therefore I can justify all these repetitive, harmful behaviours.” It’s like, no, there are some things you can’t be trusted doing, so don’t do them, period.

You don’t need to call yourself an addict.

If you’re being a healthy person, call yourself a healthy person for now.

If your behaviour is good, call it good.

If your behaviour is bad, don’t say it’s “addict behaviour.”

Say it’s bad behaviour, and you’re going to fix it.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out the original video here: