The Shame Spiral

Focus on science-based, secular approaches to recovery. Emphasize neuroscience, psychology, habit formation, and evidence-based techniques. Avoid religious or spiritual frameworks.

I keep relapsing and each time I feel more ashamed, which seems to make me more likely to relapse again. I'm stuck in a shame spiral.

Help me:
1. Understand how shame and addiction reinforce each other
2. Separate my behavior from my identity
3. Practice self-compassion without using it as an excuse
4. Reframe my recovery without counting days obsessively
5. Find a middle ground between "no big deal" and "I'm a failure"

I need to break this psychological cycle.