Are They Really in Recovery or Just Not Acting Out? How to Tell the Difference

Conversations on Sex, Addiction, and Relationships

How can you tell if someone is truly in recovery or just white-knuckling their way through another cycle of sex addiction?
In this deep and practical conversation, Dan Drake, Jeanne Vattuone and Tim Stein explore the difference between sobriety and true recovery. Sobriety is what someone doesn't do. Recovery is what they do. And that distinction makes all the difference.
Using analogies like beach balls under water, binge/purge cycles, and emotional suppression, they unpack the red flags that indicate when someone might be suppressing behaviors rather than healing and what it actually looks like when someone is leaning into recovery with vulnerability, honesty, and consistent action.
If you're watching someone go through the motions and wondering, “Is this the real thing?” this episode will help you clarify the signs.
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