The Courage to Be Open: Reframing Vulnerability in Recovery

September 2025

Mental Health

Breaking the silence, dismantling shame, and rebuilding lives through the courage to be seen. 

Why Vulnerability Matters in Recovery 

Addiction is often a silent struggle. Many people carry it in secret, weighed down by shame and fear of judgment. We’ve all had moments where we’ve swallowed the words we longed to say, or pretended everything was fine while quietly unravelling inside. 

Yet here’s the paradox: while society often equates vulnerability with weakness, recovery demands the opposite. It requires the courage to be open, honest, and, yes, vulnerable. 

Being vulnerable is not about spilling everything to everyone. It is about choosing authenticity over the mask, connection over isolation.  

Vulnerability is how we build trust, open the door to healing, and rediscover ourselves. 

Vulnerability Is Strength, Not Weakness 

Society and culture often tell us to stay strong, hide our feelings, and never show tears. But the truth is, strength is not about falling - it is about daring to stand back up and letting others see us as we really are. 

Researcher Brené Brown describes vulnerability as “uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure.” In recovery, those three elements are ever-present. Sharing openly about fears, mistakes, or relapses might feel terrifying, but it’s also where the real breakthroughs happen. 

By admitting limits and setbacks, people in recovery dismantle shame and denial. Vulnerability makes space for resilience, authentic connection, and ultimately, transformation. 

Breaking the Silence 

Addiction thrives in secrecy. Silence keeps people stuck in shame and cut off from support. The first courageous act, then, is to speak. 

That is why recovery communities like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous place an emphasis on sharing stories. When someone admits they are struggling, it is not defeat, it is empowerment. 

When people speak truthfully, they regain a sense of control and freedom. Their stories don’t just free them; they also humanize addiction, reminding the world that this is not about moral failure, but about a condition people can, and do, recover from. 

Dismantling Shame 

Shame whispers in your ear: “You’re bad. You’re broken. You don’t deserve help.” It convinces people to hide, and it feeds relapse. Vulnerability interrupts this cycle. 

When someone reframes openness as courage instead of weakness, shame loses its grip. Strategies like personal healing stories, mindfulness, self-compassion, and peer support help individuals rewrite their narratives. They begin to see themselves not as damaged, but as resilient humans in the process of rebuilding. 

The Power of Being Seen 

Recovery is about more than abstaining from substances. It’s about living authentically, with relationships, purpose, and connection. Vulnerability fuels this transformation. 

Each time someone shares honestly and is met with empathy instead of rejection, resilience grows stronger. Every act of openness - whether it’s admitting a relapse, asking for help, or simply saying “I’m struggling” - reinforces the truth: I can face discomfort and survive it. 

Relapse and struggles are not signs of weakness - they’re part of the recovery journey. When we are honest enough to admit setbacks, we open the door to support instead of slipping deeper into shame or isolation. 

The Freedom Beyond Vulnerability 

At the heart of it, recovery is not about perfection. It is about realness and courage in action. Vulnerability turns isolation into connection, shame into pride, and fear into resilience. And through it, lives can be rebuilt, one intentional moment at a time. 

Everyday Ways to Practice Vulnerability 

Being vulnerable in recovery doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can simply mean showing up a little more honestly in daily life. Here are some gentle ways to start: 

• Talk it out in therapy – Give yourself permission to name tough emotions or past experiences instead of holding them in.
• Open up in peer groups – Share honestly about cravings, fears, or small victories. Chances are, someone else feels the same way.
• Be real with trusted people – Let close friends or family see both your struggles and your progress. It deepens connection.
• Expressing creativity – Writing, painting, or music can help release what words sometimes can’t.
• Check in with yourself – Each day, remind yourself: “It’s okay to feel whatever I’m feeling today.” 

By Bryant Tang 

Bryant is a curious soul on an adventure to learn one new thing every day through travel, conversations or simply noticing the little lessons life offers along the way.