There’s an old saying many people have heard:
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.”
Working with individuals struggling with substance abuse has shown me just how true that statement can be.
But over time, I realized there is another type of insanity.
I learned it’s called Insanity B.
Insanity B is knowing exactly what you need to do — and still choosing not to do it.
Recently, I saw it play out right in front of me.
When the Answers Are Right in Front of You
A patient I was working with was struggling with substance abuse and difficulty managing her emotions.
She explained that every time she started making progress in life, she would sabotage it. Sometimes she would show up to work under the influence. Other times she would allow small conflicts to explode into major situations that got her fired.
Her life had become a pattern of starting over.
We talked about the real issue behind her substance use. Sobriety wasn’t just about stopping drugs or alcohol — it was about addressing the trauma and emotional pain that led her to use in the first place.
We discussed a plan.
She agreed that getting sober had to be the first priority.
We also talked about going directly from the hospital into a treatment program instead of returning to the streets. She agreed that going straight into treatment would give her the best chance at recovery.
She said she was ready for change.
The Message She Kept Hearing
During her stay, she attended an Alcoholics Anonymous panel meeting.
The speaker emphasized something very important:
If you want the best chance at sobriety, go to a meeting the same day you leave treatment.
She agreed.
The panelists provided resources and books to help her find meetings.
She agreed again.
The following day, during group, I read from an Alcoholics Anonymous book that stressed the same idea:
If sobriety is not your first priority, eventually there will be no job, no family, and no hope.
She agreed with that too.
In fact, she told the group she planned to attend a meeting the day she was discharged.
Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction.
Then Something Happened
The next day she came into group looking frustrated.
I asked what was going on.
She said she was being discharged soon and didn’t know what she was going to do.
I was confused.
We had already talked through the plan.
I asked her if she was still going to the program she agreed to.
She looked down and quietly said no.
Her reason?
She said she was in a rush to get her life on track.
My jaw hit the floor.
She had just spent days hearing the same message from multiple people. She had resources. She had support. She had a plan that cost her nothing and gave her the best odds for recovery.
And she chose to walk away from it.
She shrugged it off and discharged back to the streets.
That’s When It Hit Me
She wasn’t lacking answers.
She wasn’t lacking support.
She wasn’t lacking opportunity.
She was experiencing Insanity B.
She knew exactly what she needed to do — and chose not to do it.
How Many of Us Do This?
Maybe not with substance abuse, but in other areas of life.
We know we should:
- address our mental health
- improve our relationships
- take care of our bodies
- pursue the goals we talk about
The information is there.
The resources are there.
The support may even be there.
But fear of change, fear of confronting our past, or fear of the unknown stops us from taking the steps we know we should take.
And we stay stuck in the same cycles.
The Choice Is Always Ours
Life is too short to stay trapped in patterns of misery.
Change can be uncomfortable.
Growth can be painful.
Facing the truth about ourselves can be difficult.
But choosing growth is always worth it.
Take the steps that help you move forward.
Live life fully.
Experience both the highs and the lows.
And most importantly, love yourself enough to take action.
Those experiences build resilience.
Over time, they build confidence.
And never forget — you are already beautiful.
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