/ a-ta-RAK-see-a / n. tranquility free from anxiety and disturbance
Recovery is not about force. It is about clarity. You do not need to fight your mind. You need to understand it.
You already know how to think carefully. This is a place to apply that thinking to something that matters.
Stoicism is not self-help. It is a 2,000-year-old framework built for adversity. Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Seneca wrote for people navigating real suffering. Their tools apply here.
When the urge arrives at 2am, after an argument, after a good day, you need structure, not a slogan. The Insight Tool gives you a way to reason through the moment before acting on it.
No ads. No email capture. No stock photography. Just structured thinking for difficult moments. This site exists because philosophy genuinely helped, and that is the whole reason.
No accounts. No data collected. Nothing stored anywhere. The Insight Tool runs entirely in your browser. This is a private space and it will stay that way.
"You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength."Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
The urge is not in your control. What you do next is. This single distinction, Epictetus's foundational insight, changes everything about how you can respond to cravings. You are not fighting the urge. You are choosing not to follow it.
The Stoics practised imagining difficult outcomes not to create despair, but to defuse them. Clearly seeing what relapse actually costs, specifically and honestly, removes the haze that surrounds the craving.
Love of fate. Not passive acceptance. Active engagement with what is. The slip happened. The struggle is happening now. The Stoic question is not about shame. It is: given this, what is the next wise thing to do?
Describe what triggered the urge. The tool identifies the Stoic principle that applies and gives you something concrete to do right now.
Each of the 12 Steps maps clearly onto Stoic philosophy. A parallel framework for those who think in systems.
Philosophy helps. Community and professional care are essential. These organisations exist for exactly this.
The original 12-step programme. Meetings available globally, in person and online. If you are drinking and want to stop, this is where to start. Free, anonymous, no judgment.
alcoholics-anonymous.org.ukScience-based, non-12-step alternative. Uses CBT and motivational techniques. Particularly well-suited to the analytical mind. Free meetings globally, strong online community.
smartrecovery.orgIn the UK, your GP can refer you to local alcohol services. For immediate crisis support, call 116 123 (Samaritans) or text SHOUT to 85258. Both are free and available 24 hours.
nhs.uk alcohol support