The Journey So Far
The people behind Rehabitus and our vision for the future
Rehabitus: Empowering Personal Growth in Life After Addiction.
Firstly, What's in the Name?
The name "Rehabitus" draws inspiration from "Habitus," a concept by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. Habitus represents the deeply ingrained habits, skills, and dispositions we develop through our life experiences, shaping how we perceive and interact with the world. By adding "Re-" (meaning "again"), we emphasise the potential to rebuild these habits and dispositions more effectively and consciously.
Conveniently, it also spells "rehab," highlighting our focus on rehabilitation.
Addressing the Relapse Challenge
Rehabitus steps in when substance use has stopped, but life still feels fundamentally unchanged.
Many individuals relapse during or shortly after a substance misuse treatment programme, with estimated rates averaging 40-60% in the first 6 months, depending on the substance. Opiate addiction has the highest relapse rates, exceeding 70%. (These statistics are specific to England.)
We hypothesise that many individuals relapse because they haven’t internalised how to become truly effective at managing their needs and aspirations. Substance use may have stopped, but without the skills to navigate their lives and emotions, old habits can quickly resurface.
Our goal with Rehabitus is to help individuals reconstruct their lives for the long term. We focus on fostering personal growth and developing new, lasting habits.
Sobriety, therefore, becomes just one aspect of a transformed identity.
The Next Steps on Substack
So far we’ve offered written aids to help shift perceptions, providing insights and strategies for personal growth and wellness. This has been, in part, an experiment to see if it’s possible to start a brand, maintain a writing schedule and engage a following. The next steps are to enhance our Substack content with:
Podcasts and audio for deeper dives, personal touches, and listener convenience.
Collaborations with other Substack publications for wider perspectives.
Insights from specialists in life coaching, psychology, and substance misuse rehabilitation to offer more comprehensive support.
Expanding Beyond Substack
Our Substack publication is only the beginning. Beyond Substack, we are preparing to launch in-person sessions that will offer practical personal development techniques tailored to individual needs.
These sessions will provide real-time interaction, support, and hands-on activities, enhancing the application of lasting strategies.
Of course, new insights from these sessions will also be published on Substack.
Meet the Team
Adam Parkington-Taylor, BSc (Hons), MSc
I am the founder of Rehabitus and the writer on Substack. I’ve included the letters after my name because they might help you take me a bit more seriously, or you might just think I’m a prick. Either way, my degrees in Biochemistry and Biomedicine were completed many years ago, but my proudest achievement is overcoming a long-standing addiction to alcohol and reclaiming my well-being.
The central focus of my residential rehabilitation was in applying ‘Choice Theory’ to addiction. While I had to discard some aspects, others made total (and life-changing) sense. Most importantly, this experience taught me that true recovery dives deeper than just addressing an addiction as a standalone disorder. It showed me that self-reliance is not only possible as a path to freedom from addiction, but is crucial.
I've since immersed myself in studying addiction and recovery strategies. This includes exploring academic recovery literature, self-help books, counselling skills, philosophy, and habit formation.
To stay grounded and connected, I attend community groups weekly. These sessions are invaluable for listening, learning, and sharing experiences with others on similar journeys. Life is a rich tapestry, and these interactions add depth and perspective to my journey, reminding me of the power of community and shared experiences.
Reinventing ourselves after addiction goes beyond any single book or programme, whether it's 12 Steps, Choice Theory, or any other manual. That's why I created Rehabitus: an ever-evolving, multifaceted, and adaptive movement designed to support continuous personal growth.
Danielle Tudor
Danielle is a qualified counsellor and mental health first aider, with a deep understanding of crisis intervention. Her education and vast experience make her an invaluable team member. Danielle truly listens and helps, bringing empathy and practical advice to those she supports. This is demonstrated in her role as a front-line call handler on a suicide helpline. Additionally, Danielle is passionate about inclusive communication and is soon to be qualified in British Sign Language.
Jonathan Lee
Jonathan collaborates with Adam behind the scenes. He is a BACP registered counsellor, a qualified personal trainer, and has a passion for personal growth and development. His expertise and dedication to helping others make him a critical part of the Rehabitus team, spurring ideas and innovations for us to take action. We’d love for him to get on the front line of Rehabitus in the future as he has so much valuable knowledge and experience to share.
Trialling Voluntary Paid Subscriptions
We’re trialling voluntary paid subscriptions. But all our content remains free.
This model allows those who can support Rehabitus to contribute while ensuring those who cannot pay right now still have access to the help they need.
We rise by lifting others. If you find value in our resources and can contribute, your support will help us expand and enhance our services.
What Rehabitus Offers:
Discover practical insights on building a growth-oriented mindset after addiction.
Connect with a community dedicated to a sober and fulfilling life.
Stay inspired with regular updates, new perspectives, and continuous support.
Thanks Ellie
This looks like a fantastic initiative! Look forward to reading your posts and learning more