🎭 The Mask of Performance: Parts of My Story 📓 My substance abuse didn’t start in a vacuum; it began in the harsh spotlight of my life as a male erotic stripper. The relentless pressure, the gnawing insecurity, and the constant performance were a breeding ground for finding solace in drugs and alcohol. Every “low point” I thought I reached was just a deeper layer of the struggle. For years, I fought to climb out. I went vegan for four years, gluten-free for six, and cut dairy completely. I genuinely believed that fixing my body would fix my mind. 🥗 The harsh truth? That extreme diet wasn’t recovery; it was another mask. It was a rigorous coping mechanism designed to distract me from the true, deeper trauma. But even in that misstep, there was a valuable lesson: The determination to seek control was always there. Your recovery, or your fitness journey, is rarely a straight line. Recognize the difference between genuine healing and simply swapping one compulsion for another. The r...