Working With Your Energy AfterMeth

From the AfterMeth Podcast - Episode with Craig Bricado

Listen to the Podcast HERE

Watch the Podcast HERE

Take a moment before diving in.

Craig's story reminds us that recovery isn't just about stopping substance use - it's about learning who we are beyond the substances, beyond the stories we've been told about ourselves, and beyond the limitations we've accepted.

His journey from teenager using crystal meth in the 80s to certified life coach is proof that transformation is always possible.

But here's what I want you to really absorb: the real work begins after you put down the pipe.

Craig's Story: From Isolation to Illumination

When Craig first picked up crystal meth in the 1980s - they called it "ice" back then - he was a teenager struggling with being gay in a world that told him he was inherently wrong.

The AIDS epidemic was at its peak, "God hates fags" banners were everywhere, and Craig was carrying shame that felt heavier than his young body could hold.

What struck me most about Craig's story was this truth: he used crystal meth because he was lonely, but it made him more alone. He wanted sexual connection, but it left him sexually gutted.

As Craig put it, when you look in the mirror after prolonged use, "there's no more light in your eyes. Your soul has no more light left."

Craig managed to stop in his late teens, stayed abstinent through his twenties and early thirties, but then picked it up again.

This time it coincided with his marriage to a woman while knowing he was gay - a perfect storm of internal conflict that sent him deeper into chem sex and bathhouses, chasing strangers and transactions that left him feeling even more disconnected from authentic intimacy.

His bottom came when he was supposed to be with his grandchildren but instead found himself in "a god awful place" with no memory of how he got there.

His sister's words cut through the fog: "I understand you're an addict, but look what you're doing to other people. Look what you're doing to your kids."

That moment wasn't about shame - it was about clarity.

Craig realized he had to figure this out, not just for himself, but for the ripple effect his life had on others.

Twelve years later, he's helping people navigate the "now what?" phase that so many of us get stuck in after achieving sobriety.

Craig's transformation happened when he discovered energy work at IPEC and learned something revolutionary: you can't create or destroy energy, you can only shift it.

This became his pathway from victim to creator, from stuck to unstuck, from surviving to thriving.

Core Teaching: The Seven Levels of Energy

This was the revelation that transformed Craig's life - and it might transform yours too.

Through his certification at IPEC, Craig learned about Dr. Bruce Schneider's seven levels of energy, and suddenly everything clicked.

As Craig explained it: "We're always in one of these levels, every single one of us, and we're probably experiencing them each level throughout the day at different times. The key is to take the judgment out of it."

Catabolic Energy (Destructive Force):

• Level 1: Victim energy ("poor me")
• Level 2: Anger and resentment

The Shift Point:

• Level 3: Acceptance (neither good nor bad - where catabolic becomes anabolic)

Anabolic Energy (Creative Force):

• Level 4: Service energy
• Level 5: Win-win mindset
• Level 6: We all win
• Level 7: Oneness with universe

An important concept to take away from this podast is that even victim energy can be useful when chosen consciously.

As he put it, "That level one energy could be: 'I need some support right now. I just had something catastrophic happen in my life, and I need my friends and family.' So that victim energy is useful. The key is to understand that I'm experiencing it by choice."

The transformation happens when you become aware.

Are you experiencing this energy by choice, or is it your default?

Are you stuck in old stories, or are you consciously choosing your response?

Craig works with clients using an Energy Leadership Index assessment - 70 questions that show you exactly how much time you spend in each energy level. "Then we have a blueprint of where you are energetically at this moment, because you can change it at any time."

The Power: You can shift between these levels by choice, not by circumstance.

When someone cuts you off in traffic, you can choose to stay at level seven or drop to level two. When you have an urge to use, you can ask "What energy level am I at?" and make a conscious shift.

The "I Want to Use" Moment - Reframed

Craig shared that the charged thought "I want to use" isn't your enemy - it's actually the universe handing you a gold nugget of information.

As Craig explained it: that urge is often a trauma response to a thought or emotion you don't want to feel.

But what if - instead of running from it - you got curious? What if you asked, "What am I really experiencing right now? Is my heart broken? Am I replaying some old story that isn't even true?"

Craig shared how he worked with clients who would say "I want to use" without even knowing what was underneath.

Through his work, people started recognizing the real emotions: "I'm feeling upset" or "I'm replaying a story that isn't true" or "That person just said something that triggered my 'I'm not enough' story."

Here's the shift: You're not trying to eliminate the thought - you're becoming the compassionate observer.

As Craig put it, "That thought 'I want to use' is there to help you. It's saying: Stop, get quiet for a minute. What am I experiencing?"

Instead of judging that thought, get curious:

• What am I really feeling underneath this urge?
• What story am I telling myself right now?
• What would I like to experience instead?

Because here's what we discovered in our conversation: people relapse on good days too.

Sometimes the best day at work triggers using because underneath it all is still that "I need more validation" story, that "I'm not enough" narrative that crystal meth promises to fix but actually amplifies.

Life Force Energy Assessment

During our conversation, Craig shared something he's developed from his personal practice - what he calls the three pillars of life force energy.

This isn't just theory; this is what actually pulled him out of that stuck place after getting sober.

Craig noticed that 80-90% of people start feeling better right away when they focus on these three areas.

As he put it, "We're dopamine addicts," and crystal meth gives us massive dopamine hits. When that's gone and we crash, we need to learn how to feel good naturally.

Rate yourself honestly on each (1-10 scale):

Physical Energy: How are you caring for your body?

• Exercise, movement, nutrition, sleep
• Craig loves hot yoga, gym, bike riding, hiking - find what moves you

Mental/Spiritual Energy: How are you nurturing your inner world?

• Meditation, nature time, quiet reflection, spiritual practice
• As Craig described it: "My connection with the universe, God, whatever anybody wants to call it. Getting quiet, listening to what's going on, maybe getting downloads."

Community Energy: How connected are you?

• Meaningful relationships, service to others, authentic communication
• Craig emphasized: "Getting out of myself, maybe being of service somehow"

The Reality Check: If any area scores below 5, that's your starting point. You can't create lasting transformation running on empty.

And as Craig pointed out, when someone says "Life isn't that great, I want to use again," the first question is: "What are you doing? How many hours are you scrolling? What are you eating? What are you putting in your body?"

Because here's what Craig learned: "Many of us have the inability to love ourselves. Would you tell your best friend who you love dearly to go out and use? Probably not. But you do it to yourself. Why do you treat yourself so poorly?"

Closing Reflection

Craig's story reminds us that the person who first used crystal meth and the person who helps others heal are the same person - just operating from different energy levels, telling themselves different stories, making different choices.

You have access to all seven levels of energy. You have the power to shift your thoughts. You have the ability to create a life that feels alive and authentic.

The question isn't whether you can heal - it's whether you're ready to choose healing, one thought, one moment, one energy shift at a time.

Remember: You're not broken. You're not sick. You're currently healing. And that healing is happening perfectly, exactly as it should.

Love you all! Dallas

Reflective Questions

Take time with these. Don't rush to answers - let them marinate.

1. Energy Awareness: "What energy level do I typically default to when stressed? What would it feel like to choose a different level?"

2. Story Examination: "What story about myself do I keep repeating? Where did this story come from, and is it actually true?"

3. Beyond Abstinence: "If stopping substance use isn't the end goal, what kind of person do I want to become? What would my 'healed life' actually look like?"

4. Fear vs. Love: "In this moment, am I acting from love or fear? How would my choice change if I operated from love?"

5. Energy Shift Practice: "When I think 'I want to use,' what am I really wanting to experience? How else might I meet that need?"

Journal Prompts

Write freely. No editing, no judgment. Let your truth emerge.

1. Your Energy Story: "Describe a recent day when you felt truly alive and energized. What were you doing? How were you thinking? What made that different from your low-energy days?"

2. The Victim Story: "Write about a situation where you felt completely powerless. Now rewrite that same situation from the perspective that everything happened FOR you, not TO you. What shifts?"

3. Future Self Visioning: "Imagine yourself one year from now, living from your highest energy level. Write a day in the life of this version of you. Be specific - how do you wake up, interact with others, handle challenges?"

4. Shame Inventory: "What are you most ashamed of from your using days? Now write yourself a letter of compassion, recognizing that person was doing the best they could with the tools they had."

5. Energy Blockers: "What thoughts, people, or situations consistently drain your energy? What would it look like to protect your energy while still being compassionate?"

Action Exercises

These aren't just suggestions - they're experiments in creating a new way of being.

Exercise 1: The Energy Check-In

Time commitment: 2 minutes, 3 times daily Set phone reminders for morning, afternoon, and evening. Ask yourself:

• What energy level am I at right now?
• Am I choosing this, or is this my default?
• What would I like to experience instead?

Don't try to change anything yet. Just observe.

Exercise 2: The Thought-Shift Practice

When triggered: Next time you think "I want to use"

1. Pause and breathe
2. Ask: "What am I really needing right now?"
3. Choose one small action that honors that need without substances
4. Notice how this feels different

Exercise 3: Life Force Energy Boost

Daily commitment: 15 minutes minimum in each category

• Physical: Walk, stretch, dance, anything that moves your body
• Mental/Spiritual: Meditate, journal, sit in nature, pray
• Community: Text a friend, help someone, have a real conversation

Track this for one week. Notice the correlation between your energy investment and your overall well-being.

Exercise 4: Story Rewriting

Weekly practice: Choose one limiting story you tell about yourself Write it down exactly as you usually think it. Then rewrite it three different ways:

• From a place of compassion
• From a place of curiosity
• From a place of empowerment

Exercise 5: The Avatar Creation

One-time deep dive: Spend 30 minutes creating your "future self"

• What does this healed version of you look like?
• How do they handle stress?
• What brings them joy?
• How do they treat themselves and others?

Write this as if describing someone you deeply admire. Because that's who you're becoming.

Integration: Living the Work

Here's what Craig and I want you to understand: This isn't about perfection. It's about awareness, choice, and compassion.

Some days you'll operate from victim energy. Some days you'll want to use. Some days you'll feel stuck. That's not failure - that's being human.

The transformation happens when you start noticing these patterns without judgment, when you begin asking "How can I see this differently?" instead of "Why does this always happen to me?"

Your energy is your responsibility and your power. You can't control what happens to you, but you can choose how you show up to what happens.