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Embracing The “Hero” Myth

Embracing The “Hero” Myth

Since the earliest recorded history of mankind, we have created stories that represent themes and motifs of our collective experiences which, if examined thoroughly, can provide guidance as we ought to best navigate the potential horrors of the world. The primary theme throughout all of these stories is the path of the Hero. If we look back into history we can easily identify the most important hero figures such as Jesus and Buddha, or in more contemporary times Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Some other examples of hero’s in the art would Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins, and Luke Skywalker. When Carl Jung, the Swiss Psychiatrist, spoke about the importance of embracing the hero myth, he was very specific in that we should try and live out the hero in our own lives to the best of ability, and according to the personal experience we encounter.

The reason the hero theme is relevant in recovery from addiction is that it seems as though the recovering addict, whether we are aware of it or not, is actually beginning to live out the hero story in their lives. In most all hero journeys, the hero experiences some severe difficulties and is often given the task of destroying an evil figure, often represented by a dragon, or in the case of Star Wars, Darth Vader. The hero typically embarks on some sort of adventure where they will face constant struggles and difficulties along the way. During this experience of their journey, they are constantly put to the test by other individuals trying to lead them astray by using various temptations which, if the hero can resist, they can then continue moving forward in their quest.

If the themes in the hero’s journey sound familiar, it is because those of us who are committed to our recovery are essentially on our own version of the hero quest. Within addiction, we were not necessarily given the option to embark on a difficult and often painful quest for self-improvement and personal evolution. Due to the nature of our disease, we were thrust into the position where we could either accept the call to work to become the best person we could be, or we could ignore the call and be slain, ourselves, by the dragon called addiction. If we can work truly embrace the story of the hero within our own lives, just as is the case in hero myths, we will find rewards beyond our wildest dreams.


Tree House Recovery of Orange County, California is a premier men’s addiction treatment facility that uses eight different modalities to help our men become the best versions of themselves they can be. We teach our men that every day of their journey is something to celebrate and that recovery isn’t a sprint– it’s a marathon. To get started with Tree House Recovery, call us today at (855) 202-2138.

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