People in Recovery

Addicts and alcoholics follow a fairly predictable route from drinking/using to stable abstinence and recovery, whether they believe in God or not.

Focusing on the areas most likely to challenge sobriety can help the person in recovery prepare positive responses.

The trick is to sustain the gains made in rehab in the vast uncontrolled experiment that is everyday life.

The addict gives up on thinking for themselves, because it’s too dangerous.

Changing how we live isn’t easy to accomplish, even with step-by-step instructions.

We can “turn it over,” not because we believe there is a God who will do something for us or to us, but because we understand that recovering from addiction depends on outside help.

Many of the suggestions are counterintuitive (did you know that mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce cravings?), but all of the suggestions are grounded in science.

Plenty of addicts and alcoholics starting the journey of recovery from addictive disease can’t bring themselves to accept the spiritual program that’s helped so many. There are other options.

There may be new practices specifically to support recovery — taking up yoga or meditation, a sport or hobby, or making important changes in diet or exercise.

Seek outside advice. Good advice, that is. Not the sort from the guy on the next bar stool.