Step One Powerlessness

The threshold requirement for a successful recovery from addictive disease is a gut level acknowledgement (not just intellectual) that you can no longer use drugs or alcohol without loss of control and ensuing negative consequences that outweigh any short term high or mood change from use. Any notion that you can somehow, some day, under some circumstance use drugs or alcohol successfully must be banished from your mind. Usually the only way to arrive at this state of mind is through much pain and proof to yourself that cannot use and get way with it. Are you there, yet?

Long Term Recovery

Do you know the number one key to maintaining long term recovery (abstinence) from addiction? Aside, of course, from not doing whatever you are recovering from doing, the key to staying abstinent and in recovery is to KEEP COMING BACK. This phrase certainly can mean to regularly attend and participate in Twelve Step meetings, but also can mean to continue any ongoing method of reminding yourself that time does not cure addiction and that provides you support, including, hopefully, the opportunity to share and receive feedback, and access spiritual strength.

Honesty

Honesty in recovery from addictive disease is essential. There are many aspects to honesty about your addiction. Of particular importance is an examination of the negative effects of your drug, alcohol, or other addictive behavior. First of all, you must take an unflinching look at how your addiction has hurt you and those you care about so that you can lay to rest any notion that you can return to your active addiction without devastating consequences. From the pain of uncovering how you hurt yourself and others can come a solid foundation for recovery.

Sharing

Why should you, a person newly in recovery from addictive disease, share with others in recovery perhaps in 12 Step meetings, in groups, or even online? There many reasons why sharing can be healthy and a support for your recovery. Talking out loud about a problem and your thoughts and feelings about it , can help you to clarify your thoughts and feelings; means that your problem is no longer a scret that may fester when held close to you alone; and finally, sharing may help the other person.

Twelve Step Meetings

I strongly suggest that anyone seeking to recover from an addiction, or from the effects of a relationship with a person with an addiction, go to 12 Step meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/), Narcotics Anonymous (http://www.na.org/), Gamblers Anonymous (http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/), Al-Anon (http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/), Nar-Anon (http://nar-anon.org/contactus.htm), and Gam-Anon(http://www.gam-anon.org/). These programs provide free support and vital information that can form the basis for a solid recovery. Attend 6 meetings with an open mind and see if you can understand why I recommend these groups.