3 Steps Every Person Seeking Recovery Must Take
The road to addiction recovery happens one step at a time.
When you’re in the depths of addiction, it can feel hopeless. But having spent decades guiding people out of addiction, we know the way and we know that it is possible.
We understand the frustration and heartache that addiction causes in a person’s life and in the lives of their loved ones.
The exact path that each person takes will be different, but there are 3 cornerstone ‘steps’ that people generally have to take in order to find recovery.
#1 Get open with people you trust
Addiction grows in secrecy.
When a person refuses to let anyone into his life and share what he’s really struggling with, there is very little hope for him.
Keeping an addiction to yourself is a recipe for shame and isolation and creates an even greater need to use substances.
Finding a person, or people, to be open with is usually the first step in the recovery process. It’s a sign that a person is ready to get the help they need regardless of what others think of them.
Sometimes it may be a friend or a family member. Other times, a person may not have a person they trust in their existing network of friends and may choose to get open for the first time with a professional counselor.
Eventually, it may be helpful to establish a circle of trust. This not only helps the person relieve the pressure of secrecy, but it helps to establish deeper and more meaningful relationships.
#2 Accept Help From Others
Now that the person has begun getting open with people, it is important to accept help from others.
One of the biggest mistakes a person can make is thinking that they can only recover by themselves without the help of others.
Trying to solve life’s problems alone may have contributed to the cycle of substance abuse that they’re currently struggling with.
In order to get well, they will need a mind shift. They need to begin letting others support their journey back to the good life.
Again, it could be friends of family, or it could be the professional help of a credentialed counselor.
12-step groups, such as alcoholics anonymous, are a great way to be supported by others and to give support back to other peers in a similar situation.
#3 Commit To Taking Steps of Growth
This is where every path is different.
Each person has their own challenges and their own growth steps to take.
Some steps a person may need to take:
- Make amends for broken relationships
- Attend support groups
- Read books to understand addiction better
- Enter into a treatment program
- Apologize for mistakes
- Find new leisure activities
- Set boundaries around friends or locations not to associate with
The most important thing in this step is to surrender to the processes. Those who resist growth, resist recovery.
In order for a person to grow, they have to be deeply honest with themselves about what they need to do to make their life right.
At the core, addiction recovery is just a string of small steps forward toward growth. Nobody can change their whole life and habits over night. But everyone who wants to say goodbye to addiction must be ready to wake up each morning and take the next step of growth.
If you’re feeling stuck or know somebody who needs help, give us a call.
We understand that life is hard, and are here to support you through peaks and valleys, through sunshine and thunderstorms.