How to Get Your Life in Focus in Recovery

If you have been addicted to alcohol or drugs for a while, it can seem that normal life has been suspended. However, if you have reached the point of seeking help and beginning recovery, you have embarked on the most difficult, but potentially the best journey of your life. According to Spiritual River, a website written by a recovering addict and alcoholic, it is pain that makes a person take the decision to change, and no one else can make that decisions for another, no matter how much he wants to do so. The pain can be physical, but is more likely to be emotional and psychological as the person's life seems to crumble. A person who is addicted has to make the decision and be prepared to work hard to go forward to a better future.

Instructions

• 1

  Surrender to your addiction. Leave denial behind, as denial makes you think you can control the problem. Accept that you need to be humble and do whatever it takes to stop your addiction. For many people, this means in-patient detoxification, residential rehabilitation and for most people, it means regular 12-step meetings.

• 2

  Prioritize your recovery and put 100 percent effort into it. Accept that that is how it has to be at this time in your life. Later, as your recovery progresses, you will be able to focus more on personal growth and goals. Do not allow yourself to become complacent, even if your recovery seems to be going well.

• 3

  Immerse yourself in literature about recovery and build up a network of buddies or other supportive people. Avoid your old haunts and even your old friends, if they are likely to lead you astray. If you relapse, seek immediate help as this is a dangerous situation for you.

• 4

  Avoid becoming over-enthusiastic about your recovery, especially at the early stages. Never glamorize your addiction as this can distort your own thinking about the reality of your situation. Cultivate the habit of being grateful for your second chance and for the good people in your life. Write a list of good things that have happened to you since you entered recovery.