Addiction Recovery: Essential Steps on the Journey to Lasting Sobriety
Even though 12-step programs for addiction recovery are strongly based on Alcoholics Anonymous, this approach, which follows a series of steps along the journey to recovery, was inspired by the Oxford Group, a faith-based movement founded in the early 20th century that emphasized spiritual growth and personal transformation through four principles that some followers viewed as steps. The Oxford Group considered love and peace the central principles of personal transformation that could be attained in the following order: becoming honest, emphasizing spiritual purity, and practicing generosity. The founders of AA incorporated these principles into the 12 steps, which are part of a linear program and form the basis of other addiction recovery strategies. Even though each step is important in and of itself, some are more crucial than others.
Admitting the Addiction
In the AA program, the first three steps are foundational because they comprise what’s known as the “moment of clarity” needed to embark on the recovery journey. There needs to be an admission of being powerless over addiction, a realization that sanity needs to be restored, and a decision to turn things around.
Seeking Support & Involvement
The subsequent AA steps are highly respected by mental health counselors because they outline a therapeutic strategy, and they also steer participants toward accepting the support and involvement of others. This is both a step toward and a positive factor within recovery. In essence, it involves getting support and help from others who believe in the ability of addicts to recover. When going through recovery, you want to have the right people by your side. Supportive relatives and friends are always welcome, but you should also think about seeking help from a professional, such as a recovery coach or Solana Beach sober companion, who can help during your journey.
Learning to Accept Change
Sobriety is a major aspect of recovery because it represents a major change. It doesn’t matter whether you prefer to fully abstain or practice moderation. Sobriety means never getting into patterns of substance abuse that can derail your life. Sober living is for everyone, and many people see it as a transformational challenge that may present certain difficulties. This is when a sober lifestyle coach can help with recovery by letting you ease into significant changes. What you need to learn is how to manage a new life without intoxication and dependence.
Practicing Self-Care
People often fall into substance abuse and addiction because they seek to escape, cope, relax, or give themselves a reward. This needs to be acknowledged because it’s a misguided approach to self-care. A large part of sobriety consists of practicing self-care, which can be described as a therapeutic approach that involves not being too hard on ourselves. Self-care is a key to maintaining sobriety, and it’s at the center of sober lifestyle coaching. There will come a point in your recovery journey when you want to be good to others, but you need to be good to yourself first, and you may need to learn how to do it.
For strength-based support with addiction recovery, Solana Beach residents can rely on the trained recovery coaches at Sober Lifestyle Coaching. We know precisely what it takes to get sober, stay sober, and live the healthy lifestyle you deserve. We specialize in working with clients with active addictions as well as clients already in recovery. Our sober coaches help clients work through potentially challenging events such as going to work and attending family gatherings while providing encouragement, accountability, insight, and understanding through our own recovery experiences. To learn more about how a sober lifestyle coach can help you or someone you love, call us at 760-300-8338.