I used to attend a group recovery meeting every Sunday night. Because it was discontinued for the quarantine, I want to continue using that concept to help my recovery by posting here each week.
Each week I will post excerpts and thoughts from one of the 12 steps and I invite all of you to likewise share your experiences, thoughts and encouragement. (Please keep any comments clean, and focused on solutions rather than problems.)
I am not an official representative of the organization. The following two paragraphs are quotes from their guidebook:
LDS Family Services Addiction Recovery Program has adapted the original Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. into a framework of the doctrines, principles, and beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Twelve Steps are reprinted and adapted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (A.A.W.S.) Permission to reprint and adapt the Twelve Steps does not mean that A.A.W.S. has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication, or that A.A.W.S. necessarily agrees with the views expressed herein. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism only—use of the Twelve Steps in connection with programs and activities which are patterned after A.A., but which address other problems, or in any other non-A.A. context, does not imply otherwise. Additionally, while A.A. is a spiritual program, A.A. is not a religious program. Thus, A.A. is not affiliated or allied with any sect, denomination, or specific religious belief.
Step 1, Honesty.
Honesty is the first step in recovery. “Admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable.”
The full step can be found by following this link: https://addictionrecovery.churchofjesuschrist.org/home?lang=eng
There is also a video of a man sharing his experience with recovery from addiction and how honesty was such an important step for him.
I think most of us here realize that we are fighting against bad behavior, I don’t know if we would all call it an addiction. For me, saying that I was addicted, actually saying it out loud, was a huge relief. Finally accepting that I needed help was very humbling, but also helped me see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I invite you all to read more about this topic and share any thoughts you have about how honesty helps you in your recovery and rewire process.
Thanks!
There is also a video of a man sharing his experience with recovery from addiction (heroin and cocaine) and how hopr was such an important step for him.
Having hope in a bright future can be very difficult. Especially after being honest and admitting you have an addiction… how can there be any hope for an addict?
Step 2 is all about faith and believing that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and through Him we can be saved.
Hope was easy for me. For a day or two. I would think “yeah, I’ll try again, but its only a matter of time before I relapse again”. I keep trying though. And over time it has gotten better. Now I actually believe that thanks to Jesus Christ I can be clean forever.
I invite you all to read more about this topic and share any thoughts you have about how hope has been important to you in your recovery and rewire process.
Thanks!