I think that our Step One is all about detachment...We admitted we were powerless over the addict/addiction/others and our life had become unmanageable.
Once I truly accepted that I was powerless over anyone else, detaching came easy. For some detachment means no contact, for me detachment meant not involving myself in any way in my son's addiction or recovery or behaviour.
It may be harder when you live with the addict, but mental detachment can help you "act with healthy thought about what is right for you" instead of "reacting" to his behaviour.
Detaching from the pain and obsession of trying to save that which is not ours to save helps us move forward in our own recovery. I found that I could not live in my son's addiction and my own recovery at the same time. So I detached from what was his and focused on what was mine...my recovery.
Hope this makes sense.
Hugs