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Old 01-17-2013, 07:16 AM
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MIRecovery
A Day at a Time
 
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Grand Rapids MI
Posts: 6,435
What does it take?

People can argue recovery methods until the cows come home but IMO there are some universal truths about people that get and stay sober. Here are some of the things I have observed:
  1. Come to the realization that we just cannot drink and that total abstinence from all mind altering substances is the only path.
  2. Believe that addiction is a cronic condition which we never get over. We learn how to deal with it but we are never normal again
  3. Be willing to change anything if it keeps us on the path of not drinking.
  4. Remove people, places, and things in our lives that move us away from sobriety
  5. Listen to and do what people with long term soberiety do
  6. Have a comprehensive plan that addresses how we are going to stay sober
  7. Educate ourselves on addiction and recovery
  8. Get rid of the baggage from the past. This may require a professional or some type of recovery program. In some cases people manage to do this on their own but it is difficult.
  9. Have a network of people that you can talk to preferably people in recovery
  10. Develop a full and meaningful life that does not include alcohol. Develop sober or normal drinking friends
  11. Learn how to go outside of ourselves and make the world a better place
  12. Patience and understanding. This is a life time of change and things do not get better in a day nor will the world ever be the way we want it to be
  13. Forgiveness of ourselves and others

Other items that are recovery universals?
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