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A peculiarity of recovery is that it is infectious. it’s like the flu. You stick around recovering people long enough and you might start to recover. You might not even see it happening, but soon the symptoms of recovery are developing.
A sense of humour. Some hope. Looking forward to things again. Being able to look in the mirror and not flinch. Going to the toilet and not pooing rocks and pebbles.
It’s been said that Narcotics Anonymous makes people into addicts. When they arrive, they sometimes think they just use too many drugs. Then they think they may have a drug problem. A short while later they are an addict and then crash, bang, thump, they are a recovering drug addict.
“What’s happened? I wasn’t an addict when I arrived, but now I am. What the hell is going on”
Once you’ve seen recovery, spent time in the company of recovering people and picked up some of the hope and energy around recovery, then holy cow, it’s happening to you too. Despite the fact that you aren’t like these people.
How we take advantage of this infectious peculiarity of recovery is that we expose addicts seeking recovery (it only needs to be a tiny bit of them that’s interested, it’ll still work, for it’s very, very infectious) to those who’ve got it, though mutual aid groups, service user groups, forums, recovery cafes (if you are lucky enough to live in Edinburgh) and the like.
It’s fiendishly clever and remarkably cheap and If it wasn’t for the fact that I didn’t think of it first, I’d be marketing it as a highly effective way of spreading the recovery bug. We need a pandemic of recovery and I think we can see the signs in the UK that it’s on its way.
Now where’s the Kleenex?
How do get some folks from the UK to sneeze on us, we really need a recovery epidemic in the US!
I have been in recovery myself for over 7yrs & i love shouting about it & spreading the word, the thing is that the media should spread the word also that there are so very many of us in recovery & it works if you work it, they are only too quick to point us out when we are users, so come one everyone spread the word in this business (if you wanna call it that) word of mouth is a great big thing, I love this recovering me, for the first time in my life i can feel, it isnt a walk in the park because some days it hurts, but i’m glad that i’m alive even if it does & i can learn & am still learning how to cope with life, but arn’t we all. I never get complacent, never get too down without asking for help, or having a moan with someone who moans back but we both listen & then laugh about it, which was something I never did, I cried a lot but hardly ever laughed or come to think of it felt much of anything & omg now I can feel & I feel i have ranted on enough ha ha bye peeps enjoy your recovery xxx
Well said. It’s remarkable how powerful coming together can be. Also, well done for highlighting the different routes through which this phenomena happens: ‘… though mutual aid groups, service user groups, forums, recovery cafes (if you are lucky enough to live in Edinburgh) and the like.’ Desire, opportunity and choice.
Magster is so right, we need to spread the world about recovery being a reality; in the US in the media we hear so much about celebrities’ bad behavior, going to expensive rehabs, going back out, partying, it’s turned into entertainment news. On the other hand, very few people or media ever report that so and so is now doing well *because it would not sell magazines I suppose) and because of the stigma of addiction, it takes courage for people in general to self identify as in recovery-or whatever the person chooses to call their journey. As a result, the public knows very little about recovery. Struggling people and their families need hope, they need to know that one can overcome substance use problems. There’s a lot to do (in the US at least).
just a quick note, recovery isn’t ‘owned’ by NA,AA or any other 12 steppin organisation, believe it or not it can happen totally outside of this system! don’t mean to gripe but just dont hear much mention of it, that’s all……..
Absolutely. The term ‘recovery’ may have been popularized by 12 step but the experience takes many forms and the journey takes many paths. No argument there.
I just want to add a note with respect to “don’t mean to gripe but just ‘dont hear much mention of it, that’s all……..; I am in the US and I have tried very hard to include in my studies people who are not in 12-step – Bill White is my co-investigator and he has reinforced that idea. For instance, we don’t ever use the term ‘recovery’ in our recruiting materials). It’s difficult, for several reasons, here at least: (1) many people have gone to treatment at some point (not everyone, I know) and here at least, most people who go to treatment will at some point, go to 12 step; (2) people who recover through other paths than 12-step and we know there are perhaps the majority, may not identify with the ‘recovery’ experience and be less likely to be interested in speaking of their experience, either to researchers or in general. I have replicated the work in Australia and there was a good deal of 12-step as well though not as much as here. I realize this is a limitation to our work, it makes it look like almost everyone goes to 12 step to overcome addiction. Note that I have no dog in the race as the expression goes, I want to help understand the many ways that recover, this is not about being pro or con- 12-step. I just wanted to clarify that because Bee makes a very good point.
Good feedback people. I totally agree that recovery happens in various ways and 12 step is only one of them. (My example from NA is just that; an example from NA).
Although recovery as a concept is more developed in the US, there is arguably more diversity here in terms of pathways. I might be wrong there. Treatment is also only one route to recovery, but in the UK only about 50% of residential treatment is 12 step and I reckon it must be over 90% in the US,
I’m interested in research and know that it can be difficult to recruit recovered people who’ve recovered outside mainstream pathways. Many may not want to identify any longer as an addict or alcoholic in recovery as you so clearly point out Alexandre.
I’m happy to identify that I tried several paths and found what I needed through 12 step, but I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone else whose journey is different and celebrate it with them. I’m really pleased to see the development of a strong recovery advocacy movement across the Atlantic where this already happens.
At the moment in the UK, AA, NA and CA represent the largest mutual aid groups and the most clealy identifiable recovery community nationally. That can be celebrated too without taking an iota away from the validity of other ways.
I spread the word as often as I can & where every I can that I am in recovery Alexandre is right people do need hope & I find that talking to people does give them hope I see it in their faces & in their actions after. I talk at conferences, detox centres anywhere anyone will listen to me & I find that it is just that what keeps me grounded & in recovery, I feel enlightened when I see the reaction from people at my honesty It’s a great feeling knowing that because they have hope I have hope that the recovery movement is growing stronger all the time I never did 12 step but I do talk to some who are in 12 steps, some of them just work it but some of them get annoying with it, but what I say is what ever it is that keeps you in recovery thats what you have to keep working on
That is great to hear. KEEP SPREADING THE MESSAGE. Researchers like me can published all the articles we want, there is no substitute for the testimony of those who have ‘been there’ and come out triumphant to give hope for and a face to recovery
