| Addiction recovery requires accomplishing a number | | | | it. You are not completely without judgment, |
| of tasks, including:build and maintain | | | | resources or capabilities! |
| motivationconnect with othersidentify and develop | | | | One of the common thinking errors is all-or-none |
| alternative coping methodsreduce resentment about | | | | thinking. If you have made some less-than-great |
| changingidentify, understand and cope with | | | | decisions (and who hasn't!) then it may seem sensible |
| cravingbuild a new, balanced lifelead a life that is | | | | to conclude that your judgment is completely gone. |
| purposeful, meaningful and reasonably happystay | | | | However, your judgment in many (if not most) areas |
| alert for problems and follow through all the way | | | | of life is fine. Your take this competence for granted, |
| To accomplish these tasks, you will need to make | | | | but it is nevertheless real. If your judgment is |
| MANY decisions along the way. However, your | | | | adequate in these areas, you can develop it in other |
| judgment about your addictive behavior(s) has not | | | | areas also. |
| been good. How could you trust yourself to make | | | | If my judgment is so good, why haven't I overcome |
| decisions about recovery? | | | | addiction already? Probably because you haven't |
| You could put yourself in the hands of others (AA, a | | | | focused on it sufficiently. To overcome addiction |
| therapist, your higher power, etc.). However, many | | | | involves facing up to the conflict of wanting the |
| are not willing to do this, yet still want recovery. | | | | addiction but not wanting the consequences. Faced |
| For these individuals, recovery is a process of | | | | with this conflict, we often just hope it will go away. |
| discovery. You will need to think about new ways of | | | | There are always other problems you can pay |
| being and behaving. You will try them out, first in | | | | attention to! Even individuals with superlative |
| imagination, and possibly in practice. Like a scientific | | | | judgment have difficulty prioritizing problems. You |
| researcher, you will need to determine which ideas | | | | could wait, because your conflict might go away on |
| are most promising and need to be tested first. If | | | | its own, just as you wished. Changing jobs or |
| these early ideas are successful, you may not even | | | | neighborhoods, developing new relationships, or other |
| need to try more! The whole process, however, will | | | | life changes are often associated with addiction |
| need to be guided by your own judgment. | | | | changes. |
| Your self-doubt may be strong, especially if you think | | | | However, you can decide it's time to face addiction |
| you are "out of control." However, you still have | | | | problems, and stay focused on them until they are |
| capabilities and can still make good decisions (even if | | | | solved. You will need to follow that good decision |
| you also make some bad ones). You are able to | | | | with a few more good decisions. But you make |
| identify these words and understand them. You have | | | | decisions all day long, and must be fairly good at it or |
| decided to continue reading, which keeps open the | | | | you wouldn't still be here. Stay focused on the |
| possibility you will learn something new and helpful. | | | | recovery decisions you need to make, learn from |
| You are searching for information, and you realize | | | | your mistakes, and make recovery happen! |
| you need it. Half of solving any problem is recognizing | | | | |