Taking Risks in Addiction Recovery

For me, active addiction was a time fraught with risk. I repeatedly subjected myself to any number of dangerous situations. Whether it was driving under the influence, taking unknown substances, or mixing illicit drugs with pharmaceuticals, I was taking chances every time I could.

Healthy Risks in Addiction Recovery

So is the life of the active addict. Clueless to the hazards of his/her actions, the addict is all about risk taking. But what about the addict in recovery? There are certainly risks however I would describe them as healthy risks. The following are just a few of the ones that I and many others have had to face in recovery:

• Learning to deal with life without the use of a drug – Okay, this may seem obvious, but for those individuals who have relied on a chemical to help them deal with life then this can be a foreboding prospect. Managing one’s feelings, coping with withdrawal, and being alienated by old using friends can produce a lot of stress.
• Creating a healthy support system - Staying away from people, places and things is often one of the most difficult things to do in early recovery. The risk, therefore, is in being able to develop a new group of friends who are not involved in the “lifestyle.” This can be done through 12-Step meetings, church, or even the local gym. In any event, the prospect of having a group of supportive friends can make all the difference in the world. As for myself, I attribute much of my success in being able to stay clean to the positive relationships I have developed over the years.
• Asking for help – When I was in active addiction, I was very reluctant to ask for help from anyone. “I can do it myself,” I would say. Of course, this regularly got me into trouble. When I got into recovery I learned a very valuable word: HUMILITY. By learning to humble myself I came to realize that I did not have to do everything on my own. AND….it was okay to say, I don’t know.”
• Step out of my comfort zone – I cannot tell you how many times I have had to go beyond my self-perceived limitations and try something new. Whether it was starting a new job, running a marathon, or traveling to China, I have been constantly challenged to do new things. As a result I have grown immeasurably. Change is good.

Experiencing Growth Through Positive Change

Recovery presents individuals with any number of opportunities to learn more about themselves. But it isn’t until we take a healthy risk that we will experience the true gifts that recovery has to offer. So the next time you are presented with an opportunity to make a positive change that may seem daunting, consider how much you will learn and grow in the process.