Getting High on Recovery

Principle #4: Recovery includes your unique strengths, needs, and background.

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In a recent article, I discussed how the way that we look at recovery is changing and opening up to include recovery from mental illness. The reality is that it is impossible to separate a person’s addiction from their mental health recovery. The two often come as a package, and even when a person does not experience both, recovery from addiction or mental health can be remarkably similar.

The definition of recovery has been reframed as a “working definition,” meaning that how we see addiction and mental health recovery will continue to evolve. SAMSHA’s definition is:

A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.

The definition contains four key statements which I have written about here. Over the coming weeks, I will be featuring the 10 Guiding Principles of Recovery as outlined by SAMSHA.

Principle #4. Recovery occurs via many pathways – “Recovery encompasses an individual’s whole life, including mind, body, spirit, and community.”

• Recovery is not just about the drugs. It is about your family, your job, your mental health and your spiritual life.
• Recovery is multi-dimensional. It involves your mind, your body, your spirit, and your community.

To make this practical:

• If recovery is about your whole life, how can you do just one thing differently to connect with your mind, body, spirit and community?
• Change is never about revolutionizing your life. Change starts small. How can you start small and care for your whole self?
• You can read more about recovery by searching my blog for “Addiction” or “Recovery.” You can also read more about Addiction: Forgetting Your Way into Recovery.

For more, you can find the full report by clicking here and by tuning into my blog.

I write articles about wellness, leadership, parenting and personal growth. My hope is to deliver the best content I can to inspire, to inform and to entertain. Sign up for my blog if you want to receive the latest and best of my writing. If you like what I have to say, please share my work with your friends.

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Keep it Real

Photo by Zach Dischner