What is Active Addiction vs. Active Recovery?
There's a huge difference between living a life with the absence of drugs or alcohol and living a life in recovery.
Without a program addicts are lost. As addicts we don’t need a drink or drug to act out, or be in the throes of addictive behavior and thought patterns, which is active addiction. When a person is in active recovery, they are taking care of their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self.
The reason that this definition is important is because recovering addicts relapse way before they pick up alcohol or drugs again. Remove the drinks and drugs from an addict and there are underlying issues. When the alcoholic horse thief gets sober, he is still a horse thief; unless he actively works a program of recovery. If we are not participating in a program of recovery we find ourselves acting out, being dishonest or deceitful and that leads down a slippery slope to relapse.
Active recovery takes actions: Creating a program, joining a fellowship, participating in society, being accountable, practicing acts of service, going to meetings, and working with a sponsor, therapist and/or IOP.
The goal is for all of us to be active in our recovery- to live in a place of surrender, willingness, and direction. Have the courage to change and the reward is freedom from the bondage of self.
-Jason Wahler
Published February 15, 2021