Is this the right place to build recovery?

This is the second question in the series of planning your recovery. After asking you the first question “Is it your design“? I now want to ask you is this the right place to build recovery?

Remember that you must plan your recovery, so you must ask your self important questions before you start. For instance you may be taking it for granted that this is your location. But every time you build a house you build it somewhere, next to someone else, in a certain neighborhood. And you have a plan.

What you are considering is hard enough without making it harder! Give your self every chance.

Friendships

So now it’s time for you to take a long hard look at your friendships! think about each person in turn and include your family! Ask yourself these questions, has this person got my best interests at heart? Has this person shown friendship towards me or am I only useful as an associate? Would they still want to be around me if I was no longer addicted? Would it suit them if I stopped or would they prefer it if I went back to using? Did I meet this person through my addiction? Are they still addicted themselves?

If the answer is that they are not going to support your recovery then they have to go!

Environment

Even though your building is a metaphor it is still important to think about the ‘environment’ that it is going to be in. This can literally be a certain town or area of town. It can also be about who you are living with. Even your family can be the enemies of your recovery, sometimes without meaning to be. Remember that when I talk about the environment I am talking about your social environment. Are you going through a difficult period in your relationship?

We will talk about boundaries more in later Blogs but for now remember that it is far easier to plan where you are going to build recovery now than it is to move the house later.