September is International Recovery Month which gives us the opportunity to look at the bigger picture of life in recovery from addiction.

Substances, alcohol, and addictive behaviours are the things that bring us to the point of asking for help, and these things are our world. A very small and immensely painful world.

We may or may not have other things like a job, children, or a family, but if we’re truly honest, we are distracted because the most important thing is always the substances, alcohol and addictive behaviours.

Every day, at The Living Room, we bravely sit our bottom down on one of the purple chairs in group, and as we get honest and accept the help we’re given, we begin to see the bigger picture of our addictions.

It is then that we begin to see the ripple effect of recovery and it opens a whole new world to us. A much bigger, promising and inspiring world. It might still hurt a bit at times, but it’s okay because we’re supported and learning how to cope with life without our drug of choice. We now have tools at our disposal to help us find a way. 

If we look closely at this new, bigger picture, we realise the effect recovery is having on not only ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually, but also on those around us.

We might notice people are nicer to us, they might smile when they see us and tell us they’re proud. We might notice their peace and realise our recovery is having a good effect.

And because we aren’t getting arrested anymore, we are saving the police money, and because we aren’t constantly being admitted to hospital or begging GPs for prescriptions to feed our addictions, we are saving the NHS money.

And because we are considerate neighbours now, we aren’t disturbing those who live on our street. And because we aren’t shoplifting or acting antisocially, we are contributing towards a peaceful local community. We may even be volunteering within our local community to make amends, which gives us self-esteem because we’re doing esteem-able things. 

We’re putting less strain on mental health services, detox services and courts. We are becoming self-sufficient and our self-esteem is building.

We can start thinking about returning to work and integrating back into society.

The possibilities and opportunities we couldn’t imagine at the start of our recovery journey begin, like getting a passport and travelling to other countries. We could learn to drive or get a lost licence back and now drive safely and legally. We can have kind, loving, considerate relationships with our families and others.

With treatment and time, we can do all of this and more, sober, without the obsession of addiction.

Recovery is possible and the bigger picture is available to everyone.  If you would like our help we have a purple chair for you. The Living Room offers free, time-unlimited group therapy to adults and their families living with addiction in Hertfordshire. Call us on 0300 365 0304 or self-refer online.

We also offer group therapy sessions in our Family Carer’s Group for those living with someone else’s addiction.