I recently received a comment on this little ole’ website here that asked “What is the best way to recover from Substance Abuse?” Boy I tell ya. Had this been 10 years ago I’d have spouted some innate driven, learned the hard way 12 step rhetoric.  But my experience in the last few years with social networking recovery sites, has really changed me.

Now I’m assuming (dangerous to do I know but for the sake of this blog I’mma go there) that most of the people reading this either on the web page or the Facebook fan page, are in some sort of program.  Either AA, NA, CA, OA, SLA, SLAA, EA, GA, MA, (omg this could go on forever) or Rational Recovery (sorta doubt it though) or Celebrate Recovery (where you get church and recovery over with in one fell swoop).  Now I’m being funny here … somewhat.  But there are a million different ways, it would seem *ahem* to “recover from substance abuse” these days.  I find this infinitely hard to swallow somedays to be honest.

Now before the big online recovery movement, I’d not heard of the “issues” between other fellowships. Where I’m from I’d never seen anyone get thrown out of a meeting for saying they were an addict or gambler or even yelled at or even batted two eyelashes towards.  And believe you me … I got sober in the mecca of  where it all began.  The whole concept was foreign to me and I was shocked needless to say at the idea of people in ANY program bashing another.  Yes I know I’m naive and gullible. Shush.  I like to believe the best about people. I totally dig that about me today.

With that being “said”, I work diligently on not judging other folks “recovery programs”, especially the ones with which I am not very familiar.  “Patience and tolerance is our code” … seems to stick out, as well as “be quick to see where religious people are right.”  (Paraphrased of course as I’m too tired to look up exact page numbers. But it’s in the Big Book. Promise.)  Who am I to judge who and what works for someone else right? I mean truly, I can only share my experience, strength, and hope on what worked for me. I’mma drunk. I know where I belong.  But for damn sure I don’t down someone else’s experience either.

So. After all that garbledygook and circular thinking, I’m proud that I’m able to be openminded and honest.  Also willing to email this person privately to discuss MY experiences so as not to exclude any member of ANY fellowship, group, or whatnot on this website.  For in essence recovery is a rather large category.  And truly there are a million recovery programs out there promising a million things. That’s not been MY experience. Without the fellowship I am a card carrying member of, I’d have either been pushing up daisies or wishing I was.  Loving recovery is the same to me as loving life … for without one I wouldn’t have the other.

If we all have the same baseline, addiction to “something” or “someone” or “whatever the hell it is you’re addicted to”; that would seem to be our mutual bond no?  Our common coup de grace (death blow of mercy) being that we CANNOT control our addictions … and they are killing us in one way or another.  Spiritually, financially, emotionally, familialy, and physically. Yep. We’re sickies tryin’ to get well for sure.  All of us, to a man. Or woman. Or child for that matter.

Now … my question to you is; what would YOU have said when asked “What is the best way to recover from Substance Abuse?”  Now I’mma duck and run for cover kids … I prefer my tuckus without tar and feathers thank you.