Learning to Handle Responsibilities in Recovery

Many addicts can find handling responsibilities in recovery a challenging, if not completely new sort of task to endeavor. Assigning blame has become an easy method for people to avoid the truth about a situation and relinquish any need to resolve it. The responsibilities we hold to ourselves and other people, places and things can become obscured by this negative pattern.

People use blame every day, whether complaining about taxes or an unfair boss, its function is a venting of frustration. When abusing substances, addicts tend to have many justifications that deferred any accountability resulting in a chaotic and unmanageable life. Taking personal responsibility will bring to the surface the underlying issues about the ability to make choices, and become accountable for these choices and consequences.

Many argue that an individual is not responsible for falling into addiction, however they certainly have an independent responsibility to change their situation. No one else can do this, and this first step is essential to learning to manage responsibilities in recovery as well. Recovery teaches addicts to become answerable for their actions, in the past and the present, by outlining a course of action.

By taking sobriety one day at a time, and working with supporting, trustworthy people in a program of recovery, lost bills, broken promises and forgotten appointments can be sorted through, and over time, resolved. Learning to manage responsibilities in recovery is a process of learning to take everyday duties and obligations one at a time, with the next indicated step toward a positive action.

Addiction is a fact that won’t change, but no one is defined by their addiction and the future will provide the opportunity to grow and change. Was your life unmanageable before you entered treatment? How has accepting accountability in recovery helped your life become more manageable?

If you, or someone you care about, needs help for a drug or alcohol addiction,
contact us at 1-888-457-3518 US, 0-808-120-3633 UK or 1-800-990-523 AU.
We’re here to help you take that first important step.