Joi Honer directs the operations that support our alumni in their recovery from mental health and substance use disorders. Ms. Honer, who https://www.kmc.tn/alcohol-intoxication-treatment-first-aid/ has been in long-term recovery for over 40 years, has worked in the treatment field for over 33 years. She holds certifications in addiction and co-occurring disorder counseling and a bachelor’s degree in addiction studies, having graduated summa cum laude.
How to Foster Healthy Lifestyle Choices in Sobriety
Individuals may worry that their attempts to make amends will be met with anger, resentment, or rejection, and this fear can be a powerful deterrent. Individuals may encounter resistance or skepticism from those to whom they are trying to make amends. Another example of a living amend could be to accept the fact we owe someone an amount of money we cannot currently pay all at once. We make a promise to pay an amount we can every month and begin on the day we make the face-to-face amends, and we have a set timeline for when all the money will be paid back. Discover how do drugs affect brain chemistry, revealing the truth behind addiction and pathways to recovery.
How to Manage Emotions Without Resorting to Substances
Our mission is to help everyone find the best path to recovery through the most comprehensive, helpful network of treatment providers worldwide. Repairing the damage done by addiction is a difficult process and it may not always be possible. Even still, making amends in recovery is an important part of the self-growth process and it will provide gradual healing and restoration where it is needed most. Beyond making amends for your actions through addiction therapy or counseling, it’s important to actively ask the people you’ve harmed what you can do to make things right. If you’re at this step or planning to follow a 12-step treatment program, congratulations—you’re on the right path of your recovery journey! This article explains what you need to know about making amends, with examples to help guide you.
Incorporating Empathy and Listening
There may be an opportunity to cultivate a new and better family bond that will only grow in living amends depth and reach. Engaging in the process of making amends can be a profoundly transformative experience for individuals in recovery. Living amends, on the other hand, are a more subtle but equally important way to make amends. It involves making changes to one’s behavior and lifestyle to demonstrate a commitment to personal growth and recovery.
A Choice for Meaningful Treatment with Dignity
- Addiction is often labeled a “family disease” because it affects not only the person struggling with addiction but also everyone in their close circle.
- For instance, a person who once neglected their responsibilities as a parent might focus on becoming consistently present and supportive.
- Unveil the path to addiction freedom with comprehensive treatment strategies and supportive care.
- Together, these steps go beyond saying “I’m sorry.” They involve taking responsibility for past wrongs, acknowledging the pain caused, and actively working to repair relationships and rebuild trust.
- What could make a difference is acknowledging the extent of wrongdoing.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the person you’re trying to make amends to won’t accept it. If you’re in doubt about a specific name on the list, tell your sponsor the whole story. This way, they can help you decide if direct contact is a good idea. There isn’t one “right” way to make amends as part of your 12-step program, which might make you even more worried.
Or perhaps you endangered someone’s life because you drove under the influence at one point. To help you answer these questions, we put together a guide to the living version of step nine. Many aspects of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can be humbling. It’s important to note that Step 9 emphasizes making amends “wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” This means considering the potential consequences of your amends. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Avoid initiating a conversation if the other person is distracted or upset by something unrelated.
Making amends in recovery is about more than just righting wrongs—it’s about building a better version of yourself. It’s a courageous step that strengthens your recovery, heals relationships, and brings peace of mind.If you’re on this journey, know that it’s okay to ask for help. Whether you’re navigating a 12-Step program or another form of recovery, support from counselors, peers, or mentors can make all the difference.
However, you can still take action in all of these situations to satisfy the spirit and the intent of Step 9 and progress in your step work. Sometimes, the person being approached for amends may need more time to be willing or ready to engage. It’s important to respect their boundaries and not force the interaction, as this could potentially cause further harm. It is also crucial to understand that the other person may never be ready. This is when you ask a sponsor, recovery coach, or similar support person how to proceed. Before completing step nine, the recovering alcoholic needs to be ready to deliver their message with the best intentions, not motivated by false expectations.
Each step presents challenges that encourage change in mindset and behavior. Mutual Aid, peer led support drug addiction treatment groups like Alcoholics Anonymous guide members to work through these steps to maintain sobriety and help others. At Virtue Recovery Center, we’re here to help you every step of the way.
