DEALING WITH THE PAST

Individuals in recovery often dwell on their past and it becomes a barrier to a healthy, sober life. They tend to look to their past to define who they are today. But holding on to the past can hinder his or her ability to start again.

Yes, it is imperative that newcomers in recovery deal with situations that have been a result of past behaviours –family, financial, legal, etc. – they need to take responsibility for their mistakes and make amends when they can. Dealing with the past can be a painful, shameful and guilt-ridden experience, but the results are worth the effort. Once the “garbage” of the past is dumped, a sense of comfort and serenity is created and they can move forward.

For the newcomer in recovery, it is also important to recognize the good characteristics they have brought with them into sobriety and to commit to changing negative personality traits that brought them so much trouble in the past into positive traits in their new life.