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A New Year’s resolution for 2020: rediscover yourself

You made your list, checked it twice for naughty and nice. Christmas 2019 is tucked away in personal journals and history books. Your thoughts may now be on New Year’s resolutions … ways in which you want to make a few changes in your way of life. The changes can be looked at as recovery.

Recovery: a return to a normal state of health, mind or strength; the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost.

Taking that definition into consideration, it can be said that everyone has or will recover something or recover from something. Now, as we step into a new year, a new decade – 2020 – we also can step toward personal recoveries with better focus, better vision.

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) teaches 10 guiding principles of recovery. These principles may help you along the journey of your own self-discovery and well-being.

Recovery emerges from hope. A positive, optimistic attitude is required and the determination and persistence to make the effort to achieve recovery.

Recovery is person-driven. It is your self-determination, self-direction to define your life goals and how to achieve them your own way. You make the choices and take the steps you need to take to achieve your well being, your independence.

Recovery occurs via many pathways. Everyone is different – needs, strengths, preferences, goals, culture and backgrounds. “Recovery is built on the multiple capacities, strengths, talents, coping abilities, resources and inherent value of each individual.”

Recovery is holistic. Everything about the person – mind, body, spirit and community – is involved.

Recovery is supported by peers and allies. Things like encouragement, support, a sense of belonging come from these people.

Recovery is supported through relationship and social networks. These are the people who want you to achieve your best potential when you leave unhealthy, unfulfilling life roles behind.

Recovery is culturally-based and influenced. Culture and cultural backgrounds are the values, traditions and beliefs that are important in determining the path to recovery.

Recovery is supported by addressing trauma. “The experience of trauma is often a precursor to or associated with alcohol and drug use, mental health problems and related issues.” Safety, trust, choice, empowerment and collaboration are needed. Everyone experiences trauma, but react differently based on their life skills.

Recovery involves individual, family, and community strengths and responsibility. Outside help is part of recovery, but each individual owns their own “personal responsibility for self-care and journeys of recovery.”

Recovery is based on respect. Community, family, and societal acceptance and appreciation for people affected by mental health and substance use problems, including protecting rights and eliminating discrimination, are crucial in achieving recovery. Self-acceptance, developing a positive and meaningful sense of identity, and regaining belief in one’s self are particularly important.”

These principles for recovery may be directed toward alcohol and drug addiction, but with a little thought, anyone can use them to achieve the hero’s journey to wholeness.

Many people don’t consider New Year’s resolutions because they usually are soon forgotten, not achieved. The new year, 2020 may just be the year to see that your vision of good health and well-being is 20/20.

Addiction has no address, but Family Recovery Center does. For more information about the education, prevention and treatment programs for substance abuse and related behavioral issues, contact the agency at 964 N. Market St., Lisbon; phone, 330-424-1468; or e-mail, info@familyrecovery.org. Visit the web site at www.familyrecovery.org. FRC is funded, in part, by OhioMHAS (Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

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