Living Beyond Recovery
Oftentimes people believe that recovery from substance abuse cannot be something that is achieved, or that a cure is not possible. This stems from the fact that institutions like Alcoholics Anonymous have advocated that very belief for decades. It is important not to be fooled by this belief however. There are plenty of instances where people experience recovery as something that ends. Their lives begin anew, and they move forward and upward in ways previously thought to be impossible or inconceivable.
Ending Recovery
While “recovery as a process” is an incredibly useful tool for a great number of people, “recovery as an end” does offer more comfort and hope. Additionally it is more in accordance with idealized conceptions of health. One view claims that health is more than just merely coping with or managing an illness. Health is actively engaging in a more fulfilling lifestyle beyond any previous condition; this includes a reimagining of habits, behavior, ways of thinking, and attitude.
Healthy Living
If a person believes recovery is an attainable end it implies that something exists beyond that end. Recovered persons have terminated the “recovery stage” and may proceed on living. But this new life will not be the same – it cannot be the same. Recovered individuals are able to step forward confidently and use their past experience to lead a life of flourishing that was previously thought to be impossible or inconceivable. Their metamorphosis may not be in spite of dependency but because of it. Sublimating negative energy into a fundamental reawakening allows a person to transcend boundaries set by the cynics and naysayers – freeing the individual to live life on their own terms.