Thomas is trembling forward and looking into the room. It’s a modest space, and chairs are organized in a circle-there’s not a large crowd, as in a large auditorium.
People are mingling with each other. Dawn approaches Tom. It’s obvious from his body language that he is anxious. She asks in a gentle voice, ” Why are you here?”
Tom hadn’t expected anyone to approach him. Nor had he expected anyone to ask why he was present. Tom is confused and wants to turn around and run. He blurts out the same thing he said an hour earlier when he was having coffee with his wife: “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
Dawn listens intently to Tom’s thoughts and feelings, wondering why it’s taken him so long to attend a support group for people with mental health and substance misuse conditions. On the other hand, the attendance of a person seeking Recovery by his power is not something anyone can experience, and it wouldn’t be the first thing that comes to mind when sadness, depression, anxiety, and urges surface.
Do we see ourselves in Tom’s approach to Recovery?
We open ourselves only slowly to the great truths of Recovery. Imagine speaking to Tom about how he, in the first place, began to implement the twelve steps of Recovery into his daily routine.
12 Steps
Mental Wellness
- We believe Recovery is possible, and we commit to overcoming the internal and external challenges, barriers, and obstacles confronting us.
- We are powerless over our condition and believe a spiritual presence in our lives is the pathway to freedom.
- We choose activities that support our Recovery.
- We share our Plan of Recovery with a spiritual being and at least one other person.
- We seek to educate ourselves about Recovery from the activities we participate in because it expands our capacity to heal.
- We decide to rely on the will of our Higher Power rather than going it alone.
- We humbly accept the Higher Powers’ and other persons’ unconditional love, compassion, and presence in our lives.
- We acknowledge that healing occurs through relationships and supportive peer groups. We identify these people on our Plan of Recovery. We thank people for their support due to a mental health and substance misuse event.
- We let go of past shortcomings, which include shame and unnecessary guilt. We were designed to love ourselves and form heartfelt connections with people.
- We regularly become curious about our mental wellness. We adjust our activities to reach a deeper level of Recovery.
- We recognize that Recovery is a journey. We seek wisdom through prayer, reflection, imagery, or mindfulness, improving our conscious contact with our Higher Power and having the strength to take action.
- We gain self-awareness and insight into our Recovery as a result of listening to the will of our Higher Power. We model these steps, making them real in our lives, and support the growth of our brothers and sisters in Recovery.
Adapted From 12 Steps of Alcoholics/Depressed Anonymous by Larry Winter
Revised: 02/18/2025
Superhuman Being
Peace
Larry
email: ljw@superhumanbeing.net
website: https://superhumanbeing.net/