Addiction recovery refers to the ongoing, lifelong process of maintaining sobriety. Unlike with many other diseases, recovery from addiction will never be complete or finished. It is a lifelong process of facing the stressors and stimuli that led us toward addiction in the first place while navigating new challenges with a body that still remembers its old, harmful habits. When we struggle or relapse we may feel that all the hard work we’ve put in is lost, but even if we go three steps forward and two steps back, we still have taken five steps, and each of those steps means we are alive and trying move forward. Many people have struggled in this path, and their shared wisdom has produced different ways of moving through the world while in addiction recovery.

If you or someone you know is in immediate need of support, please seek professional help. If you are in crisis, here are some immediate free resources.