3 Completely Wrong Stereotypes About Recovery

Let's face it... we all put labels on people. I think as human beings it makes it easier for us to categorize people in a way. Just think back to high school, even then we were labeled as jocks or goths or preps. There is something about labels that must be comforting to us. As we all know by now, labels and stereotypes are rarely accurate. This is no different for those of us in recovery. I know first hand how it feels. I've been called white trash, a junky and a drunk. I've been considered a lost cause. I've been thrown in jail a bunch of times so you better believe I've been labeled by cops and the court system. I have lots of tattoos and I wear Converses everywhere. I get starred at a lot when walking down the street. There's no question I fit into the "addict stereotype." It is a mission of ours to crush these labels so that people in recovery don't have to hide who they are. The family here at Sober Nation believes that you should be able to be yourself, whatever that may look like. Over the years I've seen the most common stereotypes pop up over and over again. It's humorous at this point how off the mark they are. Believe me, if these stereotypes were accurate, I would be the first one to admit it. But they are not. They are completely wrong. Let's take a look.

1 - Alcoholics Anonymous is a Cult

Look, I get it. From an outside perspective, Alcoholics Anonymous may seem a little weird. I remember my first meeting. There was an awkward silence in between shares. Some woman was sitting on the floor knitting a sweater or something. It felt pretty uncomfortable. Not to mention all this talk about God and Higher Power and surrender and turning your life over. For those that don't know anything about 12 step fellowships, I could see how this would appear a bit peculiar. Some people are die hard AA members, other's not so much. Regardless of your personal opinion here is what you need to know about AA. The steps are simply a process to learn about yourself, to find something to belong to and to help other people in their battle of addiction. The steps give you a guide for doing your best, making amends when necessary, getting out of yourself and dealing with situations. Once you get a good understanding of the steps, there is no denying how ingenious they are. Alcoholic or not, everyone could benefit from the steps. All 12 step fellowships are simple. They are a group of people who share a common problem, who help each other. That's all it is. People in AA don't have any master plans, or any objectives. All they are trying to do is stay sober, a day at a time. Personally, I find that kind of beautiful.

2 - People in Recovery are Boring

Maybe you're just boring. This is the one stereotype that I find most interesting. For whatever reason, we as a people, associate alcohol with fun. Listen here, I will tell you that alcohol and drugs can be a great time. Some of my favorite memories are with friends and family getting bombed. However, I have learned that the alcohol isn't what made it fun. For me, I've realized that alcohol is just a cover up for shit that makes us uncomfortable. I remember being in social situations, not knowing what to do. I didn't know how to feel, or who to talk to. I didn't know what to do with my hands or how to introduce myself to new people. So I would get trashed. Raise your hand if you can relate. The funny thing is that now that I don't drink, I feel ten times more comfortable in social situations. My experience has told me that people in recovery enjoy life to the fullest. There are a few reasons for that.

• We don't waste money on drugs and booze, which gives us more freedom to travel and have experiences.
• We have learned to enjoy the simple things in life.
• Recovery has taught us to be comfortable with ourselves, which takes the anxiety and the need to impress people out of everyday life.
• We have learned what happiness and joy is really about. The people that we love and the moments we share together.
• We have a gratitude for where we are and it makes all the little things that much more special.

I didn't get sober to be bored, I got sober to have fun in life and recovery. Granted, this is all just personal opinion, but I can assure you that the people I know in recovery have a blast. Nowadays we do all the things we used to talk about doing. It's more than a bar stool fairy tale. It's real life, and we live it. Just this year my friends and I have gone to Vegas and then went to Los Angeles. We rented an RV and drove to Tennessee and went to Bonnaroo. I went to San Diego and New Orleans. I've taken trips to Philly for family events. We went sea kayaking and snorkeling on my birthday. We've gone to numerous concerts, we enjoy the weekends. Life is so fun these days sometimes I don't know how to deal with it. The mushroom fountain at Bonnaroo. Truly an amazing experience.

 3 - Recovered Addicts are  Still Losers Who Just Don't do Drugs Anymore

I've heard this a million times, and it's fucking bullshit. Just because you have struggled with addiction by no means does that make you a loser. Anyone who feels the need to put other people down because of their personal hardships is the definition of insecure, and their opinion doesn't matter anyway. If you are an addict in recovery, you are the exact opposite of a loser. You are among the strongest people in the world. Actually consider for a minute how difficult it is to get clean. Think of all the people that have tried and failed to maintain sobriety. It is the hardest thing I have ever done, by far. The odds are against you, yet there you are, staying clean and sober like a bad ass. Recovery is not an anchor, it is a pair of wings. Our experience has strengthened us, and it puts all other problems into perspective. Life is difficult for everyone. For those who have survived addiction, we know a special kind of misery. When I am feeling down, I reflect on what I have gone through and it makes me realize how good I actually have it. As far as being successful, (in whatever your definition of the word is) I know dozens of successful people in recovery. They have business', healthy families, good hobbies. They build things, they create things. It's remarkable. For those that are young and are in recovery, we give you an extra solute for doing it with all the pressures of your peers.

Despite What You Hear - Recovery is Awesome

So there it is. At the end of it what I am trying to say is that being in recovery shouldn't define you, and we shouldn't let other people define us in that way. In the end we are all just people, trying to share love with each other and navigate our way through the maze of life. What we are is different from who we are. What we are is in recovery, who we are... well that's for us to decide.