What is Recovery?

Recovery (Defined)

Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing that
truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a
chance to go to work.
— Albert Schweitzer, From Reverence for Life, 1993

There are libraries full of information on addiction, but what about “recovery”. The definition of “what defines recovery” began to be challenged and calls for a shift in paradigm over the last ten years ago. The operative term is becoming “Recovery Management”, a recovery sustaining philosophy being embraced by facilities, practitioners and consumers. Change to a new belief of what defines success in recovery is slow to be embraced. It is our belief at Sober.Com that we can no longer stay stuck in an “all or nothing” measure of success. Clients act like clients, addicts act like addicts and if they are participating in improving the quality of their life, it is our job to help them do so, on their terms with our guidance.

Our definition of recovery follows the latest research put forth by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (www.NIDA.org ), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Agency (www.SAMHSA.gov ), and information from Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (www.CSAT.gov ).

There is also a new language connected to this shift. Terms like “serial recovery”, “partial versus full recovery”, “solo versus assisted”, and “medication-assisted recovery” all have their place in our model of Recovery Coaching. Our biggest shift is embracing a solution focused model. We are no longer focused on being problem-oriented, but what we add to a client’s overall global health. We assist in identifying Recovery Capital by focusing on client strengths and assets, increasing coping and problem solving and empowering the individual to make and understand each choice they make.

We can no longer treat a chronic, progressive and all too often a fatal disease in an acute care model. Recovery Coaching is a critical component for ongoing care, well being and measure for progress.