This is "RECOVERY IS LEARNING HOW TO LOVE" which is Chapter Five of "The Addict's Guide to Recovery" by Emily Sussman, LCSW; illustrated by J.E. Larson.

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“Your liberation from Your Addict is a process that comes in two parts. The first part consists of starving and diminishing Your Addict by refusing to feed it your drug. That’s called sobriety. The other part of the solution is filling the void inside you. The void Your Addict always promised you could fill with your drug — that liar!

Instead of using your drug, you will fill that void with the best possible growing conditions for Your True Self to take root and flourish: love. That’s the process called recovery. Recovery means learning how to love and take care of Your True Self — and, by extension, learning to love other people, as well as the world around you.

Did you catch the word “process” in there, or should I say it a few more times for emphasis?

Recovery is a process.

Recovery is a process.

Recovery is a process.

That’s right; recovery is a process, not an event. Learning to love yourself and the life you’re living is a muscle you’ll develop with practice. I say “practice,” because recovery is something you’ll have to get up and decide to do every day until it becomes second nature. (Er, make that your true nature.) That’s as opposed to a one-and-done, poof! type of transformation — as many people erroneously suppose a three-month stay at an inpatient rehab will be.

Practicing a program of recovery on a daily basis is what will enable you to forge a path of positive growth, even in the midst of life¡¯s inevitable pain, problems, and setbacks — which potentially includes relapse.

Likewise, recovery isn’t about gritting your teeth and white-knuckling life without your drug. It’s about cultivating the good stuff: a sense of peace, freedom, and happiness within you. That’s why recovery isn’t just about staying sober; it’s about making your life meaningful. Love is what gives life meaning and purpose. And in the day to day, love is also what makes Your True Self powerful and resilient.

My dear Addict friends, I’m willing to bet that your biggest challenge in recovery isn’t going to be staying sober. Your biggest challenge will be learning to love Your True Self.

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Copyright 2025 Freedom Recovery Press

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Sent with True Love from the Universe ❤️💫