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Ocean Bay Recovery | Expert Addiction Recovery Services

Acceptance in Addiction and Recovery

Reece Wight, Head Addiction Counsellor

Acceptance is a significant pillar at the forefront of addiction recovery that allows an individual to navigate through both the easy and the difficult times in their recovery. It is a foundation principle of all 12-step programs.  The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program, through its teachings and the Big Book, offers insights into how acceptance can pave the way for healing.

Understanding Acceptance

Acceptance in addiction recovery is about acknowledging the true nature of one’s problem, while simultaneously accepting the outlined solution and treatment. Acknowledging only the problem, without accepting the solution is not true acceptance in the context of recovery. It is not uncommon to find individuals in the grips of addiction who acknowledge the presence of a problem, but resist any form of treatment or recovery. Such an individual is missing the foundation principle of acceptance required to begin a sincere recovery journey.

A saying that is often recited in 12–step meetings, goes: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

This highlights the essence of acceptance—not as resignation, but as a first step towards change.

Acceptance and emotional sobriety

“Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.”

This passage from the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book highlights acceptance as a key principle, not just in recovery, but for emotional sobriety as well. Acceptance extends beyond addiction into all dimensions of an individual’s life. It becomes the key that unlocks a new found ability to cope with life on life’s terms. Rather than living in a constant state of resistance, this new found ability brings individuals into alignment with the ebb and flow of life, accepting reality as is, rather than as they wish it to be.

Living with Acceptance

Living with acceptance means continuously applying the concept to everyday life:

  • Maintaining Emotional Balance: Acceptance helps the individual maintain emotional balance and stability.
  • Embracing Change: Acceptance recognizes the fact that change is constant and allows one to move with change instead of resisting it.
  • Letting go of the illusion of control: Acceptance allows the individual to let go of the illusion of control. We are not in absolute control over anything and accepting this fact creates a deeply profound shift in attitude and outlook on life.

“Happiness can exist only in acceptance.” – George Orwell.

Acceptance in addiction recovery is an important pillar. Do you find yourself lacking support in your journey, or the ability to fully commit to a solution? Ocean Bay Recovery acts as a lighthouse, offering you the chance to start again.

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