You cannot get better unless you admit to yourself that you are powerless to your addiction. This step seems easy; however, it’s a challenge in itself. Admitting that you need help or want help is hard, but it’s the first step in the right direction. Once you admit powerlessness, you are embracing the need to change. Once you know you need change we can begin to identify what exactly needs to change.
Being in recovery is difficult. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.


Once you admit to yourself that you do not have power over your addiction, you are actively ready to want to change. You believe that the ability to change is there and real.
Once you make it to step 3, you are already almost over the hard part. Granted, the process itself is not easy, but admittance, finding hope, and surrendering, are the first obstacles. During step 3, you are surrendering yourself to the process and Community Oriented Recovery Plus – and understanding that you are embarking on a journey of change and committing to it!
Step 4 is where you take a look deep into yourself. You are evaluating how you got to today and what choices led to your addiction. You may also look at other areas of self-improvement that could be beneficial to your recovery. NO matter what you choose to reflect on, Step 4 is all about reflection and evaluation.
Looking within is easy because you are keeping this information to yourself. It’s hard to talk about where we went wrong with others, but putting your pride aside and sharing your evaluation will help keep you accountable. Others will be able to help you along your journey when they understand your past, and you will also be able to help others in the same way!
In this step, you are actively trying to recover. At this point, you are already in a rehabilitation center and are unable to entertain your addiction, but you are just now taking it a step further. In this step, you may choose to go to meetings with other people in the same boat. Or you may choose to do other activities that bring you face to face with your challenges and give you the opportunity and resources to work through them.
There’s no shame in asking for help, and that’s exactly what step 7 is all about. Whether you want help from others in the same situation, therapists, or from your doctor, you are trying to improve by getting advice from others.
During your experiences with addiction, you may have done things to others that were inappropriate or said things that you may regret – in either case you have some things you’re aware of and you know they could have been done better. You aren’t a bad person, you were just struggling with addiction. This step encourages you to address that with yourself and the people you may have hurt.
Reaching out to others to clear the air will make you feel better and help you move forward. This step is a way of accepting your wrongful actions while giving the people you hurt in the process a chance to understand and gain closure.
Continuing to evaluate yourself, even when you feel past the addiction is gone and you’re improving. Step 10 encourages you to look at another aspect of your life that may not have been directly affected by your addiction. Instead, you look at other details of your life that need improvement.
If you are religious, this is a good time to get back into the church and reach out to God. Finding peace within yourself and your religion can help you on your path to recovery. If you aren’t very religious you want to find ways to meditate.
Last but not least, helping others helps us. The final step of the 12 step program is to help other people who are starting their 12 step program or who need help navigating through their recovery. This step not only helps you grow, but it helps you help someone else grow!


No matter where you are in your addiction, Community Oriented Recovery Plus can help!
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If you think you may be suffering with the disease of addiction, you are not alone; we’ve been there and have the resources to help you find the best possible treatment option. To get help, get connected by contacting us today.