Content
NAMI has developed multiple presentations to help you in sharing your story in your community. If you remember hitting rock bottom, then you also probably remember feeling hopeless.
- There are so many benefits of your story being told, both for you and for others.
- Your story may reach someone on the verge of relapse, and maybe because of you they fight their temptation and do not give in.
- People who have been diagnosed with cancer find solace and support in the presence of other cancer sufferers.
- A big part of recovery is taking suggestions, and agreeing to go to treatment was a big part of your story.
While you are entitled to your privacy when it comes to this highly personal process, there is power in opening up and telling your story. Sharing your recovery story can be a step forward in your own personal healing. It also has a healing power for others who are still struggling to break free from addiction. When people open up and share their recovery story they reveal, in an honest and vulnerable way, their experience with a substance that likely caused a great deal of pain. Those who are present feel a connection with the person and their story, which promotes peer support.
Let Roots Recovery Turn the Page on Your Recovery Story
Sharing your story with others makes you feel like one of the group. It creates a feeling of belonging and a sense of community. Some people begin sharing their stories in rehab, 12-Step programs, or support groups. Others may share it with family or friends, or speak at a community or church function.
Some people recovering from addiction may have only initially entered treatment at the urging of their family members or friends. Every situation, every person, every addiction is different. Use your best judgment when it comes to sharing your story. Other times, more detail is better – a powerful story about overcoming the seemingly-impossible could motivate just about anyone. No matter which path you decide to take, remember that sharing your recovery story can help you, too.
The Importance of Sharing Your Story in Recovery
Others need to see that recovery is not easy, but it is possible. This honest insight into your story can be constructive for someone just starting on their journey. It allows them to develop realistic expectations of what they can expect in recovery. Sharing stories is a way to connect with people and inspire others who may be struggling with behavioral health conditions. When you share your recovery journey and how your recovery has impacted those around you, you show people they are not alone.
You may even want to give your sobriety date when you very first begin telling your story, then recall it again when you get to it. Open by telling people how long you’ve been sober , and then consider the first stretch of sharing your story in recovery your story as the lead-up to this moment. Spend the majority of your speaking time telling your audience what has helped you. How did the treatment center staff, your sponsors, and your peers help guide your recovery?
Digital Storytelling Guide
If someone in the room really resonated with your story, they may try to talk to you when the AA or NA meeting wraps up. Try to keep an open mind and remember that everyone is at different parts of their recovery journey. This person may want your advice or just need someone to connect with. Unfortunately, there’s stilla lot of stigma surrounding addictionbeing a choice or something that happens to weak people. It’s important to never bring in this type of negative language when sharing your stories.
For this reason, you need to make sure that you are in a healthy place in your recovery where your emotional and mental states are stable. You should never risk your mental health or overall sobriety just to share your story. When you feel ready, you can begin sharing your story at support groups, with a sponsee, or with anyone https://ecosoberhouse.com/ you think it can help. What we have lived through has shaped and molded us, transformed us, and taught us valuable lessons. There was probably a time during your active addiction that you kept a lot inside of you. You probably had many secrets, did not tell people what you were going through, or what exactly you were doing.
