You can try to explain and rationalize a person’s actions and opinions, but at the end of the day you might just have to admit that some men just want to watch the world burn. This is especially true in the world of addiction recovery. You may have suffered through the worst of substance addictions and your recovery might be largely due to your following a twelve-step Alcoholics Anonymous program or some other treatment regimen that gave you the tools to defeat your demons. Still, you’ll find no shortage of people criticizing your program and the successes that your program achieves.
You should first understand and accept that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, and that the internet is giving everyone a platform to voice that opinion. Those opinions have no currency against your program if you are comfortable with the program and have used it to aid in your addiction recovery.
More substantively, you might inquire why the critics formed their negative opinions. Did they join a program only to experience failure and relapse? Were they disturbed by the cult-like nature of a recovery program? Maybe they had personality clashes with other addicts in their particular program.
No two people who suffer from substance addictions are identical, and no recovery program can provide a one-size-fits-all addiction recovery approach. Addicts who relapsed after enrolling in a program might not have been directed into a program that best addressed their particular situations. Addiction recovery programs may be founded upon broad statements and theories, but it is the responsibility of group leaders to implement those theories in a manner that best fits a specific group. A person who is critical of a general program may really be criticizing the group that he or she was in, and not the program itself. When you’re hearing criticisms, separate the critique of the program from the critique of a specific group.
Stay Focused on your Path
If you enroll in a recovery treatment program and find yourself agreeing with the critics, then you likely need a different group or program that better addresses your problem. In all cases the focus should not be on criticizing the addiction recovery program, but instead should be on getting you the help you need. If you’re focusing in the criticism you’re doing nothing more than setting up an excuse for your recovery to fail and for you to relapse into your destructive habits.
Talk to your doctor or counselor before you start your treatment program. If they won’t take the time to understand your background and addiction problem, they won’t be able to direct you to the optimum rehab and recovery that will give you the best chance of breaking your addictions.
If you can’t find a doctor or counselor who is willing to listen to you, the staff at Hired Power can guide you into a recovery program that best fits your needs and comfort level. Please contact us at 800-910-9299 for more information.