Finding a Recovery Resource

Where do you find a resource like this if you don’t already know someone living sober? First, talk to your friends and see if they might know a recovering person. Even if they “know someone who knows someone,” there’s an excellent chance you can get in touch with this valuable resource quickly. Your friends can also validate the quality of life this person lives. If someone reaches out to me, for example, I will put them in touch with someone living extremely high quality recovery, assuming I exclude myself for whatever reason.

You can also visit a recovery support group meeting, like Alcoholics Anonymous, and try to find a resource there. Listen for an individual who shares (speaks openly) at the meeting. This person will introduce himself/herself by first name, and in some cases include his/her last name, followed by, “…I’m an alcoholic.” Pick someone who might identify with your situation, or someone who is well-spoken with regards to recovery.

If you exhaust those two options without finding an appropriate person, search online for recovery support hotlines. There’s the national hotline run by government agency SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). They can be reached at 1-800-662-4357 (HELP).

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