If you or someone you love has ever suffered from drug addiction or alcoholism, then you know first-hand how many people in recovery return to help others in recovery in some way. This is evidenced by the high number of people who are in recovery and also work in halfway houses, inpatient treatment centers, alcohol rehab programs, and those who participate in recovery-related groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon. Often addicts or alcoholics feel a compelling need to return to the field to help others, while some people report that the fellowship of others in recovery inspired them to become more involved than just their own personal recovery. If you have triumphed over substance abuse or alcoholism and want to give something back, there are a number of ways that you can do so.
The easiest way to help others in recovery (or those in need of recovery) is to make a cash donation. This could be to a rehabilitation fund or a charitable treatment center, to a program for street people who struggle with drug addiction or any other organization that helps people who are affected by addiction or alcoholism. A donation can be in any amount, so no matter what your financial situation is, you can still help. A few dollars can mean a huge difference to someone that has lost everything to addiction.
Some people donate more than just money – they donate their time, services or expertise. There are many volunteer programs that constantly need people to help others who are in recovery or who need drug treatment. You could volunteer at a rehab, a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter, or for any charity of your choice that either helps people in recovery, or helps people get the professional treatment they need. If you have the means, resources, and other people who are interested, you could also start up a non-profit organization of your own and have a broader reach to help people.
For those of you who have several years of recovery behind you and are stable and confident in your own recovery program, you can be a sponsor or mentor to someone who has just recently got clean, or someone that is trying to get clean. Both Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous have a sponsor program that almost always needs people who are experienced and willing to help. You can also mentor people who are currently in rehab or some other treatment center for addiction or alcoholism.
Some people are so moved by the recovery process that they change their career path and go to work in the addiction and alcoholism fields. This may require formal education or state level certification programs, and can include jobs like addiction counselors, behavioral specialists, therapists, group facilitators, interventionists and many others.
While many people in recovery are compelled to take play a large role in the recovery of others, one of the best things that you can do is to continue to be honest and work your own personal program every day. By living a clean life free from drugs and alcohol and all of the negative associations that go with them, you'll be setting the example for other people – which is often the most significant impact you can have on another person's life.
To learn other ways that you can get involved, please visit our website at: http://www.recoveryfirst.org
Click here for more information about one of the country's most successful inpatient treatment programs.
A writer for most of his career, Casey has been published in numerous journals and magazines and has four books in print. Widely considered an expert on addiciton and alcoholism, Casey is also a passionate writer of fiction.