The decision of whether to wait until out of rehabilitation to make amends is a personal one. Many recovery programs suggest doing so within the framework of support provided during treatment. Addressing substance use disorder during the recovery process is crucial, living amends as it involves acknowledging past harms and making efforts to rebuild family connections.
- Our scholarships give individuals the chance to invest in their long-term recovery through the sober living programs we partner with.
- This process was for you, and you cannot change the way others view you.
- Feelings of hopelessness and desperation began to arise.
- Not all amends can be as concrete as the amends Zacchaeus made.
- And then, when we have acknowledged the harm we have done, we offer to do what we can to make repairs and listen carefully.
How Making Amends Supports Relapse Prevention
In some situations, attempting to make amends may cause more harm than good. And in some cases, you may not be able to make direct amends at all. However, you can still take action in all of these situations to satisfy the spirit and the intent of Step 9 and progress in your step work. Step Nine can leave you emotionally exhausted; it’s a difficult step to navigate. But the rewards you’ll reap from living amends can help make the challenges easier and more productive.
- Even if the disease of addiction drove these actions, they still caused real harm.
- When I moved to Austin, I had almost no money to my name.
- If they didn’t pay attention, I do my best to let them suffer the consequence.
- Sometimes, symbolic amends are made when direct contact with the person harmed is not feasible or could cause further damage.
- Being in a clear-minded state allows individuals to genuinely confront their actions, making their apologies more sincere and effective.
Recovery Advocacy
I am honored to be able to be apart of others recovery and give back to the program that gave so freely to me. I was able to share part of my story at the treatment center I went to just recently. I still go up to Any Length Retreat, where I got sober to talk with all the guys up there as well.
What’s the difference between an apology and making amends?
They can tell if your what is alcoholism apology is sincere or if you are apologizing to get something out of them. So when you make amends, try not to come out of a place of desperation. Making amends should not be about getting something out of this person—you should be apologizing because you are sorry, not because you want to feel better. Just because you apologize does not mean they will forgive you and being properly prepared for this is a necessity.
