Addiction recovery is not like horseshoes or hand grenades.
There’s no “almost”.
You’re either all in or you’re fooling yourself.

The recovery journey is unique to the individual.
Relapse is often part of the odyssey.
The challenge, if relapse occurs, is to get up, dust yourself off and begin again.  

Recovery resources come in many forms, including outpatient treatment,
inpatient treatment,  sober living facilities and 12 Step methodology
groups such as AA, NA and Al-Anon.

Hopefully, the one in recovery is hard at work employing a combination
of these resources to achieve their ultimate goal – a lifetime of healing.  

The journey is long and winding and the work doesn’t allow for vacations. 

On the September 10 episode of Dr. Oz, Steven Tyler, Aerosmith’s
frontman was unguarded when talking about his life long struggle with
substance abuse.  He was a seasoned drug addict for many years and
in the process, he lost himself and much more.     

“My sobriety cost me nothing less than everything”, says Tyler.
That’s a lot.

Throughout those years, he was in and out of recovery.

In 2009, Tyler fell off the stage during a tour performance and, subsequently endured multiple surgeries.
He didn’t follow his recovery program and kept tempting painkillers at his bedside.
Tyler talks about “euphoric recall” and how strong the force is.  
“I can’t take anything mood altering, ’cause if I do, I like to ride it”.
Spoken like a true rock star.

He checked in to the Betty Ford Center and found a mentor in Dr. Harry Haroutunian, author of Being Sober, who is also in recovery.  He was promoting Haroutunian’s book on Dr. Oz.

Tyler can’t say that relapse isn’t in his future, but for today, he is on fire
and back to doing what he loves most.

His story is a lesson in resilience.