Fun In Recovery

Some folk have a difficult time getting into recovery because of their concerns that "I don't know if I can have fun in recovery." Strange thought but not totally foreign. After all, when addicts first start using and drinkers first start drinking, the alcohol or drug feels good. It's fun to get stoned, baked, high, or drunk. And part of the denial in addiction is to hold on to the idea that fun can only be had when using.

It's largely not until later, when the physical pain begins, when the losses occur, when the finances are threatened, when family members are distraught, when jobs are lost, when friends disappear, when the arrests lead to incarceration, that the addict or alcoholic experiences the consequences of use and the fun stops.

But still even after all this, the addict continues to feel, "I can't have fun if I'm sober.

But recovery is fun. Ask anyone in recovery. Friendships formed in recovery lead to a great deal of joy and laughter. Previous activities take on the same gleam of positivity they had when first tried. The world takes on a polish and shine that has been missing, or at least clouded over by use.

This is not to say that recovery is easy. It's not. But it can be fun. It should be fun. And you won't know this unless you try.