With over 30 years in the addiction field, Gerard ‘Jerry’ Egan has provided excellent insight in his book Redemption From Addiction, into how recovery works and how addicts sabotage their recovery.
One of the first issues he addressed is commitment; many think that just being sober and going to meetings are true commitments and will lead them to recovery. However, according to Egan a commitment means that one is willing to make the necessary changes, regardless of what they are, to start the journey of recovery.
Addicts, as the author states, have peculiar perceptions of how they view their substance of choice, and usually they blame everyone or everything but themselves on their choice to drink or use addictive substances. Regardless of what happens when one is drinking, or using, they choose time and time again to continue their use.
One interesting section I read was that when people are in recovery, they expect everything to be perfect and to feel wonderful. However, once one stops using, there are other obstacles that have to be overcome. One of those obstacles is taking a good look at oneself. Often times, due to the expectation that everything will be perfect and they will feel wonderful, addicts don’t think they are making progress in recovery and believe the only way to get that great feeling is to go back to using again. Another interesting observation is many addicts believe their feelings or emotions are what drive them to use or to be in recovery. Egan clearly states it is the actions that make these choices and not anything else. By holding onto these negative feelings or continued inappropriate behaviors, addicts are resisting change and they become defiant to anyone or anything that tries to make them change.
Gerard ‘Jerry’ Egan covers the Redemption From Addiction which include topics such as: Power of Imagination, Power of Spirituality and Power of Right Action. Redemption From Addiction is a book that is a must-read for anyone who is impacted by addiction: the addict, families, friends. It isn’t just about recovery but how the addict thinks and behaves that affects their recovery efforts and those around them. I highly recommend this book for its concise information and for a reality check.