Recovery is a three-fold process. It takes place on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels.

Physically, we find relief from our compulsive behaviors. We no longer need to drink or binge, or to drug ourselves with work, sex, or unhealthy relationships. In the course of time our general health and fitness improve. It is a joy to experience a return to good health and to find reservoirs of energy we never knew we had.

Mentally, we begin to feel hope instead of despair. It is not that all our problems have ceased, but that we are no longer consumed by them. We can accept life on life's terms without feeling driven to control people and events. Our thinking, once distorted and confused, clears. We also have a greater sense of emotional mastery. We don't deny what we feel, but neither are we swept away by our emotions. And whereas we used to be dominated by victim feelings, we now take responsibility for our lives.

These physical and mental changes are rooted in a spiritual transformation. Through the Twelve Steps we are gaining access to a God of our own understanding, who can be relied upon for comfort, protection, and guidance. We are not alone! We don't feel superior to others, or like the lowest of the low, but a human being like everyone else. We find our true selves. What a relief!