From Watching to Doing!
When I was involved in my addiction, volunteering and giving to others was the last thing on my mind. My world revolved around my own self-involved misery. I thought only of myself and of my disease. I put all of my energy and efforts on planning my day and how I was going to going to get high and drunk to relieve my mind on my continuous morbid existence. Giving and being of service to others was the last thing on my mind. Sure, there were times when I saw an inspiring story on a news show and I thought that I needed to become involved and do things for others. However, by the end of the night, I was usually so chemically induced that I forgot all about the good intentions I previously had. That is the sad part about addiction. Most addicts are very intelligent, caring people. It’s the active disease of addiction that gets in the way of the best of intentions.
When I got sober, I was told in treatment to get involved in service work. Setting up chairs for meetings, making the coffee, chairing meetings, opening the facilities, and providing rides to others are all things that people in recovery do to provide service work. It is a selfless way to give back to a program that has given so much to you. Support groups provide sober relationships that sometimes are hard to find in a recovering addict’s life. Most of our friends were either in active addiction or enablers to our own personal demise. I am thankful for the sober friends that I have made that have helped myself stay clean as I continue on my path of recovery.
I have also been fortunate to volunteer my time for the company that operates the treatment center that I attended. Sometimes individuals and family members have questions about treatment facilities before they make decisions on a commitment to a program. I simply listen to their questions and concerns and explain what it was like for myself. Not every conversation has a positive outcome. But it is humbling to talk to someone that reminds me of myself and where I was in my life not too long ago. It is a growing experience for me. I do not sugarcoat the process. It is tough and often overwhelming. But I believe in the facility and I am so grateful for all the opportunities and experiences that they have provided for myself. The families that have reached out to me are very thankful and appreciative of the information that I am able to provide and that is rewarding in itself.
One of the most rewarding experiences of volunteering and being a part of the Heroes in Recovery team was serving at The Next Door, in Nashville, TN. During our February Summit, the whole team got to serve dinner for the patients at The Next Door. The Next Door is a non-profit treatment center for women coming out of incarceration. The women were so appreciative and thankful for our services. When they realized that the Heroes in Recovery team consisted of recovering addicts and families of recovering addicts they were very open to talking and sharing their stories with us. That night was a truly rewarding experience.
I would recommend that everyone take just a little time out of your life to volunteer. It is a truly selfless act that provides priceless dividends for the soul. Since I have become sober, I am getting off the couch and not just watching selfless acts on television but I am actively participating and giving back to others. Gone are the days where I am thinking that I need to do that. Today I am actually doing it. Since I have given just a little piece of myself to others, the rewards I have received are insurmountable!
Please feel free to share my blog and please leave a comment! If you would like to share your story there are two ways to do it:
- You can reach me on Facebook at Bo Brown (Nashville, TN)
- Hit the “Share Yours” button on the heroesinrecovery.com page and tell them Bo sent you!
When you share your story, you can inspire others to break the stigma associated with substance abuse and mental health issues.
Much Love,
Bo