I’ve always read a lot, partly because there is plenty of useful material out there worth reading. The problem is, most of it remains largely unused by the vast majority of people.
Therefore, my goal as a writer is not to reinvent the wheel or come up with the next new fad.
I’d rather help people put to use some of the incredible wisdom that has already been proven to change lives. I research and distill practical information from experts such as authors, pastors, psychologists, and addiction specialists. I package their knowledge with my own observations and try to make the resulting commentary as useful and readable as possible.
But I don’t want to misrepresent my credentials.
Because I have made most of the mistakes I caution others about in my writing, and I continue to make many of them. Way too often, I don’t worship or pray as deeply as I should, I can be snappy or even hurtful with others, I sometimes procrastinate, and I’m self-righteous and control-oriented.
I just keep working on what I can one day at a time.
Shifting from Recovery to Precovery
My writing started years ago with an epiphany, a realization of something profound I felt people needed to know: the principles of recovery, including the Twelve Steps, also work earlier in the addiction cycle, and they can help people avoid going down a path toward self-destruction.
In other words, addiction can be prevented!
Hopefully, days and years of waiting for people to “hit bottom” are going to be replaced by assertive approaches to identifying, engaging and motivating people in need of addiction recovery. (William L. White, Emeritus Senior Research Consultant, Chestnut Health Systems)
Yet, tragically, 90% of those struggling with addiction issues do not seek help. And the rest of us stand by and wait until they crash and burn before we encourage them to go to recovery. Why do we do that? Why don’t we teach these life-saving principles to people sooner?
We need to put more focus on prevention.
Which leads us to an earlier stage in the addiction cycle called “precovery” which can be seen as: “The catalytic tipping point as someone transforms addiction-like habits into a healthy lifestyle.”
“Precovery” involves several simultaneous processes. If there is a conceptual breakthrough of note in the addiction field in recent years, it is that such processes can be strategically stimulated and accelerated. (William L. White)
There are proven techniques that have helped people in recovery for decades, and they can help prevent addiction as well. They are Biblical (ask Pastor Rick Warren) and practical (ask anyone in recovery), yet largely unknown and misunderstood, and therefore unused by most people.
Today, enormous efforts are being expended to accelerate precovery processes for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and other chronic disorders. Isn’t it time we did the same for addiction? (William L. White)
The STEPS can help anyone improve their life and grow closer to God. They form a precovery lifestyle that can alter the downward trajectory someone may be on and help prevent addiction.
Imagine what it would mean to these individuals, their families and their communities if we could even cut the duration of addiction careers in half. What we lack as a culture is not the technology to achieve that goal, but the collective compassion and commitment to do it.(William L. White)
Adjusting Our Lifestyle During Precovery
Applying the STEPS as a precovery lifestyle can produce wonderful benefits as well as prevent addiction. To understand these benefits more deeply, slowly read the 12 items below. For each one, mentally put yourself in that place. Then decide: is that how you would like to live?
- You appreciate little things that happen each day and enjoy a deep sense of thankfulness.
- You feel calm and confident facing choices, even tough ones, and you make wiser decisions.
- You worry less because you are able to let go of things that used to cause you anxiety.
- You find peace by dealing with issues rather than avoiding them until they get worse.
- You don’t carry grudges, and no one in your life is able to anger or upset you for long.
- You enjoy being with people, and they enjoy you, and your relationships are satisfying.
- You feel good about today because you took small steps in the right direction.
- You go to bed at night with a warm feeling of satisfaction and contentment.
- You find excitement, purpose, and direction in your life by serving others.
- You have a positive outlook, and you are optimistic about the future.
- You are at peace with yourself, with God, and with other people.
- You find elements of happiness and joy in your life every day.
You can develop a precovery lifestyle that delivers these benefits. In the process, you will notice your negative habits don’t pull on you as strongly as they used to. You may still have some issues, we all do, but you will begin making steady progress to improve your life. And prevent addiction.
Question: Which of the 12 benefits of this precovery lifestyle are most appealing to you?
Action: Think of something you can do to help prevent addiction from ruining more lives.
Photo by The City of Toronto 
Photo by outdoors adventure Photo by Lenny K Photography
