Those of us who have been through, or are currently in active addiction, know all too well that very few people trust us in the early days of recovery. To an extent it’s justified. We cheat, lie, and steal to meet the requirements of our addiction. But what happens when a person stops using?

When I was in early recovery, my family and friends were very strict around me, and constantly worried that I would relapse. It was very obvious to me that everything I did was being evaluated for the warning signs of active addiction. Truthfully? I know that even today they still worry.

Recovering addicts need an element of trust. Much like taking the training wheels off of a bicycle, it is important that addicts feel able to recover in whatever way works for them. But trust has to be earned.

We as addicts can start to earn back that trust by being open and honest. Talk about your feelings, set boundaries, admit when you are craving after the object of your addiction. Show people that you are doing the hard work needed to recover.

In my opinion, we never stop recovering from addiction. Addiction doesn’t go away, it merely goes into remission. People need to see that we are doing all we can to prevent it’s return. Recovery takes hard work and dedication.

If you are in active addiction right now, it probably seems like an insurmountable challenge to stop using. I assure you that while the challenge is steep, it can be tackled one step at a time. Write your own map of a journey that will work for you.

Trust me, you’ve got this.