In this edition of The Way Out we’re back with a serious recovery power topic – The Dangers of Idolizing Others in Recovery. The working title of this episode was a skosh more sensational, but I digress. The desire to pedestalize others who seem to be working the perfect recovery program, or that appear to living the good life because of sobriety is quite natural. We hear phrases like stick with the winners, and to a large extent that’s sage advice. What becomes dangerous, is when we raise these recovery rock stars to demigod like status in our own minds – that’s when the balance has officially tipped precariously too far in the wrong direction. I got better, indeed, most of us got better by finding the people that had what we wanted and applying what worked for them to our own programs of recovery. Some of those things stuck and worked like spiritual and recovery magic while others fell by the wayside due to inefficacy or lack of relevance. When we enable others to be launched into recovery super stardom, or conversely attempt to be Recovery Icons ourselves, that’s the exact point in which we’ve crossed the God line. Right out of the gate when we finally surrendered to our addiction and/or alcoholism we admitted we were powerless. You and me. WE. Then WE went about the business of connecting to a power greater than US. That means I can’t be my own higher power and neither can you. When we idolize another, or quest to become idols ourselves, we’re putting our faith in someone who’s powerless over this disease, and that my friends is perhaps the greatest danger of all. That’s precisely why we’re going to dig deep into the how and why of it all as well as provide practical tools to ward against this pitfall of recovery. Plus we share feedback from the sober and serious community and take your calls so Listen Up.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

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