Building Community: Why Joining a Brotherhood in Recovery is Vital

“There’s a drive in a lost soul–in one that is searching for acceptance, companionship, belonging, whatever you want to call it. The slightest coincidence ignites a spark that one hopes will lead to something meaningful.”

-Doug Cooper, American Author

Building a strong support network is essential during your recovery – you can join others in a brotherhood of recovery. When you share similar struggles with others, you might find common ground and solidarity within your peer group. During recovery, you may have let go of some of the friendships in your life. Some people may have been triggering for you. They might not have understood or supported your desire to recover. While ultimately, these people may not be healthy for you to remain in contact with, they likely provided you with some communication and connection. You can view recovery as the process of letting go of what is unhealthy while finding healthy replacements to fulfill your needs. Letting go of past friendships can be difficult. By joining a brotherhood in recovery and building a support network, you can ease the pain of letting go.

Relationships and Connections 

You may feel that the issues you are facing are yours to deal with. You may believe that you need to get through your recovery on your own to build resiliency and autonomy. Humans are social animals, and we thrive on connections. You can develop more confidence and resiliency when you have a support network to lean on when things are tough. By sharing one another’s experiences, you can learn more from your peers and build coping skills. Your peers in recovery can likely relate to your experiences in a way that others are unable to. Finding a peer group on a similar recovery path can help you stay the course during your recovery journey.

Arrive, Dive, and Thrive in Recovery

You can think of your recovery journey in three phases: arrive, dive, and thrive. 

1. Arrive
   • Building connection
   • Finding safety and security
   • Trusting others
   • Building rapport
2. Dive
   • Deep work on underlying issues
   • Exploring and treating the root causes of addiction (ex. Trauma work, treating depression and anxiety, fixing the family system, etc.)
3. Thrive
   • Finding your power to re-enter the real world
   • The final phase of recovery to lifelong healing and discovery

Arrival in recovery is the foundation and building block of the rest of your work in recovery. Without a solid foundation of support, safety, trust, and security, you may struggle with the next stage as you dive deeper into your recovery. A strong support system allows you to land safely during the tough times in recovery. Think of your support system as a safety net. When you arrive in recovery, you may stumble or fall. You may make mistakes and experience relapse or other struggles along the way. With a support system, you will have others to help you get back on your feet and move forward.

Building Your Support Network

Choice House believes that gender-specific treatment in recovery is best to find those with shared experiences to form deep bonds. Men and women differ in their addiction experiences due to biological differences and underlying conditions, influencing drug or alcohol addiction. Choice House is here to help men in their recovery and hope that a men’s only program will help you find a brotherhood to build your support network. You can also create a support network by:

• Joining 12-step groups
• Engaging in other support groups, such as depression, grief, or anxiety groups
• Inviting family members and trusted friends to help you in recovery
• Ensuring that you have a list of contacts for emergencies or crisis–even local mental health hotlines can be part of your support system!
• Engaging with professionals in your treatment program, like therapists or case managers

Common Bonds

Usually, people meet and connect over shared goals or common bonds. You may meet other men in recovery interested in similar hobbies or outings and build supportive friendships. When you and your peers attempt to reach shared goals of living healthy lifestyles, you can encourage one another in your dreams. You may find peers to join you in trying new things, like entering a 12-step program or trying out new activities. Recovery is a challenge. You may need to leave others behind if they are not conducive to your newfound goals and healthy lifestyle. You can start your recovery by seeking those who share a common bond of building healthy lifestyles, strong support, and personal enrichment. Find others who build you up, and you can create a community of brotherhood in your recovery!

Choice House is here to help men in their recovery from addiction. We can help you find other men to connect with and build support systems. You may feel that you must carry the challenges of recovery on your own; however, this preconception can leave you vulnerable to relapse or other setbacks. You can grow best when you arrive in recovery with a strong foundation within your recovery community. The bonds you can form with your peers can be strong as you reach for similar goals and walk along similar paths. You are not alone in your recovery, and you can build resiliency with brotherhood. Support systems can also be found in support groups, family, or professionals. If you are currently struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, call Choice House today at (720) 577-4422. We are here to help emerging adults find their pathway to thrive in recovery!