ABSTRACT
It is compassion and healthy relationships that can soothe the emotional needs that often underlie addictive behaviours. Addiction recovery is about reconnecting with yourself and other people, and there are many examples of social and group approaches to building healthier communities to encourage and inspire recovery. Twelve-step and other self-help approaches are important and accessible, but it is helpful to be informed about their pros and cons. Psychological interventions have also been developed to support families, the ‘hidden carers’ behind people with addiction. Exploring group and community approaches to recovery leads us to social and cultural influences on addiction, such as the relationship between addiction and inequality, as statistics suggest that those in lower socioeconomic groups are less likely to consume substances, but more likely to experience greater health and mental health harms as a result of addiction. Recovery is a social issue, which is reflected in the recovery movement currently driving drug and alcohol treatment internationally.
