Ask Dr. Al: What’s new in the second edition of The Recovery Book?

What’s new in the second edition of The Recovery Book?

The entire book has been updated and revised.

It is now structured around the Recovery Zone System, an easy-to-follow, three-stage blueprint for getting into recovery, rebuilding a life, and staying sober for a lifetime. I developed this system over the last 20 years because I saw that too many people were relapsing—they either took on too much early in recovery, or they lost their focus a few years into sobriety. This new system helps to ensure that a person new to sobriety does not take on too much at once, takes the time to build a rock-solid foundation for a lifetime of recovery, and keeps a focus on recovery throughout his or her life.

In this system, a life in recovery is divided into three chronological zones: the Red Zone: Stop. Activate Your Recovery; the Yellow Zone: Proceed with Caution. Build Your Life; and the Green Zone: Go. Celebrate Your Life.

Within each zone, the person new to recovery finds clear guidance on what to focus on and when, in regard to treatment, fellowship work, spirituality, relapse prevention, relationship repair, recreation, sober socializing, education and career, finances, health, diet, and exercise. The Recovery Zone System also outlines clear objectives that should be achieved before moving on to the next recovery zone.

We have also included in the book an extensive list of online resources for recovery. An expanded list of recovery resources can be found at TheRecoveryBook.com/addiction-and-recovery-resources.