Here is a slide show about core values in recovery from Drug and Alcohol addiction. In order to maintain a successful recovery clients must think carefully about what do they value in their life and what actions must they take to ensure that these values are upheld?

1. CORE VALUES
By Dylan Kerr

2. What are core Values?
■ Our values are our beliefs that some things are
right and good, other things are irrelevant and
some things are bad and wrong.

3. ■ Our CORE Values refer to what is really
important to us. If someone has been using
drugs for a very long time or has struggles with
identity, they may not even be aware of what is
important to them.

4. What are your core values?
■ We’re going to look at the list of core values . Find around 10- 15 that are important to
you. When you have done that think about whether they are really YOUR values or
whether they have been carried over from family / society expectations. IE you believe
you should value them. Take some time to do this exercise and really think about what
is really important to you.

5. Authenticity Friendship Nature
Security Creativity
Adventure Family Perfection Discipline
Integrity
Achievement Freedom Power Discovery Trust
Acceptance Gratitude Punctuality Education Tolerance
Appreciation Generosity perseverence Equality Variety
Accountability Honesty Purpose/meaning Faith Wealthy
Compassion Health Recognition Fun Wisdom
Commitment Helping others Respect Joy
Serenity/inner peace
Competence Humour Status Justice
Leadership
Community Independence Success Knowledge
Connection to
others
Intelligence Spirituality /Religion Love
Career Intimacy Solitude Loyalty

6. Why are they important?
■ Values give our life meaning and purpose. Knowing what our
values are and adhering to them results in us feeling balanced,
fullfilled and having a good sense of self. Knowing our values
allows us to make decisions and to have a sense of direction,
meaning and purpose in life. Many people who say they don’t
know who they are, actually mean that they don’t know what
is important to them or they have been following the values
imposed on them from family, society, peers etc .

7. Core Values and addiction
■ In active addiction people tend to lose sight of their values – if indeed
they have even identified them - as their drug/alcohol usage begins to
take priority. As the addiction progresses, things that were important
are given a lesser priority or ignored completely. Many core values are
compromised – intimacy, loyalty, honesty, career, health, integrity,
education-, to name but a few. The emotional effects of not adhering to
/ or knowing your own core values is a profound sense of emptiness,
dissatisfaction, lack of meaning and lack of purpose. Directly acting
against your own values can leave a person with an overriding sense of
shame/ Failure. All of this negative effect can create a further need for
drugs/alcohol to numb the emotional pain that occurs. In the space
below reflect on how your addiction has affected your values.

8. What have been the emotional effects of
your addiction on your values?

9. Core Values and Recovery
■ Core values are critical in addiction Recovery. It is very likely
that your underlying values finally got you into rehab. Maybe
it was your deteriorating health, the excruciating shame of
constantly compromising values, lack of connection with your
family/friends/ or not reaching the potential you believe is
possible. Or maybe you could see no direction or future for
yourself.

10. Which values in particular made you want to
try getting sober. What were you losing in
your addiction that was the final straw?

11. ■ Identifying your reasons (values) for wanting recovery
is essential to finding out who you are and what you
want. It is also important to create a clear vision of
what you want in your recovery so that in difficult
times or when strong cravings hit you can remind
yourself of what you are struggling for.

12. Lasting fulfilment
■ Many people live a goal driven life. The problem with this is
that once you have achieved the goal there is an anticlimax
and a need to find another goal. If you don’t achieve the goal
you will feel like a failure. This leads to very short-lived
satisfaction and a life of constantly trying and maybe failing to
achieve. Having goals is necessary but if you start trying to live
a value driven life you are much more likely to achieve long
lastinging fulfillment.

13. What would you like to add?