Welcome to the first Scottish Recovery Workbook. This workbook is a gift from the recovery movement in Scotland, to people in early recovery from addictions everywhere. Our gift, like recovery itself, is free to you. We created this workbook together because we want to give something back to the communities that suffered from the effects of our addictions. We want to do that by helping you and more people like us to recover from addictions. Our recovery stories, experiences and reflections are just that; our stories. They are not meant to tell you what to do. If they give you ideas that you might want to put into practice in your own life then that’s great. If they don’t we hope you find something that does work for you.

The workbook has 11 sections and you can do the sections in any order that works for you. In general the issues tackled become more complex as you move from the front of the book to the back. Each section begins with a current recovery story from someone in Scotland in recovery from addictions right now, and they are chosen for their relevance to the theme being tackled in each section. In each section there are also exercises for you to develop your thinking and feeling and reflections around the themes. Write in the book- it is for you after all. There is also a blog in every section which may bring some more food for thought around the theme, and to finish each theme there are some suggested actions and more space for you to write your reflections. The section themes are drawn from our experience and understanding from practice based as well as research evidence of the factors that sustain recovery from addiction. Successful recovery journeys from addictions whether from alcohol, heroin, prescription and over the counter medications, food, gambling etc, are marked by strong and regular practice of each theme. This book is in favour of the recovery path that works for you! We support 12 step meetings, SMART recovery meetings, treatment services, recovery communities, faith groups that contribute to recovery and arts and community groups that help. But most of all we support you and want you to enjoy your recovery!