Seeking Forgiveness: Why Making Amends Is An Important Part Of Recovery

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During recovery, you are often faced with the consequences and outcomes of your actions while under the influence. One of the key steps in the recovery process is making amends for your actions. Understanding why it this so important can help improve the success of your recovery journey.

It’s Different Than Apologizing

To make amends is to try to restore what has been broken and correct the order of things. Simply saying that you are sorry to a person harmed by your drinking does not fix the damage that was done. Making amends doesn’t mean clearing your conscience of wrongdoing.

Making amends usually requires that you do more than just say something. It typically requires that you do something. The process requires you to take responsibility for what happened and to make an effort to actually show that you are remorseful. An example would be returning money that you borrowed or stole from a loved one, instead of simply apologizing for the theft.

It Restores Order

The NIAAA estimates that roughly 16.6 million adults over the age of 18 in the United States had some form of an alcohol use disorder in 2013. Out of those 16.6 million, only 8% (1.3 million people) sought and completed treatment, including seeking out those who were wronged while under the influence.

In many cases, there were legal ramifications resulting from their actions, which may have prompted their treatment and encouraged them to make amends. For some, making amends is as simple as returning, repairing, or replacing anything that they physically damaged.

The purpose of making amends is to restore or repair relationships that were damaged and to take responsibility for those actions.

Making Amends Opens Opportunities

Making amends opens the door to healing and the possibility of greater opportunities. When you take responsibility for past actions, you begin rebuilding trust with others—and with yourself. These sincere efforts can lead to restored relationships, new sources of support, and opportunities for personal growth that strengthen your long-term recovery.

Like in all addictions, you have no control over your actions because the addiction is the controlling force. Without control over your actions, you may inadvertently destroy vital relationships. While making amends will not immediately reopen the pathway to those opportunities, it does allow the healing process to begin.

Not making amends means the damage remains stagnant or worsens.

If you or a loved one has an addiction, please contact us through our website or by calling us at 800-948-8417 Sponsored . You can speak with one of our caring specialists about treatment and recovery options available to you.

Tips for Making Your List of Amends

Step eight of Alcoholics Anonymous asks its members to make a list “of all persons [they] have harmed” and to be willing to make amends to those individuals. This can be not only a long task but a difficult one, especially because it asks members to look back into their past and face some harsh truths while they prepare themselves to handle the mistakes of their past during the present. Here are some tips that can help you while you are making your list of people to whom you will make amends. Make a Physical List It cannot be stressed…