Recovery from addiction is often compared to a journey where you meet new people; rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit; and learn new things about yourself that give you hope for the future. But like all journeys, the recovery path also has pitfalls that can jeopardize your sobriety. With his popular book 12 Stupid Things That Mess Up Recovery, Allen Berger has shown many people how to confront self-defeating thoughts and behaviors that can sabotage their sobriety. In this sequel, Allen gives you the tools you need to work through twelve pitfalls that you are likely to encounter on your path to long-term recovery. Whether you are facing relapse, learning to overcome complacency, or working to take responsibility for your feelings and actions, this book will equip you to overcome some of the most common relapse hazards as you make your trek along "the road of happy destiny.

Whether it's called 'dry drunk' or 'white knuckle sobriety, ' it's that stage in recovery when we realize that 'putting the plug in the jug' isn't enough. The next step is taking responsibility for the emotional immaturity that fuels our addictive personality and has a tremendous impact on ourselves and others.
In "12 Smart Things to Do When the Booze and Drugs Are Gone," Allen Berger, Ph.D., draws on the teachings of Bill W. and psychotherapy pioneers to offer twelve hallmarks of emotional sobriety that, when practiced, give people the confidence to be accountable for their behavior, ask for what they want and need, and grow and develop a deeper trust in the process of life. These 'smart things' include:

• Understanding who you are and what's important to you
• Learning not to take others' reactions personally
• Trusting your own inner compass
• Taking responsibility for your reactions to problematic situations

It is in these practices that we find release from what Bill W. described as an 'absolute dependency' on people or circumstances, and develop the tools to find prestige, security, and belonging within.

Are you sabotaging your own recovery?

To grow in recovery, we must grow up emotionally. This means getting honest with ourselves and facing up to the self-defeating thoughts and actions that put our sobriety at risk. Although there are as many ways to mess up recovery as there are alcoholics and addicts, some general themes exist, which include:

- confusing self-concern with selfishness
- not making amends
- using the program to try to become perfect
- not getting help for relationship troubles
- believing that life should be easy

In simple, down-to-earth language, Allen Berger explores the twelve most commonly confronted beliefs and attitudes that can sabotage recovery. He then provides tools for working through these problems in daily life. This useful guide offers fresh perspectives on how the process of change begins with basic self-awareness and a commitment to working a daily program.