The Subculture of Recovery
Bill Loving, MD

If you are in recovery or work in the field, you are very aware of a strong subculture of recovery. People across all economic, educational, ethnic, and social spheres are actively engaged in the same goal of staying sober. Sobriety is not passive, but is an active, proactive, ongoing endeavor. People become engaged in it as an important part of their life.

This subculture usually includes 12 step meetings. The subculture has places to meet; meetings have special rules; and members speak a special language. Members have a hierarchy such as sponsor - sponsoree and newcomer - old-timer, but mostly it is a very egalitarian group. To join you must have the problem and a desire to work on sobriety.

The language of recovery is not truly a foreign one, but certain words or phrases are used in particular ways that not everyone outside will understand. Group members talk about a Higher Power, the Big Book, letting go, and sober birthdays. The array of phrases, platitudes, and sayings are well-worn and many. They are all tried and true reinforcing "horse sense" about living a balanced sober life.

Newcomers can be confused by the language used in the group and may see the "clichés" and language as a barrier to joining. Some patients have told me they are fearful of becoming a robot-like character who just spouts clichés. These clichés are reminders of common sense ways to live life gracefully and many are actually "secrets of life", like the Serenity Prayer and "One Day at a Time." If a patient examines each of the common phrases used in the group it is doubtful he or she will disagree with any of them.

The subculture of recovery is very important for the recovering alcoholic and addict because either they were deeply involved in a using subculture or were very isolated. The support and the power of the group are vital to the newly recovering person. Changing to a sober lifestyle is possible when a sober support system is in place. It would be very difficult to build such a support group from scratch, and the subculture that exists already has a lot of depth and valuable elements that would be impossible to duplicate.

This subculture is rather silent and somewhat invisible to the outer culture as it protects the anonymity of its members. No one brags about being a member, and there is a tradition that urges members not to proselytize or speak for the group. Even though it is silent and virtually invisible within the culture, it is vibrant, dynamic, and very active.

Every reputable and effective recovery program allies itself with this subculture of recovery. Twelve step orientation and facilitation groups are a part of the curriculum. In-house meetings and visits to meetings in town are also important activities in these programs. One of the main goals of a treatment program is to launch patients or graduates into the subculture of recovery in their local area. The successful people enter this dynamic subculture, and become a part of the flow and current of this strong moving, benign river of change.