What Happens When Taking a Personal Inventory in Recovery?

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What Happens When Taking a Personal Inventory in Recovery?

In Chapter 5 of the Big Book, you will learn what happens when taking your personal inventory. If you can succeed with Step 4 of the 12 Steps, which is “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves”, you can make great strides in your recovery. This is one of the Steps that so many recovering alcoholics get hung up on. It is tough and it means reaching outside of your comfort zone. However, if you can get through your personal inventory, you will be one step closer to living the rest of your sober and beautiful life. So, what happens when taking your personal inventory?

Finding the Facts

One of the first parts of taking your personal inventory is finding the facts. This is very important. There are many recovering alcoholics, attending alcohol rehab centers, who will deal with false memories. These won’t be helpful when taking your personal inventory. Neither will emotions or messy perspectives on what happened in a particular situation. Finding facts is the main focus at the beginning of taking your personal inventory during Step 4. You will write these facts down and use them to continue through with this Step. Once you do this, you can move further into this step by facing those facts.

Facing the Facts

The next part of Step 4 that you will work on in the alcohol rehabilitation center is facing the facts. This is just as important as finding the facts. You want to make sure you are confronting each of the facts for truth, honesty, perspective, resentments, amends, and more. These facts are going to help you get through your inventory. The way you face each and every one of them matters. When you are facing the facts, be sure to ask yourself whether everything you are writing down is the truth. If it is, you can move onto the next part of this step.

Disclosing Your Damaged Goods

Everyone makes mistakes in their life. In Chapter 5 of the Big Book, you will read, “One object is to disclose damaged or unsalable goods, to get rid of them promptly, and without regret.” This is a part of your recovery that is of utmost importance. Disclosing your damaged or unsalable goods pushes you a step closer to taking the weight off your shoulders. It allows you to release your past from your recovery and healing process. Once you can disclose of these goods and get rid of them, along with losing any regrets, you can move yourself to the next stage or Step of your recovery.

 

This is happens when taking a personal inventory in your recovery from an alcohol addiction. The process does take some time and you will need to have patience. Many people do struggle with Step 4. It pushes them far outside of their comfort zones. However, you can starting working on your personal inventory while in the alcohol treatment center when you call at 888-992-7955.

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Picture of Esra Ahmed - MS, NCC, LPC, MHSP
Esra Ahmed - MS, NCC, LPC, MHSP

Experienced Clinical Director with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in Anger Management, Healthcare, Medicine, EMDR, and Life Transitions. Strong healthcare services professional with a Masters Degree focused in Psychology from The University of Memphis.

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