09/10/2025
"NO FREE LUNCH"
"AVOID FAVOURS"
Lately I have felt the pressure of indebtedness, not only financially but also emotionally, socially and a few more other ways. This is because I feel I need to payback everyone who was there supporting me through the journey to sobriety.
Now that am sane and aware of who helped me through recovery, I do feel I owe them whenever they ask for a favour or demand something from me, I go beyond what I can provide just to create peace and please them which is a danger to my recovery.
The feeling of indebtedness due to past favours has bad effects.
Here is how we protect our selves against future self hurt or relapse due to accepting favours anyhow.
Not accepting favours as an alcoholic in recovery is often emphasized in most recovery programs because it protects one's sobriety, independence, and integrity.
Here’s why we need to avoid favours:
🧠 1. Avoiding Emotional and Social Triggers.
Accepting favours can create a sense of debt or obligation. This can lead to guilt, pressure, or resentment, which are emotional triggers that may push someone toward relapse.
Recovery requires emotional stability and clear boundaries — favours can blur these boundaries.
💪 2. Building Self-Reliance.
Early recovery is about learning to stand on your own two feet — emotionally, financially, and spiritually.
Depending on others too much can delay the growth of personal responsibility and self-confidence.
Self-reliance builds pride and strength, both of which are essential to long-term sobriety.
🧩 3. Avoiding Manipulation or Exploitation.
Some people may offer “favours” with hidden expectations or strings attached — like access, loyalty, or emotional control etc.
This can lead to toxic relationships or situations that undermine recovery goals.
Keeping clear boundaries helps protect your peace and focus.
💬 4. Maintaining Integrity and Equality.
Recovery encourages honesty, humility, and fairness.
Constantly receiving favours can make relationships unbalanced — one person giving, the other taking.
Equality in relationships helps you rebuild trust and self-respect.
🧘 5. Avoiding Old Patterns.
Many people in addiction used to manipulate or depend on others to get what they wanted (money, shelter, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
Learning to decline unnecessary favours helps break that old pattern of dependency or people-pleasing.
It’s a way of practicing new, healthier habits.
Not accepting favours helps protect your boundaries, self-respect, emotional stability, and recovery progress.
It’s not about pride — it’s about learning to live responsibly, freely, and honestly.
Choose a sponsor, helper or advisor of a good moral standing that can genuinely walk the journey to sobriety without them being judgemental or expectant of future returns. This should be a person that understands recovery and is ready to give you time.