The Value of "Lived Experience"

In the culture of addiction recovery, having had lived experience as an addict or alcoholic has morphed into a credential of authority.

The newly sober/clean are oftentimes encouraged to share their story for the mutual benefit of both the speaker and the hearers.

Enmeshed in their stories are advice and insights shared from a grateful heart.

Having had ‘been there” baptizes their message and authenticates their message.

Sound all to familiar, doesn’t it?

Then why is it that so many needy people drop out of these self-help meetings and the lapse/relapse rates are so high? That the stories start to sound the same? That there’s something missing?

Could it be that another perspective is needed? A perspective of addiction that carries its own credential of lived experience but from an untapped source?

I’m referring to people you may know from the same town or city as you but for reasons of their own, did

not suffer as an addict or alcoholic.

How did they resist the temptations, cope with life’s difficulties, party?

What did they do for kicks?

What have they learned? What keeps them straight now?

What can we learn from them?

We need to hear their lived experiences!

We already know what not to do. We need to focus on what to do!

What about the newly sober?

Seat them in the front row to listen so their story has a happy ending.

The value of “lived experience”?

Why, it’s a matter of whose experience we’re listening to.