Although you may have heard of 12-step-based treatment for addiction, you may not be familiar with the steps and how they work. People generally start by admitting they have an addiction and are powerless over it. Then, they refer to a higher power and put their faith in that power to help them succeed in recovery. The fourth step is making a moral inventory, which involves listing past wrongs, identifying patterns and personal flaws, and planning how to improve yourself.
If you are interested in making a moral inventory—and looking into moral inventory examples—to help with your addiction recovery, you do not have to do it alone. Contact Promises Brazos Valley at 979.426.0086 to start receiving the support of 12-step-based treatment.
How to Engage in a Moral Inventory
A moral inventory is a tool that people struggling with addiction can use to grow spiritually as they overcome their addictive behaviors. It is not a test but rather an act of self-examination and honest introspection. A moral inventory allows you to take stock of your life, identify areas where change is needed, then decide how best to proceed with your recovery process.
There are many ways to use a moral inventory. You can create one on your own or with the help of a sponsor or other recovery program member. Many people find that writing down their thoughts and feelings helps them better understand themselves and their actions.
You can use a moral inventory to examine any area of your life that needs improvement or change. Most often, people do moral inventories to help with recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. But you can use a moral inventory for other struggles, such as eating disorders or gambling addiction.
Moral Inventory Examples
You may wonder where to start if you have never created a moral inventory before. Here are some moral inventory examples to help you get the ball rolling:
- Have you lied to people to facilitate your addiction? You can list times when you have lied to others and how it has hurt them, whether or not they caught you in the lie.
- Have you let others down due to substance use? For example, have you missed important events because you were under the influence? List meaningful events you have missed, such as a child’s school performance or sporting event, a friend’s wedding, or a family member’s birthday.
- Have you mistreated your loved ones when intoxicated or high? Write down times you have acted out of anger toward friends or family members.
- Have you caused financial problems in your household? You can list incidences when you could not pay the bills or went into debt because you spent money on substances instead.
- Have you used drugs or alcohol to avoid dealing with problems? Consider whether you have turned to substances to numb discontent with your job or relationship. List all areas of your life that you are unhappy with so you can start to deal with these head-on.
- Do you feel worthy of good things? Low self-worth is often at the root of many mental health and substance misuse struggles. Dig deep to uncover all your weaknesses, no matter how hard it can be to admit them. You need to allow yourself to be vulnerable to achieve true healing.
These examples are just a start to making a moral inventory. You can find more support for this through a 12-step based treatment program.
Enroll in 12-Step-Based Treatment at Promises Brazos Valley
A moral inventory is a powerful way to learn about yourself and grow while you work toward lifelong recovery. To get help making a moral inventory and working through the 12 steps of addiction recovery, reach out to Promises Brazos Valley at 979.426.0086 or complete our online form.