What Is Your Potential for Recovery?

Not every one had a "bad childhood." Not all got mistreated or abused. No one truly knows how many grew up with a healthy dosage of love, acceptance, and nurturing. The fact, however, remains that there are lots among us who need recovery from wounds, difficulty or incapacity to feel good about ourselves and our relationships.

While not easy to determine whether you lean more towards being more healthy or less healthy, I have some questions below that you may find helpful to reflect on to see your "potential for recovery."

* Do you fear criticism?
* Do you seek approval and affirmation?
* Do you have a need for perfection?
* Do you overextend yourself?
* Do you isolate yourself from other people?
* Do you have trouble with intimate relationships?
* Do you attract or seek people who tend to abuse you?
* Do you cling to relationships because you fear being alone?
* Do you find it difficult to express your feelings?
* Do you fear being rejected or abandoned?
* Is it difficult for you to relax and have fun?
* Do you find yourself compulsively eating, drinking, working, using drugs, or seeking excitement?
* Is it hard for you to trust others?
* Do you have an "over-developed sense of responsibility?"
* Do you find it difficult to talk or visit with your parents for more than a few minutes?
* Are you uncertain about how to respond when people ask about your feelings?
* Do you have difficulty asking for what you want from others?

If you experience unusual struggle or difficulty responding to any of the questions, I propose an answer may lie in "healing and freedom."