Episode 54 | The #RecoveryFirst Podcast with Mike Todd | “What is this recovery thing anyway”Episode 54 | The #RecoveryFirst Podcast with Mike Todd | “What is this recovery thing anyway”
The Recovery First Addiction Recovery Podcast by Freedom Recovery Services of Greenville
Mike Todd reflects on how his understanding of recovery has changed over 30 years, from a strictly 12-step approach to a broader view with many valid pathways. He also explains the role of recovery housing in South Carolina and efforts to support residents’ safety and wellbeing, including access to naloxone.
13:19•24 Nov 2021
What Is This Recovery Thing Anyway? Mike Todd on 30 Years of Change
Episode Overview
- Recovery can include many elements such as 12-step groups, meditation, exercise, spirituality, medication and community support, as long as life is genuinely improving.
- Community is central, with Mike highlighting that the Narcotics Anonymous steps all begin with "we" and that he could not sustain recovery on his own.
- There is no single correct pathway; people are encouraged to try meetings, recovery community organisations, recovery coaches, peer supporters or faith-based mentors and keep what helps.
- Recovery housing has grown from informal shared living into an industry that now requires advocacy and standards due to the vulnerability of residents.
- The South Carolina Recovery Housing Association prioritises getting naloxone into all recovery houses and training residents in its use to enhance safety.
“I just wanted to, like, just talk about that. You know, what is recovery? It’s personal. It’s anything that will help you better your life.”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? For this session of The Recovery First Addiction Recovery Podcast, host Mike Todd looks back over three decades of his own journey and asks a deceptively simple question: “What is this recovery thing anyway?” Mike contrasts what recovery looked like 30 years ago with what it can look like today. Back then, for him, recovery meant one thing: an anonymous 12-step fellowship, a sponsor, and 90 meetings in 90 days.
As he puts it, “Doing all that… that’s absolutely recovery. You are definitely better in your life.” But he’s quick to point out that recovery doesn’t fit neatly into one box anymore. Today, Mike talks about recovery as anything that genuinely improves life and keeps a person accountable: meetings, meditation, exercise, medication when needed, church, recovery community organisations, recovery coaches, peer support, or mentors.
He stresses the value of community, noting how the Narcotics Anonymous steps all begin with “we,” and shares that one of his biggest early lessons was realising, “I could not do this alone.” The episode also shines a light on recovery housing in South Carolina. Mike explains how informal shared housing between people in recovery has grown into an industry that now faces serious challenges, including exploitation of vulnerable residents.
That’s why the South Carolina Recovery Housing Association was formed—to support, mentor, and advocate for recovery housing operators. A major focus has been getting naloxone into all recovery houses in the state and training residents how to use it, which he describes as a crucial first standard for keeping people safe. If you’re wondering what recovery “should” look like, this conversation might ease the pressure.
Mike’s message is simple and down-to-earth: find people you trust, ask questions, try different options, and stick with what genuinely makes your life better. So what might your version of recovery look like?
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