Those working through drug and alcohol addiction, need to change long held beliefs, behaviours, attitudes and self images, This can take time and involve a great emotional cost. There is often a long struggle and even suffering to break the chains that bind them to their addiction. So for the resident in a community, there is "no gain without pain".

Recovering addicts need to become personally fit and physically and mentally fit. They will often need to deal with a spiritual dimension to their recovery in which the walls of forgiveness needs to be scaled. Dealing with perceived and actual wrongs involving physical and sexual abuse is not for the faint-hearted. It requires focus to develop strength, stamina and endurance. It takes much determination and sacrifice. But mainly, it involves aches, pain, and sometimes fear as those recovering from addiction, step outside their comfort zones.

This is an important process for recovering addicts, as typically, they have avoided discomfort in any shape or form. It is often stated that drug addicts don't do problems. So pain is an important part of growth, it helps in shaping character. Dealing with problems is part of life and allows most people to take steps to maturity as they learn how to deal with problems.

Most of those recovering from addiction will admit that it is difficult, often pushing them to their limits. The need to stay clean, delay gratification and deal with the problems that come up, is demanding. The demands of living in community, being up close and personal with others who are going through the same process, while maintaining the task of self-examination, coping with feelings, guilt, and discarding their old self images would be a trying test for most people.

But becoming overcomers and staying the course are great personal victories. Yet anything worth having, is worth fighting for, so the gain is worth the pain.