Recovering Character - by Peg O'Connor (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Addiction pulls a life apart in countless ways. Relationships, commitments, values, and aspirations can erode until the very sense of who one is begins to feel unfamiliar. Substances and compulsive behaviors begin shaping choices, creating a sense of belonging not to one's own intentions but to cravings, habits, and external pressures. Some recognize these losses early; others face the truth only when the damage can no longer be denied.

Addiction comes with choice: turn toward life or turn away from it. Choosing life demands courage and persistence--followed by the question--how can life be rebuilt from here?

Recovering Character examines what it means to reclaim one's life from the inside out. Recovery becomes an active moral undertaking: a conscious shaping of character rooted in self-respect, self-trust, self-forgiveness, and an honest engagement with the past. Instead of allowing substances or the expectations of others to dictate patterns of living, it offers tools and guidance to rebuild one's life with intention.

This guidebook invites a return to autonomy and ownership of one's life, while remaining compatible with a wide range of treatment approaches. It provides clear guidance that complements diverse recovery paths.

Recovering Character carries a quiet but powerful promise: coming home to oneself is possible.

Review Quotes

"In this wonderfully readable book, Peg O'Connor draws on ancient and modern wisdom to illuminate the path from active addiction to flourishing in recovery. She reveals how self-deception, perfectionism, and shame keep us trapped, and shows how to intentionally compose our character through virtuous action and genuine friendship. Compatible with any recovery approach, this philosophical reflection offers profound insights for anyone struggling with addiction, navigating recovery, or seeking to live with greater integrity and purpose. Here, you'll learn what it truly means to belong to yourself."-Candice Shelby, author of Addiction: A Philosophical Perspective

"Stopping drinking or drugging is a great relief and achievement. But for many of us who lost aspects of our integrity, as well as a clear vision of what a good and successful version of ourself could be, there is an enormous amount of self-repair and self-reconstruction that needs to take place to be healed. Peg O'Connor's new book is an extraordinarily wise and sensitive exploration of how addicts can undertake the project of renewing, rebuilding - in some cases even constructing a robust flourishing self for the first time. Rebuilding character is the most important part of true recovery and O'Connor is a masterful guide to this essential part of the process. A must read for recovering addicts."-Owen Flanagan, author of What It's Like to Be an Addict? Understanding Substance Abuse