The first step in recovery is forming a resolve. While some of the subjects recovered from their addiction without developing a strong resolve to do so, others' resolves were rooted in life crises emanating from the drug world itself. Addicts who then became abstinent had to overcome two major obstacles: the popular belief that they would always be addicts and the lack of a cultural role model. The third step in recovery is creating an alternative to drug abuse; these subjects rejected treatment as their alternative and chose other activities including religion, work, family, or politics. The craving phenomenon, experienced in physical or psychological forms, is associated with the first year or so of abstinence. The final step in addiction recovery is becoming "normal" by gaining recognition and acceptance from the nonaddict world. 3 references