Self-Forgiveness as a Critical Factor in Addiction and Recovery: A 12-Step Model Perspective

The interplay between resentment and forgiveness is a central component of the 12-Step model of addiction and recovery; however, little work has empirically examined this largely anecdotal assumption. That which has been done suggests that self-forgiveness may be critical in the process of addiction and recovery. Incorporating a stress-and-coping model of self-forgiveness to address the impact of self-condemnation on addiction and recovery, the authors provide an overview of the psychology of forgiveness in the context of addiction and recovery, an updated review of empirical evidence, and a discussion of self-forgiveness as a ready-made antidote to the negative consequences of addictive behavior.