In RECOVERY - THE GUIDELINES
YOUR PORTRAIT
Each portrait takes about 15 minutes. You are more than welcome to arrive early or stay after your scheduled portrait time. YOU MUST WEAR A BLACK SLEEVELESS SHIRT or no shirt at all (men only).
WRITTEN SUBMISSION
We ask that all written submissions be roughly 1000 –1500 words. If you have important things to say, please feel free to write more if you feel so inclined.
It is up to you what parts of your story you would like to share. Keep in mind the goals of the project while you share. The goal is to combat the stigma surrounding addiction and spread a positive message about recovery. We are not looking for active addiction stories, we are looking for recovery stories.
Really try and think about how the stigma affected your journey. How you felt while you were still active. How you feel now that you are in recovery. What do you think the biggest misconceptions about addiction/recovery are?
We have compiled a list of questions --> that may spark your interest and help you think of specific instances that you can write about.
Most importantly, write from the heart. Share the hope that you feel today and how much that hope can affect someone who is now in the place that you were once in.
PORTRAIT TAGLINE
Along with your writing, we will also need for you to choose the text that will be placed on your portrait. Keep it short and simple. The less words, the better. Please be sure to double check the site to see if your chosen tagline has been used already before you submit it.
PROJECT FEE
Each portrait requires a $30.00 fee to cover the cost of the event as well as the daily operations and maintenance necessary to run this rapidly growing campaign out of our New York headquarters. If you wish to be featured but are unable to cover the cost, please let us know and we will do our best to work something out.
KEEP IT ON YOUR RECOVERY.
In an effort to de-stigmatize addiction and spread a positive message about recovery, please consider the questions below while writing your submission for the site. This project is focused on your RECOVERY, not the specifics of your use. Really think about how your life has changed since you found recovery.
- What are some of the biggest misconceptions about addiction? About recovery?
- What were your biggest fears while you were still active?
- In what ways were your family/friends affected by your addiction?
- Describe the feelings you had when you decided to enter into recovery?
- What is the best thing that has happened to you since you entered recovery?
- If you could go back in time to when you started using, what would you have told yourself?
- What have you learned about yourself on your journey to recovery?
- What are you most proud of?
- How can your story help someone (can be anyone…not just those that struggle or are in recovery. Can be the general public).
- What do you do on a daily basis to keep you active in your recovery?
- What are you most grateful for in your recovery?
- How has your recovery affected other people in your life?
- What values and strengths have you gained through finding recovery?
- Do you feel the stigma still affects you, even though you are in recovery?
- What compelled you to be a part of the recovery movement and join this project?
- In what ways do you think speaking out about your recovery can make a difference in how people view addiction?
Keep in mind, you do NOT have to answer ALL of these questions. Just use them as a framework for writing your recovery story.
We will never use your first and last name on the site. It is purely your choice if you want to share that info in your written submission.
Please send written submissions to info@iamnotanonymous.org prior to the time of your portrait. If you are unable to complete your written submission, please email us and let us know and we will make an exception for you.
ONE KEY MENTION
I Am Not Anonymous is in no way affiliated with any 12-Step program. We take their traditions of anonymity very seriously and respect the fellowships that many of us have recovered, and continue to recover in. This project is all about sharing your personal recovery journey, not your recovery affiliation. With that said, while discussing this project and writing your submissions for the site, we ask that no one state that they are a member of any particular fellowship. Also, please try to refrain from using fellowship-ish words such as “12-steps” “sponsor” or “higher power”.
