Beginner's Guide to the SAVE Technique
Stopping Addictive Voice Enticements

What is SAVE?
SAVE (Stopping Addictive Voice Enticements) is a simple, powerful technique for overcoming addiction. It teaches you to separate your authentic self from the deceptive inner dialogue that tries to pull you back into addictive behavior.

The Two Minds in Addiction

• The Real You (conscious mind): Wants recovery, health, freedom, and a better life.
  
• The Addictive Voice (subconscious or shadow mind): Tries to convince you to use again. It can sound like logic, emotions, even your own thoughts—but it's not truly you.
  

• Absolute Separation: The addictive voice is not you.
  
• No Compromise: You don't negotiate with addiction. No “just once.”
  
• Present Commitment: All that matters is your choice right now.
  
• Self-Reliance: You have the power to recover—yourself.
  

• "It sounds reasonable." → If it leads to using, it's the addictive voice.
  
• "It's so convincing." → That’s proof it’s the addictive voice. Reject it.
  
• "I feel deprived." → You’re not missing out—you’re breaking free.
  
• "Cravings are intense." → They always pass. Let them pass without giving in.
  

• Morning Check-In: Remind yourself: The voice may show up. Be ready.
  
• High-Risk Moments: Rehearse recognizing and rejecting the voice before temptation hits.
  
• Write It Down: Keep a journal of wins—when you spotted and stopped the voice.
  
• Shape Your Space: Avoid triggers when you can—especially early on.
  

Quote:You are not your addiction.
You are the one who chooses wellness.
And with SAVE, you now have a powerful tool to protect that choice.

Revised Step 12
"Having experienced significant and powerful positive transformation through these steps and the healing process they revealed to us, we make ongoing efforts to support others in recovery by sharing our experiences and practicing these principles in our daily lives and communities."

1. Be Available: Let people know they can come to you.
   
2. Live Authentically: Be the same person in meetings, at work, and at home.
   
3. Keep Growing: Read, reflect, and refine your process.
   
4. Stay Humble: No one graduates recovery.
   
5. Give Back: Every kind act counts.
   

• Service Keeps You Sober: Helping others reinforces your purpose.
  
• You Are Proof: Your life shows that change is possible.
  
• The Cycle Continues: Step 12 restarts the loop — and it gets deeper each time.
  

Revised Step 11
"We cultivated practices enhancing self-awareness, emotional regulation, and connection with our values as revealed by evidence-based research as well as our personal source(s) of inspiration, such as meditation, mindfulness and honest self-reflection, building a reserve of inner strength to overcome urges and temptations, one day at a time."

1. Morning Stillness: Start your day with 5 minutes of reflection, meditation, or deep breathing.
   
2. Use Mindfulness Tools: Apps, guided meditations, or breath exercises.
   
3. Track Emotional States: Use journals or mood logs to stay aware.
   
4. Connect With Meaning: Whether it’s nature, spirituality, or philosophy — tap in.
   
5. Reflect at Night: Ask yourself: “Did I live in alignment with my values today?”
   

• You’re Building Inner Strength: Daily effort adds up.
  
• This Step is Inclusive: Spiritual, scientific, or both — it works either way.
  
• Mindfulness is Recovery Fuel: The more aware you are, the more power you have to choose differently.
  

Revised Step 10
"We continued to monitor our physical health, psychological state, and social interactions, promptly acknowledging imbalances or inconsistencies with our chosen recovery goals and values."

1. Create a Daily Ritual: Morning or evening check-ins work great.
   
2. Stay Curious, Not Critical: Use observation instead of judgment.
   
3. Adjust Quickly: Address problems early to prevent relapse cycles.
   
4. Use Recovery Tools: Journals, apps, sponsors, therapy, or meetings.
   
5. Reconnect With Your Why: Stay aligned with your deepest values.
   

• Step 10 Is Ongoing Maintenance: It keeps recovery real and grounded.
  
• Balance = Stability: Your body, mind, and social life all affect each other.
  
• Awareness is Power: When you notice, you can choose. That’s freedom.
  

Revised Step 9
"We took appropriate actions to make amends, focusing on our commitment to lasting recovery and demonstrating remorse for all offenses and betrayals, unless such amends would only cause further harm."

1. Revisit Your List: Go back to Step 8’s list and evaluate each case individually.
   
2. Make a Plan: Decide what kind of amends are most appropriate for each person.
   
3. Be Clear and Sincere: Take responsibility. Avoid blame or over-explaining.
   
4. Respect Others' Healing: Sometimes the best thing you can do is stay away.
   
5. Let Your Life Be the Apology: Stay consistent in recovery. Actions > words.
   

• This Step is Brave: You’re not hiding anymore — you’re stepping into truth.
  
• Remorse is Healing: It opens space for reconnection and self-forgiveness.
  
• Amends Must Be Thoughtful: It’s not about clearing your conscience — it’s about supporting others’ healing.
  

Revised Step 8
"We identified those harmed by our substance use, considering the social, psychological, and biological impact, as well as all other forms of harm done, and became willing to make amends to them all, guided by compassion."

1. Make Your List: Include everyone affected by your addiction.
   
2. Look at Full-Spectrum Harm: Not just what was done, but how it impacted others.
   
3. Use Compassion as Your Compass: This isn’t self-punishment — it’s healing work.
   
4. Own What You Can: Acknowledge it clearly, gently, and without excuses.
   
5. Become Willing: No need to act yet. Readiness is the win.
   

• Willingness First: You’re not making amends yet — you’re preparing your heart.
  
• All Harm Counts: This includes emotional neglect, broken trust, etc.
  
• Compassion Heals: Guilt may notice the damage. Compassion chooses to repair it.
  

Revised Step 7
"We actively sought and implemented evidence-based coping skills and healthy practices, while continuing to draw strength from our own unique inspirational journey to promote holistic well-being, including all facets of physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health."

1. Learn What Works: Find proven tools and coping strategies.
   
2. Make It Daily: Turn healthy actions into habits.
   
3. Tend to All Levels: Physical, mental, emotional, behavioral — they all matter.
   
4. Stay Inspired: Keep your journey and purpose in focus.
   
5. Choose Wholeness: Let recovery be about thriving, not just surviving.
   

• This Step is Active: You are now co-creating your recovery.
  
• Science + Spirit = Strength: Use both practical tools and personal meaning.
  
• Recovery is Holistic: Well-being is the goal — not just abstinence.
  

Revised Step 6
"We became willing to recognize, challenge, and modify negative and unhelpful thoughts, emotions, and behaviors perpetuating our substance use, re-aligning our thoughts, actions, and overall self-image with our personal understanding of growth, compassion, and forgiveness."

1. Start with Willingness: You don’t need to be ready for everything — just open to try.
   
2. Watch Your Inner World: Pay attention to recurring thoughts and emotional patterns.
   
3. Challenge Unhelpful Narratives: Question the beliefs that keep you stuck.
   
4. Try Healthier Habits: Practice new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
   
5. Let Your Values Guide You: Return to growth, compassion, and forgiveness — again and again.
   

• You’re Not Broken: You’re rewiring old survival strategies.
  
• Readiness is Powerful: Willingness is the seed of transformation.
  
• Alignment = Integrity: You’re learning to live from the inside out.
  

Revised Step 5
"We openly shared our self-assessment and list of harms done, including thoughts, feelings, behaviors, contributing factors, and destructive actions, with a trusted person, fostering accountability and connection."

1. Choose Someone Safe: They should be supportive and nonjudgmental.
   
2. Be Prepared: Give yourself space and time. Don’t rush.
   
3. Say It All: Don’t hold back. Speak what you wrote in Step 4.
   
4. Include Emotions: Talk about the why — not just the what.
   
5. Allow for Connection: This is a moment of deep honesty. Let it change you.
   

• This Step Shatters Shame: Secrets lose power when spoken aloud.
  
• Judgment Isn’t the Goal: The right person will help you process, not punish.
  
• Connection Heals: Being truly seen is one of the most powerful recovery experiences.
  

Revised Step 4
"We honestly assessed the biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to our substance use and its consequences, reflecting on our values, and made a thorough and fearless list of all damage done to ourselves and others as a result of our addictive behavior(s)."

1. Create Safe Space: Find time and privacy for reflection. Honesty needs quiet.
   
2. Understand Your "Why": Use a biopsychosocial lens to understand how addiction happened.
   
3. Reconnect with Values: Identify what you believe in — and how you want to live.
   
4. List the Harm Done: Include harm to yourself, others, your relationships, your body, and your spirit.
   
5. Be Compassionate with Yourself: You’re learning, not sentencing yourself.
   

• This Step is About Clarity, Not Shame: You’re not bad — you’re human and healing.
  
• It Starts the Accountability Process: Awareness is the first step to real repair.
  
• Trauma-Informed Recovery: Your biology, history, and environment matter. This step respects that.