Three Steps to Long Term Sobriety
Sober Living
The failure rate is frightening when it comes to addicts recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. Based on publically available statistics, a small percentage of us will actually achieve life-long sobriety. Although it is definitely possible, the odds are not in favor of us breaking through that difficult barrier. Many will struggle and fail to achieve this goal. If you want to succeed, you need to have a firm grip on a few key principles that can propel you to success.
1. The zero tolerance policy
It is amazing how often this policy is avoided and pushed into the background of conventional recovery treatment. The concept is powerful and very simple to grasp. It begins with making a pact with yourself that you will not use drugs and alcohol no matter what happens. Then the rest of your life is simply structured around maintaining this personal self-agreement. The pact you have made to yourself offers the benefits of peace, serenity, and growth in the quest of your ultimate sobriety goal.
The bedrock foundation of your commitment is that the zero tolerance policy must take priority above anything else going on in your life. You simply "can’t go to this horrible and dark planet." Practicing this can have a real impact on your overall level of happiness and life stability.
For example, if you are having a difficult day and are experiencing thoughts of wanting to drink or use drugs, you have to implement the zero tolerance policy, like the crew of Star Trek uses the “red Alert”, and immediately fire breaking thrusters to shut this down. If you find that this isn't working, and the invading thoughts of using alcohol or drugs continue to repeat inside your head, then you must take immediate action to overcome your craving....before it escalates further. Different people will have diverse methods of coping with this condition. For example, some of you might call a sponsor, others will attend a meeting, and some people might phone a friend who is going through recovery and communicate about these difficult cravings and thoughts about using. Whatever works for you is what works....the key is that you need to be proactive in this solution and always maintain the zero tolerance policy. This means shutting down any glorification or romancing thoughts of drinking or using drugs.
2. Holistic approach
As your recovery progresses and you begin to accumulate more sober time, the challenge of staying clean on a day-to-day basis starts becoming a little easier as your cravings slowly subside. You will actually begin to find peace, serenity, and balance in your daily life. Relapse is still a threat, and always will be of course, but now the challenge starts shifting away from simply achieving survival by abstinence and towards accomplishing something greater with your life.
A holistic approach to recovery is what drives success in this area. The concept of holistic emphasizes your whole life. Bringing your existence into a full state of balance is a powerful step toward achieving life-long sobriety. As your recovery progresses, life becomes meaningful again, and the need for balance becomes increasingly important as the recovering person gains more responsibilities in their life. There are a number of ways that a broad, holistic approach to recovery can facilitate achieving this balance for a lasting and powerful sobriety.
3. Create your life with vision and purpose.
Would you like to know what really motivates the recovering alcoholic and has the potential to supercharge their recovery? The answer lies in moving beyond mere abstinence from chemicals and discovering the creative new life forces in recovery. This is about finding your passion and purpose in a new life while growing as a person and possibly helping other people in a meaningful way. Life becomes exciting again and you start to look forward to each new day.
Do you remember how exciting and fun the "good times" were when you first started drinking and drugging? Those days are gone forever, but you can start living with that same passion and excitement in your life again by discovering the creative life and applying the principles to your recovery. Finding a support family or group, which you can find peace is 50% of your battle. Support groups have been found to provide a better chance for your success.
This is an article from Knol, a blog of Bridges Sober Living. The link to the blog is attached.
http://knol.google.com/k/bridge-sober-living-homes/three-steps-to-long-term-sobriety/3998bex8zqw3w/1#
It is amazing how often this policy is avoided and pushed into the background of conventional recovery treatment. The concept is powerful and very simple to grasp. It begins with making a pact with yourself that you will not use drugs and alcohol no matter what happens. Then the rest of your life is simply structured around maintaining this personal self-agreement. The pact you have made to yourself offers the benefits of peace, serenity, and growth in the quest of your ultimate sobriety goal.
The bedrock foundation of your commitment is that the zero tolerance policy must take priority above anything else going on in your life. You simply "can’t go to this horrible and dark planet." Practicing this can have a real impact on your overall level of happiness and life stability.
For example, if you are having a difficult day and are experiencing thoughts of wanting to drink or use drugs, you have to implement the zero tolerance policy, like the crew of Star Trek uses the “red Alert”, and immediately fire breaking thrusters to shut this down. If you find that this isn't working, and the invading thoughts of using alcohol or drugs continue to repeat inside your head, then you must take immediate action to overcome your craving....before it escalates further. Different people will have diverse methods of coping with this condition. For example, some of you might call a sponsor, others will attend a meeting, and some people might phone a friend who is going through recovery and communicate about these difficult cravings and thoughts about using. Whatever works for you is what works....the key is that you need to be proactive in this solution and always maintain the zero tolerance policy. This means shutting down any glorification or romancing thoughts of drinking or using drugs.
2. Holistic approach
As your recovery progresses and you begin to accumulate more sober time, the challenge of staying clean on a day-to-day basis starts becoming a little easier as your cravings slowly subside. You will actually begin to find peace, serenity, and balance in your daily life. Relapse is still a threat, and always will be of course, but now the challenge starts shifting away from simply achieving survival by abstinence and towards accomplishing something greater with your life.
A holistic approach to recovery is what drives success in this area. The concept of holistic emphasizes your whole life. Bringing your existence into a full state of balance is a powerful step toward achieving life-long sobriety. As your recovery progresses, life becomes meaningful again, and the need for balance becomes increasingly important as the recovering person gains more responsibilities in their life. There are a number of ways that a broad, holistic approach to recovery can facilitate achieving this balance for a lasting and powerful sobriety.
3. Create your life with vision and purpose.
Would you like to know what really motivates the recovering alcoholic and has the potential to supercharge their recovery? The answer lies in moving beyond mere abstinence from chemicals and discovering the creative new life forces in recovery. This is about finding your passion and purpose in a new life while growing as a person and possibly helping other people in a meaningful way. Life becomes exciting again and you start to look forward to each new day.
This is an article from Knol, a blog of Bridges Sober Living. The link to the blog is attached.
http://knol.google.com/k/bridge-sober-living-homes/three-steps-to-long-term-sobriety/3998bex8zqw3w/1#
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