Changes

The maintenance of sobriety requires changes,some of which are easier than others to achieve or even be aware of.

To people not involved with recovery,the story of Joe H. would seem like a mystery . Joe was a chronic alcoholic,who made his way through a good many of the best treatment facilities that America had to offer,with no results in releasing his addiction to alcohol. He did pay them a lot of money,to have them tell him that,if he would only give up alcohol his life would get so much better.

Every time Joe went through a facility, a short period of sobriety would follow, but Joe’s life got worse even though the alcohol was not present. Eventually the mental stresses and spiritual emptiness wore on him to the point that he would relapse and the cycle would start again.

Finally Joe did meet someone who tamed his appetite for alcohol, and together they toured the country spreading the joys of sobriety to as many women as possible in as many centres as possible. They became Joes new addiction,and before too long ,the cycle would start all over again, poor Joe seemed a helpless case.

So finally Joe did achieve genuine sobriety. There was no high fee for his release from alcohol addiction, no new buddy to steer him into a substitute addiction. Joes recovery manifested itself in complete devotion to the 12 steps, the revelation of the spiritual renewal possible as a result of the program and a good sponsor to help him along the way.

Joes story will not be every man or woman’s story, but a common thread will run through every genuine recovery story. That,being a commitment to help as many people as possible who are suffering from addiction, indeed the need to help others became his new addiction. His eyes were no longer on himself,but on others just like his old self.

Changes come hard for the person in the grip of an addiction, as well as the community in which they live, if the stereo typical attitudes about the addict are not altered.

Just as the treatment centres tried removing the substance and expected success with Joe, our communities in which a lot of Joes live,also expect that simple removal of the substance will cure everyone. How long have we tried that, and what have the results been? We are a society of people who look for external solutions to internal( spiritual) problems. Others have found that a group of people working together to help the next powerless addict,is the best solution. Not everyone’s solution, but it worked for Joe H.

For those of you who think that there is something missing in Joe’s recovery journey, please read the 12steps, carefiully,and read between the lines. What you think is missing,will appear if you read humbly and honestly.

– Carl C