STAYING CLEAN EVERYDAY
by SYNETHIA L
(LAKEWOOD, WASHINGTON, USA)
I KNOW HOW TO STOP USING, BUT WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO STAY CLEAN? I AM THE ONE WHO IS IN RECOVERY, I WAS INPATIENT AT LEAST THREE TIMES, ALCOHOL IS WHAT I WAS STRUGGLING WITH.
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Treatment and Recovery Differences
Let’s separate two important factors in dealing with alcoholism—treatment and recovery. This is an important thing to do because treatment is just the beginning to getting whole again and rebuilding your life. Treatment centers have excellent programs, highly-qualified counselors, expert medical staff, but all of this is for naught if the alcoholic doesn’t work the program and get into a recovery lifestyle. People will go into treatment expecting that the staff will do something to cure them, or they’re looking for an easy solution to the problem. They want to take a pill and have it all go away. But that isn’t the reality. I remember talking to legendary Wisconsin race car driver Dick Trickle, who described his amazing success simply by saying, “You gotta wanna.” That means you have to pull your weight, embrace the treatment and work the program. AA has a saying, “It works if you work it.” Same thing. What stories does your brain tell your soul? Are you a victim? Are you beyond hope? Are you incapable of improvement? The beauty of the 12 Step Recovery program is that you can learn the real answers to your questions, if you are willing to do the work. If you sit back, do nothing and expect others to do it for you, the answers will not come and you can join the crowd and say that AA doesn’t work. Of course it doesn’t when you don’t allow it. Recovery is all about changing direction. It is a form of repentance, turning away from the illness that has caused you so much suffering. Once the treatment phase is over, the recovery phase begins. It is the first day of the rest of your life and a new beginning. Don’t fall into the old habits, form new ones. Don’t isolate yourself and hide from the truth of your disease. Rather embrace it, go to AA and try to help other alcoholics. Work it and you will benefit.
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