Alcoholism is Permanent - But That is Not Discouraging

Many of the men and women who come to our drug rehab for help struggle with the permanent nature of alcoholism.  Surprisingly, the loved ones (ie. parents and husbands/wives) are particularly defensive when being told that the person in treatment needs to plan for permanent lifestyle change to ensure long term recovery.

It should not be so discouraging.  The lifestyle of recovery leads one to feel strong and happy.  There is more time than ever to do whatever the recovering person wants to do  (because little to no time is lost in a drug or alcohol induced stupor).

Here is a cool quote from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous:

"Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.' Commencing
to drink after a period of sobriety, we are in a short time
as bad as ever. If we are planning to stop drinking, there
must be no reservation of any kind, nor any lurking notion
that someday we will be immune to alcohol."

Tool For Recovery - Higher Power, Lack of Power

If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, we could will these things with a all our might, but the needed power wasn’t there. Our human resources, as marshaled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.

"Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power?
Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater that yourself which will solve your problem.” (bb pp. 44-45)

I relate deeply with this passage. I wanted to be good, moral, do the right thing and thought that was where I was heading. But as the years rolled by and my drinking got worse, I certainly was doing a lot of things that were not good. And no matter what I tried, I could not control my drinking. I didn’t realize at the time, but now looking back I know that I had partially surrendered and was willing to get some outside help. Through AA, and working the steps, I have tapped into a Power greater than myself. I am staying sober and making better decisions. I pray to God and never get so full of myself that I one day completely believe I can run my own life.
Tool for today: seek your Higher Power.

Brought to you by our treatment center in Southern California

A Member of Alcoholics Anonymous Shares

HI all!  I am Kelly, and I am an alcoholic.  I just got back from a much-needed vacation.  My husband and I both have not really had one since . well, ever!  "Work, work, work.  Go, go, go," was our mode of operation.  It was interesting how we had to work at relaxing.  But we got the hang of it pretty fast.  Now, to stay in that mode by remembering how we did it.  If I stay in this day today, I will have plenty to do.  I will have, by the grace of God, all I need and I will have rest.  If I do what I used to do before I got sober and found AA, that rest will go down the drain and it will be because of my choices today. 

 

My husband and I are both recovering alcoholics, and we are learning together and separately how to live one day at a time.  We don't have this down perfectly, but we are sure aware of the difference . how we have been in the last almost two years, and what we were like before.  Georgia is on fire about 80 miles north of here and we can see and smell the smoke, the Virginia Tech tragedy, and all my email being hijacked, kind of stressed me, ya know?  But what can I do about any of this?  What good am I if I start letting circumstances dictate my day and my usefulness?  Somehow, the Serenity Prayer is going to become a living prayer today, yesterday, and tomorrow.  But especially today.  Otherwise I will, and can easily, get tripped out . resulting in being blinded to what's really pressing right now.  Like someone needing and wanting help.  There is a difference between needing it and wanting it.  I need wisdom to know the difference. 

 

And what can I offer?  For me, it's God's will for my life today.  I am not a firefighter.  I am not the president.  I am not God, and I don't have a crystal ball, either.  Humbling huh?   I love it.  I learn through a lot of pain and wasted energy what I can and what I cannot do every day, as I learn more about who I am and where I am going.  There is always hope if I take hold of it today.  So this "Just for Today" thing I speak of takes some practice I guess for the rest of my life.  This will be challenged in many ways, and the bigger the challenge, the more opportunities to grow.

Alcoholics Anonymous Serenity Prayer - A Prayer for All Seasons

"The power of the Serenity Prayer is
overwhelming in that its simple beauty parallels
the A.A. Fellowship.  There are times when I
get stuck while reciting it, but if I examine
the section which is troubling me, I find the
answer to my problem....By accepting life as
it is, I gain serenity.  By taking action, I
gain courage and I thank God for the ability
to distinguish between those situations I can
work on, and those I must turn over.  All that
I have now is a gift from God: my life, my
usefulness, my contentment, and this program. 

     

"Alcoholics Anonymous IS the easier,
softer way."

Brought to you by our: 

Alcoholism and Addiction Treatment Center 

Helen Keller Quote and Recovery Tool - Accept Lmitations

Four things to learn in life:
To think clearly without hurry or confusion;
To love everybody sincerely;
To act in everything with the highest motives;
To trust God unhesitatingly.
 - Helen Keller

I hear talk of the "weak willed" alcoholic, but I am one of the strongest-willed people on earth! I now
know that my incredible strength of will is not enough to save my life. My problem is not one of
"weakness," but rather of direction. When I, without falsely diminishing myself, accept my honest
limitations and turn to God's guidance, my worst faults become my greatest assets. My strong will,
rightly directed, keeps me working until the promises of the program become my daily reality. 
From Daily Reflections

Our Promise by Vince Jones

          Living on the Spiritual Basis promises much: “We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past or wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace…That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear…Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic security will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us…When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God’s hands were better than anything we could have planned…As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His Presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn.”                 


Are these extravagant promises? We think not…They will always materialize if we work for them”
(Alcoholics Anonymous pgs 63,83,84 & 100 respectively).
        
If this and more is promised to those suffering from addiction, could you expect anything less in your life? Place your will and life into His hands and this and so much more is yours, for it is the promise and God keeps all His promises.

- by VInce Jones


Read more thoughts from Vince on his blog.