What do you need after you reach 30 days of Sobriety? You need to continue to treat your addiction or alcoholism.
Even though 30 days of sobriety is a big accomplishment, many chronic relapsers are unable to stay sober much longer.
It’s an extremely delicate time in recovery.
Recovery should last a lifetime. Often an alcoholic has drunk heavily for most of his or her life, and to consistently break habits, change attitudes, and behave differently after 30 days is unfortunately unlikely.
Often what we learn in a treatment center or a 12-step based meeting cannot stick if we do not have the resources to continue treating alcoholism or addiction.
Chronic Problem
Addiction and alcoholism are chronic problems. They do not go away just by us wanting them to. It requires action and a complete psychic change, attitude adjustment or spiritual awakening.
Just because an addict or alcoholic wants to stay stopped, does not mean that he or she will. Will power has little to do with stopping. Even though most alcoholics have great willpower when it comes to things like work, their will power is not existent in stopping drugs and alcohol.
Addiction and alcoholism have two distinct symptoms, which affects every alcoholic the same.
Either you cannot quit entirely, or when you start you do way more than you intended.
Why is it so difficult to stay stopped?
For whatever reason, alcoholics think they can control and enjoy their drinking at the same time.
The thing about alcoholics and addicts is that they are rarely enjoying themselves while they mentally control their drinking. They also are not enjoying it if they are controlling it.
Instead, they are flying through the stage of mild intoxication. While flying through mild intoxication we end up going on a spree. Consequences are bound to happen: car wreck, jail, divorce, ect.
Some of these consequences will wake us up and we emerge remorseful with a stronger than ever resolution to quit entirely forever.
But we don’t.
Instead, we cannot stay stopped. Our mind tells us that despite the consequences of the past, this time it is going to be different. No matter how we used or drank the last time, this time it is going to be different.
The Big Book’s Warning
Alcoholics Anonymous has a HUGE warning for people who are just getting sober.
The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink.
The almost certain consequences that follow taking even a glass of beer do not crowd into the mind to deter us.
Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 24
Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings and 30 Days of Sobriety
If your solution is only to go to meetings, then you might struggle, depending on the meeting you go to and if you get a sponsor.
A big misconception in A.A. land is that if you go to a meeting then you are doing the program. It’s not true.
The program is actually doing the steps in the book. A.A. meetings help you find people you can help and helps you build a community and support group.
If you are just going to meetings and you are a true alcoholic — and you are not doing the steps outlined in the book — you are headed for trouble.
Treatment and 30 Days of sobriety.
The same warning is true for people getting out of a treatment center after a 30, 60, or 90-day drug treatment program
Treatment centers should give you a discharge plan that will help you continue to treat your chronic condition. However, many people do not see the importance of continuous treatment.
People coming out of a treatment center often fall into the same thinking, too, that they can go to a meeting and be okay.
Unfortunately, this disease does not work that way.
The Chronic Relapser and 30 Days of Sobriety
The chronic relapser is someone who has lost the ability to control any form of his or her drinking.
Although some have had bouts of moderation, most are characterized by multiple treatment attempts. Some will begin using as soon as they leave jail or treatment to get high again.
Burning Tree Programs
If you need to go back to treatment to have long term recovery, contact Burning Tree Ranch. Our admission specialists can help you find a program to fit your needs.
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