Topic: maintaining sobriety

Like so much else, the grieving process tends to get lost in the miasma of substance use and addiction.

If perfectionism, long-held resentments, or the unreasonable expectations we have of our wonderful selves get in the way, we’re still stuck.

When addicts and alcoholics are unprepared for the reality of sobriety, it’s all too easy to run back to the familiar hell of addiction.

Sending somebody to meetings without some prep work is like making a referral for therapy without bothering to find a therapist.

Non-believers build moral codes without churches, because you don’t need to believe in a god(s) to know the difference between right and wrong.

Living sober is a very special process. A process that you can easily let yourself get tired of, or one that can lift you higher than any beverage could.

What’s likely to provide you with the best recovery guidance? There’s your ‘recovery guide’- maybe a better description for nonbelievers than “higher power.”

As addiction progresses, the addict or alcoholic grows away from the larger culture from whence they came.

Focusing on the areas most likely to challenge sobriety can help the person in recovery prepare positive responses.

The trick is to sustain the gains made in rehab in the vast uncontrolled experiment that is everyday life.