Abstinence vs
Recovery
Abstinence
from alcohol & drug use on the one hand and recovery from
alcoholism & addiction on the other represent two very
different states. Sometimes the boundaries between the two become
blurred, but they're definitely there. Read on...
Some alcoholics and addicts become abstinent but do not
enter recovery. Abstinent, but not recovering, alcoholics
and addicts show the following attitudes and behaviors:
 |
They
maintain abstinence from alcohol and drugs because to
drink and/or use again would most likely cause more
problems. |
|
They
don't enjoy being sober and clean, miss getting high, and
feel disappointed in or angry about being abstinent. |
|
They
maintain abstinence through will-power and believe that
strong will-power is adequate for continued abstinence. |
|
They
would like to drink and/or use again and would do so if
reasonably sure that prior problems would not recur. |
Some
alcoholics and addicts are not only abstinent but also in
recovery. Recovering alcoholics and addicts show the following
attitudes and behaviors:
|
They
maintain abstinence from alcohol and drugs because to
drink and/or use again would compromise the quality of
life found in sobriety. |
|
They
enjoy being sober and clean and feel grateful for
sobriety. |
|
They
utilize resources instead of or in addition to will-power
to maintain sobriety and to learn healthier ways to think,
feel, and act. |
|
They
have no desire to drink or use again and would not do so
even if reasonably sure that problems would not recur. |
The
bottom line is this:
|
|
Make
no bones about it; moving out of alcoholism &
addiction, through abstinence, and into recovery does not
happen by accident or by magic. It requires time,
patience, and above all - action. |
The
next step is this:
|
