What the major recovery groups say about abstinence.....
ÒSobrietyÓ can mean different things in dictionaries, but
in LifeRing it always means abstinence. The basic membership requirement is a
sincere desire to remain abstinent from alcohol and Òdrugs.Ó
LifeRing welcomes alcoholics and addicts without
distinction, as well as people involved in relationships with them. Please look
elsewhere for support if your intention is to keep drinking or using, but not
so much, or to stop drinking but continue using, or stop using but continue
drinking.
The successful LifeRing participant practices the Sobriety
Priority, meaning that nothing is allowed to interfere with staying abstinent
from alcohol and Òdrugs.Ó The motto is Òwe do not drink or use, no matter what.Ó
Sobriety is the number one priority in an alcoholicÕs or
addictÕs life. As such, he or she must abstain from all drugs or alcohol. É To
break the cycle of denial and achieve sobriety, we first acknowledge that we
are alcoholics or addicts.
We reaffirm this truth daily and accept without
reservation the fact that, as clean and sober individuals, we can not and do
not drink or use, no matter what. Since drinking or using is not an option for
us, we take whatever steps are necessary to continue our Sobriety Priority
lifelong.
ÒSoberÓ means, ÒJust for now.Ó
ÒAbstinentÓ means, ÒFor good.Ó
Rational Recovery does not actively support moderate
drinking or ÒcontrolledÓ drinking or efforts to reduce the harm from using
drugs. We deny any difference between a problem drinker and a real alcoholic.
É.. Even small amounts of alcohol or drugs impair the
judgment necessary to stick with earlier decisions to drink moderatelyÉ.
É.If you have an established pattern of harm to yourself
or others or have failed in any of your roles and responsibilities resulting
from the use of alcohol, the continued use of any amount of alcohol places you
at extreme high risk of new and greater problems.
We recommend lifetime abstinence from alcohol and other
drugs for anyone experiencing problems related to drinking or using. Planned
abstinence is quick, easy, cost-free, and risk-free, and it feels good
immediately and in the long run.
É.Once you have repeatedly
crossed the threshold of deep pleasure into drunkenness, there is a strong
liklihood that you will re-addict yourself with amazing efficiency.
Why abstinence? What we know is that after one has
developed a severe addiction, the simplest, easiest, safest and surest way to
keep from repeating past behaviors is total abstinence. This is not to say one
may not go thorough a period of Òday at a time,Ó or Òweek at a time,Ó or even
try a Òharm reductionÓ approach than punish yourself trying to moderate or control your
addictive behavior.
Studies have shown that regardless of the method employed
to become sober, the number one factor for sobriety success is a permanent
commitment to discontinue use permanently; a commitment to abstinence.
[from the brochure Women & Addictions, available from
their web site]
Women for Sobriety believes that drinking began to
overcome stress, loneliness, frustration, emotional deprivation, or any number
of other kinds of harassment. Dependence and addiction resulted. This
physiological addiction can only be overcome by abstinence. Mental and
emotional addiction are overcome with the knowledge of self gained through
Women for Sobriety.
This phenomenon [of craving], as we have suggested, may be
the manifestation of an allergy which differentiates these people, and sets
them apart as a distinct entity. It has never been, by any treatment with which we are familiar,
permanently eradicated. The only relief we have to suggest is entire abstinence. [The Big Book, page xxviii]
Relapse means returning to a drug of abuse after a period of abstinence. According to the disease model, resuming any addictive drug, not just the original drug of choice, constitutes a relapse (from silkworth. net).
With true alcoholics, it is never a question of control or moderation. Their only out is absolute abstinence. Alcoholics Anonymous might well make the last two words of the preceding paragraph the second meaning of ÒA.A.Ó(from silkworth. net)