Thanks for all your help! You guys have been so helpful through my recovery! This website is a great resource! I am now 2 months clean!
May 11, 2008 Rating
Conventional Treatment VS Non-Conventional Treatment by: Anonymous
I found your article on "Conventional Treatment VS Non-Conventional Treatment" to be interesting.
However, I did not agree with everything.
I am an alcholiic myself and have been in many different treatment programs. Some being, outpatient treatment(2-times a week), drug and alcohol counseling, 30-day inpatient hospital treatment and a Christian Rehab Treatment Facility.
I am a firm beliver that the only way I can (and will) stay sober is to work the 12-step program as it is presented by Alcoholics Anonymous. I go to AA meetings at least twice a week and feel the fellowship is crucial to my sobriety.
The 12-step program is not only a way to help me stay sober, it is a WAY OF LIFE. It teaches me how to live life on life's terms. Which means, whatever LIFE throws at me, (and life can be hard), I am now able to deal with it and handle it without drinking.
Treatment helped me immensely. It was at treatment where I was taught how to take a good, LONG hard look at ME. I learned it wasn't the alcohol or addiction that was the problem, it was a deeper issue within me that was causing the pain, and the alcohol a way to take away my pain and make me feel better...temporarily.
Alcohol wasn't the problem, I WAS THE PROBLEM.
I needed to take a look inside me and try and figure out what deep-seeded pain I was carrying.
After discovering what that pain was, I needed to learn how to live differently (sober) and deal with that pain without trying to escape through alcohol or drugs. The only thing I was doing when I was using and abusing alcohol was ovoiding the real problem and making my life worse in the mean time. It was a vicious cycle that had to be broken.
Another thing I like about the 12-step program is it's spiritually based, which encouraged me to come to believe in a Power greater than myself. I needed someone (something) bigger than me to help me with my problem and to stay sober. That Person and Power was God! I soon realized that God was doing for me what I could not do for myself. And that was to quit drinking and stay sober.
Yes, everyone is different and I'm glad that there are a variety of treatment programs available, something to help everyone.
It is my belief that the 12-steps and participation in AA is what has helped me stay sober LONG-TERM after treatment.
