getsoberstaysober.ca
Get Sober Stay Sober
Hi
- I am a brand new website.
- I am currently under construction.
- I am dedicated to helping alcoholics stay sober for life.
- I am anomomus
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getsoberstaysober
I have wondered for a very long time, why do so many drink after a term of sobriety? Only a few of the many are blessed with alcohol free life beyond their expectations. After almost 50 years of successful living without alcohol, this alcoholic had to seek answers to this vital question.
For those who have used the 12 steps as a program of recovery and failed to stay sober for life I share my experience, strength and hope.
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Lets review:
- Steps 1 2 3 prepare us for the for the recovery steps. i.e. simply put us in the right mind set.
- Steps 4 through 9 are preparation to become the man or woman we were born to be.
- Step 9, The promises: If we have been painstaking with this phase of our development we will be amazed before we are halfway through.
(see appendix 1 the 12 promises below)
- Step 10: I call this The rewards step (see appendix 2 rewards below)
Am I now recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body?
Wow! I do I feel real good, I have the promises, the rewards, the mental compulsion is gone, no physical craving, life is great. I have a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of my spiritual condition, Wait a minute, maintenance? Well not exactly, earlier in this step it says "our next function is to grow". Therefore our daily reprieve is reliant on the continued "growth" of a spiritual experience. What we have accomplished at this point is to clean out the messes, conditions, behaviours, hurts and more that landed us in AA in the first place.
We are warned here that resting on our laurels at this time is dangerous, that we are in trouble if we do. Maintenance? I like to call it "flatlining". This may be where we loose it. Over time we become restless irritable and discontent. An alcoholic cannot stand still, our lifeline starts to sag downwards. Is this the why, the when so many return to the bottle, even after long term abstinence? (see appendix flatlining it below)
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We are still addicted to alcohol 24/7/365. A three fold disease, we have addressed the mental & physical, what have we done about the Spiritual? If we do not grow our spiritually by living steps 11 & 12 we are not protected from our addiction. We may believe in God/HP but only now do we sense the flow of his spirit into us. We must grow a spiritual awakening that has the power to overcome the spiritual malady.
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Quote: In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, the spiritual malady is the root cause of addiction. It is defined as a deep sense of disconnection, restlessness, and discontent that leads an individual to self-medicate. The Big Book argues that only a profound spiritual awakening can solve it.
12 promises:
1. We are going to know a new freedom and happiness.”
2. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.”
3. We will comprehend the word serenity.”
4. We will know peace.”
5. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.”
6. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.”
7. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.”
8. Self-seeking will slip away.”
9. Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change.”
10. Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us.”
11. We intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.”
12. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.”
Step 10 rewards:
we have entered the world of the spirit ?
we have ceased fighting anything or anyone even alcohol
by this time sanity will have returned
we will be seldom be interested in alcohol
if tempted we recoil as if a hot flame ?
we react sanely & normally
we find this has happened automatically
we see how our new attitude toward alcohol has been given us
that is the miracle of it, we are not fighting it or avoiding temptation ?we feel in a place of neutrality safe & protected
the problem has been removed, it does not exist for us
we have begun to sense the flow of his spirit into us
we have become God conscience
we have begun to develop this vital 6th sense
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Maintainence:
Dictionary: keep in a certain state, position, or activity
Flatlining it: like being on a level highway straight and flat as far as you
can see.
More to come, come on back soon