Substance Dependence, Alcoholism, The Act of Surrender, and How Highly Organized Sober Living Assists in Submission
In this piece, the term addict encompasses both those dependent on drugs and alcohol. The true issue for addicts is not the specific substance they are bound to, but a profound self-centeredness and selfishness. Awakening someone to this truth is notably challenging and often necessitates an authentic surrender. Highly organized sober living offers a framework to foster an environment where addicts are compelled to yield to a way other than their own, though it only works effectively when paired with The Twelve Steps and a self-imposed crisis that the addict recognizes and can no longer avoid. This writing aims to reach the perpetually relapsing addict who desires to quit but finds it impossible.
Addicts need to be brought to a crossroads, a point where they understand that their ideas and solutions are futile. They must be thoroughly exposed, and the deceptive voice within must finally become silent. This phase, where the liar is subdued, is often termed a window of grace. It is at this juncture that most addicts find themselves in a treatment facility or recovery program. The time before the liar resurfaces to reclaim control is brief and invariably temporary.
So, how can we address this issue? How can we utilize this window of grace? By adopting highly organized spiritual sober living programs anchored in The Twelve Steps, compelling addicts to adopt a path other than their own throughout the entire recovery and sober living journey.
Modern therapeutic and counseling models target individuals who misuse drugs or are severe addicts; they fail to assist the true addict or those dependent on substances, individuals who have entirely lost the ability to choose regarding drugs and/or alcohol. What is meant by losing the power of choice? Addicts' experiences clearly demonstrate that once they start drinking or using, they are unable to regulate the quantity, and when they stop, they cannot avoid the first one regardless of the necessity or desire. They lack any defense against the initial drink or drug. Losing the power of choice over drugs and alcohol is akin to losing a limb; you never acquire a new one, and the true addict will never regain control.
This is why programs advocating self-help, self-empowerment, and improved decision-making do not work for addicts of the hopeless kind — individuals who wish to quit but cannot do so independently. We are discussing these ideas solely in the context of drug and alcohol addiction. We support an addict rebuilding their life if their principles are founded on love and service to others, but allowing addicts who have been severely affected to make their own choices concerning extended care after detox or treatment is perilous and often proves deadly.
Repeatedly, we have observed treatment centers, sober living arrangements, and halfway houses focusing on modifying behavior rather than implementing actions to instigate a personality transformation sufficient for addiction recovery. Conversations often revolve around self-empowerment and enhanced decision-making capabilities, but it is rare to hear solutions centered on the restorative power of God and the necessity for a transformative experience. My late grand-sponsor, Mark Houston, often said, “addicts must learn to follow a path other than their own if they wish to achieve lasting recovery.”
At Impact Recovery Center, we firmly believe that addicts emerging from detox and treatment should not be the ones making final decisions about their recovery. In most cases involving real addicts at this stage, there has been no complete surrender to a new lifestyle; thus, they are destined to repeat the madness of the first drink or drug. We maintain that the most favorable chance for addicts to achieve lasting recovery is for them to enter a highly organized, focused, and efficient program. They require a program that will back them at every step in having a genuine first step experience, propelling them into the experience of surrendering to a will beyond their own. If meticulously followed by an accountability structure and guidance line by line, step by step, addicts will undergo the profound experience that liberates them from the chains of active addiction.
The recovery program is filled with contradictions, and one of the most fundamental is the freedom derived from this form of surrender. It may not seem logical, but it is true, just as the more hopeless addicts are when they arrive, the more hope there is for their personal recovery.
The initial step in the recovery program is to acknowledge to your innermost self that you are an addict. To acknowledge is to admit, or reluctantly accept. This means, “I don’t want to.” Addicts must come to this realization if there is any hope for their recovery. A deep-seated admission that their ideas and thought processes are no longer adequate is crucial if addicts are to embark on a vigorous course of action — one that must be completed for them to achieve lasting recovery. I did not undergo treatment twice, two sober living programs, a halfway house, and jail because I could make good decisions. Before my recovery, I always opted for the path of least resistance, the easier and softer route. That was my delusion. I was shortsighted and always headed for the end game. I was incapable of committing or embarking on a path, on my own terms, that I knew would be uncomfortable or painful.
If you or someone you love is considering treatment for addiction to any mind-altering substance, please remember the necessity for complete ego deflation. This deflation requires surrender, and the initial step in that surrender is submitting to a structure you really don’t want to comply with. Your encounter with this loss of control and choice will act as the impetus for a revolutionary shift in your way of living and thinking.
If you are interested in speaking with our team, call 205-751-4936 or complete our contact form to learn more about our structured, spiritual, recovery-based program.
