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JANUARY 19, 2018
AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER
MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY by Ken Wilson Executive Director, Steppingstones to Recovery Really?!!! Your way is the only way? No, I’m not talking about religion here (but there are a lot of parallels in this subject!). I’m talking about recovery. I’ve listened to recovering people for over 30 years who tout what worked for them. I repeat, for THEM. And sometimes they think it’s the ONLY way. As if we were all Pringles chips. Well, I’m going to list here the most
common paths to recovery I’ve encountered. And save my punch for the end of the list. First, there’s traditional “treatment” – whether inpatient, residential, or Intensive Outpatient. Treatment is nothing to sneeze at. Necessary in most cases of actual alcohol or drug dependence (aka “alcoholic” or “addict”). Because knowledge is power...knowledge helps us get ahead in life, especially if you know more than the one
you’re competing against for instance. And treatment gives knowledge...in most cases, really good knowledge. Second, there’s just going to AA or NA. Okay...no problem. Millions of people have gotten clean and sober via these groups. Millions more in these groups have never been to traditional treatment... some of whom scoff at those fortunate enough to go to treatment...and some of whom don’t scoff and wish they had the opportunity. Thirdly, there are religious programs such as Celebrate Recovery (CR) or Alcoholics Victorious. I’ve seen many get well in these programs who didn’t get well in traditional treatment programs or AA/ NA. And of course, I’ve seen people get well in AA/NA who didn’t get the drift in religious treatment programs. Fourthly, nowadays there is a newer program out there called Young People in Recovery. They feel that recovery is not necessarily sobriety but socialization. They schedule open social events and ball games in the view that almost everybody is in recovery from something, not necessarily alcohol or drugs even (like CR, above). Fifthly (is that even a word?!!!), there’s going to church with renewed vigor. No treatment, no 12-step meetings, just dedication to religion, holy scriptures, and prayer. Okay. I’ve seen it work for people who didn’t make it in one of the programs cited
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN A monthly series by an Augusta drug treatment professional above. Sixthly (a word? Certainly not “seventhly!”), there’s willpower alone. Brute personal emotional and mental stamina. Some achieve a measure of sanity this way... some do not and are what we might call a “dry drunk,” someone has all the traits of an active alcoholic (or addict) but who isn’t actually drinking. It’s a possible downside of this method. Seventh, there’s Rational Recovery for atheists and agnostics. Their suggestion is to “tame the addictive voice” in the brain...to get hold of the ole’ cerebellum and re-program it with different resolutions. No groups here... no higher power...because for this program the alcoholic/ addict is the Higher Power and is in no need orf relying on others for accountability or support. Eighth, there are pharmacological methods alone – Antabuse (see
previous columns about this miracle pill) or perhaps Vivitrol shots (to block the opiate receptors so intake of opiates won’t be felt!). Suboxone (Buprenorphine) alone could be in this category. A downside of this method is the high possibility of “switching chemicals” as the real addiction is to a change of feeling – not to the drug itself. I could go on. But I’m trying to make this point: Whatever you do, just do Something! Also, get smart(er) and do some research...utilize tried and proven (we call it “evidence based” nowadays) programs to increase your chances of success vs. repetitive failure. In this new year, if you’ve resolved to do something good about your growing chemical abuse, try to remember that the only person who had much success with doing it My Way (and my way only) was Frank Sinatra. +
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