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SOS Priority
THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION
The « cycle of
addiction » (see Figure 1) contains three debilitating elements :
1- chemical dependency (at the physiological cellular level),
2- learned habit (chronic drinking/using behaviors and associations), and
3- the denial of both your need and habit.
The cycle alcohol addiction usually develops over a period of years. Cycles are
far shorter with other drugs, especially cocaine and heroin. In all cases,
however, addiction creates « The Drinking/Using Priority ». It
gradually comes before everything else in your life It increasingly governs your
daily thoughts and routine. It becomes your n° 1 Priority.
THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION
THE CYCLE OF SOBRIETY
The cycle of addiction can
be successfully replaced by another cycle : the Cycle of Sobriety This cycle
contains three essential elements :
1- acknowledgement of ones addiction to drink or drugs, or both ;
2- acceptance that you are an addict and seriously ill ;
3- absolute prioritisation of sobriety as the chief issue in your life, coming
before all else.
The daily
cognitive application of this new N° 1 Priority, "The Sobriety
Priority", as a separate issue from all other questions in your life,
arrests and replaces the cycle of addiction with the cycle of sobriety. It frees
you from the dictatorship of drink and allows you to start really living and
experiencing life. You learn to associate real living with sobriety and not with
the twilight zone of drink/drug existence.
However, the cycle of sobriety only remains fixed, so long as the sober
alcoholic/addict chooses to continue to acknowledge, accept and affirm his
addictive illness. (See also - limbic lizard)
THE CYCLE OF
SOBRIETY
SOS Priority
The Sobriety Priority
approach for achieving and maintaining freedom from alcohol and other drugs is a
cognitive strategy. It can be applied on a daily basis, as long as one lives to
prevent relapse. The Sobriety Priority respects the power of
« nature » (progressive disease process, genetic inheritance) and of «
nurture » (learned habit, behaviours and associations) by showing how to
achieve the initial arrest and stave off the chronic habits that result from
addictive disorders.
 To
break the cycle of addiction and achieve sobriety, we must first acknowledge
that we are alcoholics or addicts.
We
affirm this truth daily and accept without reservation the fact that, as clean
and sober individuals, we cannot 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 lifelong.
We
regard all other issues in life - problems, illnesses, depression, etc.,- as
separate issues from sobriety.
A
quality of life -« the good life »- can be achieved. However, life is also
filled with uncertainties. Therefore, we do not drink or use regardless of
feelings, circumstances or conflicts.
We
share in confidence with each other our thoughts and feelings as sober, clean
individuals. Sobriety is our Priority, and we are each responsible for our lives
and our sobriety.
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