Coming off alcohol, drugs, sugar or other addictive substances or behaviours is a relatively straightforward process. Staying off it can be very demanding. People who have alcohol problems most commonly want to be shown how they can achieve sensible drinking rather than have recurrent bouts of dismaying loss of control. This is worth a try, but it may not be possible. Abstinence with the continuing daily support of a spiritual programme may be the best way forward.
This programme looks successively at the powerlessness of some individuals to control their alcohol consumption or other addictive behaviour and manage their lives successfully as they would wish, the need for dependence upon outside support rather upon self reliance, accepting external help on a continuing daily basis, acknowledging positive aspects of life and also recognising the damage caused by addiction in many areas of life, admitting the exact nature of that progressive catastrophe, becoming willing to commit to a new set of values and behaviours, making that specific commitment in the convinced belief that total remission is achievable, acknowledging the damage done to other people, making direct amends to them, continuing to keep track of daily behaviour, seeking the calming effects of psychological processes on a continuing basis, and applying honesty and open-mindedness and willingness in all aspects of life while giving this firm example to others who still suffer from this illness.
