With Thanksgiving behind us now, people in recovery can start thinking about the plans for the December—another potentially problematic month.
If you managed to avoid relapse over the recent holiday, then you have achieved a significant milestone. You probably stuck to your program routine and stayed close to your support network by attending meetings and such.
Still, those in early recovery must continue putting their recovery first year-round. It is easy to become complacent about the effort required to achieve lasting sobriety. Some think that because they were able to navigate a challenging time sober, then they can let up on their program.
Doing the next right thing in recovery one day does not rollover. Each day requires a sustained commitment to keeping one’s disease at bay. For those in early recovery, it’s essential to follow directions and to attend meetings on a daily basis. Letting up one’s efforts, in even the slightest way, could start one on a path toward old behaviors and relapse.
So, please make sure you continue to put sobriety before all else as you prepare yourself for the two major holidays on the horizon. You can achieve the said goal by attending at least one meeting of recovery a day, connecting with your peers outside of meetings, and continuing to work with a sponsor.
If you are in the first months of sobriety, newly out of treatment, or residing in sober living, please make a point of going to 90 meetings in the first 90 days. Once the three months have passed by, attending meetings each day will become a part of your recovery routine. What’s more, attending groups will no longer seem like a chore; you will actually look forward to seeing your support peers day in and day out.
Attending Recovery Meetings
There are several reasons to go to meetings every day, particularly in the first months and years. You may know by now that accountability is a pillar of addiction recovery. One must be accountable to their support network (i.e., sponsor and homegroup); if you are involved in 12 Step recovery, then it also means fostering a relationship with a higher power. Spirituality is also instrumental to 12 Step recovery.
People who stop going to meetings tend to believe that they are back in complete control of their lives. They think that they can run the show and dictate what is needed to realize long-term recovery; they become accountable only to themselves. Naturally, adopting this type of mindset is a slippery slope to relapse and a return to active addiction.
Conversely, those who continue to prioritize their involvement in the fellowship shield themselves from common pitfalls in early recovery. Being accountable to others safeguards one’s program and prevents “stinking thinking” that leads to self-centered and self-serving behaviors.
Attending meetings is one of the best ways to keep recovery intact. Men and women who attend meetings regularly have an opportunity to bounce the challenges they face off of people who have dealt with similar experiences. Daily attendance and continued sobriety lead to milestones that encourage you to stay on the path, and it inspires others to follow your lead.
There is always at least one person in your homegroup with less sobriety time than you. Continued participation on your part makes you a beacon of hope for countless others. Moreover, committing to 90 meetings in 90 days allows you to form a better relationship with your sponsor and support group peers. Such individuals can become lifelong friends who you can turn to when in need of advice.
The Pacific Shores Recovery Difference
Learning the value of accountability does not always come easy, but it’s essential to breaking the cycle of self-defeating and self-destructive behaviors. At Pacific Shores Recovery, we offer residential treatment, IOP, sober transitional housing, and sober living.
Our clients learn how to be accountable and build authentic relationships with those who share similar goals on the road to lasting recovery. Please contact us to today begin the journey toward a new life, free from drugs and alcohol.
