Helping Alcoholics

Helping alcoholics is a notoriously difficult thing to do. Perhaps the best we can do is offer a system of recovery that works for them and encourage them to find out what that system is.

Part of the problem with traditional recovery is that it usually seeks to fit the alcoholic into the program instead of fitting a program to the alcoholic. This is a problem and based on existing recovery rates you can be sure that this method of treatment doesn't really work all that well. Relapse rates are miserably low with seemingly no answer in sight for the struggling alcoholic.

The solution to this is in customization. It is ridiculous to think that there is only one way to help an alcoholic, or that there is only one program or one method of help that can work for everyone. This is just silly. Different alcoholics have found recovery over the years through using different programs and different techniques. No one solution will work for everyone. This is an obvious truth to anyone who has stepped back and looked at the big picture. Unfortunately, many people do not consider this idea and insist that there is only one solution for alcoholism. Usually this points to 12 step programs such as AA and NA that have essentially become what we refer to as "traditional recovery." These solutions are widespread and, while helpful, don't really produce very good success rates.

For the majority of alcoholics, offering them only one solution of AA is like trying to push a square peg into a round hole. It is just a poor fit for some people and they would actually do much better with an alternative program of recovery. In these cases, however, we almost always fault the individual instead of the recovery program, and say that "they just don't want recovery bad enough" or they would certainly be able to make this simple 12 step program work for themselves. This is an unfair and arrogant attitude that prevents people from making real growth in recovery.

So what is the solution? For some the solution will be in the customization of a recovery program to their own unique life. Sometimes this is best accomplished through sponsorship or with a life coach. Other times a person can push themselves to grow in different ways in order to achieve a successful life in recovery.

A big part of this is holistic growth. We must push ourselves to grow in different areas of our life. For example, instead of just focusing on the spiritual solution that is preached in traditional recovery circles, we would focus on our physical health, exercise and nutrition, emotional balance, relationships, education, and so on. All of these areas and more deserve our attention in recovery. When we focus on making holistic growth like this, the dividends are huge for our long term outlook. The push for holistic growth is like an insurance against complacency in the future. Growing holistically (instead of just spiritually) ensures that we achieve a balance in our lives that is necessary for long term sobriety.

Helping an alcoholic to find this path is not easy, but it can be done if the person is willing to change their life in a number of different ways. Structural changes are more powerful than small tactical changes. For example, instead of just attending AA meetings on a random basis, make a commitment to chair a certain meeting on a regular basis. This introduces consistency and accountability.