Just got off the phone with a friend that I met in rehab 4 months ago. He was sad to tell me that a mutual friend we met at rehab had stepped back out and was back in rehab,l in serious shape. This is a father, a husband and a son, and I feel very sorry for him. I have talked to him every few weeks since leaving rehab, and he always seemed as if he was doing well and full of confidence. I feel so very sorry for him and will continue to pray for him. While talkimg to my friend on the phone he reminded me about a counselor in our rehab telling us that 80% of the people in a rehab will relapse. I pray to God that i am in the 20%, and that I am doing HIS will. I am very grateful for God removing my desire for alcohol as I always pray. In closing, I also pray for the people on this boaad, and your families. Please remember, before comprimising your sobriety, call a fellow AA'er and get some help. Happy Holidays!!
Good Job Joby...keep reaching out and giving it away...and remember not all will make it...our disease if not arrested by total abstinence will be fatal. In support of your sobriety. ((((hugs))))
Thank you for your post Joby ... ... ... some of us are sicker than others ... I was like the friend you just described ... I was fortunate, I finally saw the light and I hold onto that today for all I'm worth ...
Merry Christmas, Pappy
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Joby, half the people don't even make the leap from rehab to attending regular meetings. Of the people I know that have been to rehab and are still sober years later, it's because they worked a rigorous program afterwards. You have heard in meetings probably that we have "built-in forgetters" This is not the last person relapsing that you will see. Just pray for him to make it back and do what you know will ensure you to be sober.
I had a friend in early recovery whom we were counting days at the same time. I think he was like 15 days ahead of me. He relapsed somewhere at about 4 months. That was sucky to watch and sort of hard to just stay away from him while he was out there but I was told he would drag me out before I could drag him back in since I only has 4 months sober at the time and wasn't in a position to do 12th step calls.
__________________
Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Sorry to hear the news and thanks for the prayers. Hope your friend makes it back.
While I know they keep stats, I'm not a big fan of them. The only statistic I know for sure is if you don't drink or drug, you have a 100% chance of not relapsing.
If we decide we are getting further from our last, not closer to the next, stay active in the steps and program, and continue to grow along spiritual lines and adhere to the 100% rule, we can't go wrong!
__________________
Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
Hi Joby, sorry about your friend. I don't think much of that 80% stat - sounds more like a self fulfilling prophecy if you ask me. Why do they tell you crap like that?
A better statistic is found in the big book foreword to second edition. By this time AA had been going 20 years and has something like 150,000 members. they state that of those who came to AA and really tried (took the steps) 50% recovered at once. A further 25% recovered after some slips, and a lot of the rest showed improvement. My observation is that this is still true today - 50-75% recover if they do the work. Relapse is not necessary.
