The Steps are what the alcoholic does when he is serious about getting well. Yes, he has to stop drinking, but he isn't going to be able to stay sober unless he works The Steps. It's that simple. If someone does not start working The Steps, or they don't do a thorough job working them, they will eventually drink again.
Any alcoholic who gets sober and then tells you that they can now drink, are fooling themselves (and you). If they pick up again, they will be just as bad as they were when they stopped and the disease will progress from that point, not from some "ground zero" point. That is why the disease kills people. I have seen it happen dozens of times in the years since I got sober.
Any alcoholic who gets sober and then tells you that they can now drink, are fooling themselves (and you). If they pick up again, they will be just as bad as they were when they stopped and the disease will progress from that point, not from some "ground zero" point. That is why the disease kills people. I have seen it happen dozens of times in the years since I got sober.
When an alcoholic sincerely works the steps, there is no turning back and their behavior will change because their thinking will change. Oftentimes, their loved ones don't like the new person that emerges and find that they were more comfortable with the drinking alcoholic than the sober one. This can catalyze a lot of turmoil in everyone's lives, but with time, it is possible for the relationships to heal. The alcoholic will never be the same person that they were before, but that is always a good thing - trust me on that.
There's a reason that we call it "working The Steps." It's hard and it's work. It is a process and even when someone does all of The Steps, they must continually work them. It is "progress, not perfection," as the book says. It takes time, patience, and persistence.
It's often one big bummer after another because the process involves revealing layers of ourselves to ourselves. Usually, we don't like what we see. Tom Clancy, a very famous alcoholic and author, used to call the process "peeling the onion," and I think that's a good metaphor because it does indeed involve a lot of tears.
It's often one big bummer after another because the process involves revealing layers of ourselves to ourselves. Usually, we don't like what we see. Tom Clancy, a very famous alcoholic and author, used to call the process "peeling the onion," and I think that's a good metaphor because it does indeed involve a lot of tears.