RESOURCES FOR ATTAINING ALL FOUR LEVELS OF SOBRIETY
The Mark Houston Recovery Center (in Manor, Texas outside Austin Texas) is the only non-government-run recovery center in the U.S. where residents complete all 12 steps before discharge. That approach adheres to Bill Wilson's original vision for the way that the illness of alcoholism should be treated, ideally. Bill W.'s original vision was expressed in the "The Big Book" (Alcoholics Anonymous, First Edition) wherein he alluded to his plan to establish treatment centers worldwide, building recovery centers that would offer a holistic treatment approach. The AA "Big Book" reports that the founders recommended the use of "doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds," explaining that they "have no monopoly" on treating a very complicated and multi-faceted illness. Few are aware that original AA did not have daily meetings so "90-meetings-in-90 days" was not even an option. A $22 million government study concluded that only 5% attain five years of sobriety using the "make meetings" approach that is now so prevalent. While many disparage the treatment industry, it was the original plan of the founders (who did not consider "physical sobriety" to be the end goal of AA) to create a network of A.A. treatment centers worldwide.
Bill W. (author of the book Alcoholics Anonymous and "The Twelve Steps") said that there is not one level of sobriety but that there are
FOUR LEVELS of SOBRIETY
You may order your own copy of the book "Alcoholics Anonymous" at:
You may read the Big Book online at:
For those who have not yet achieved physical sobriety, suggestions will be offered later, but for those who have a period of time away from drug or alcohol use but realize that
SOMETHING IS STILL MISSING
then two alcoholics who have recovered can share their own experience to help. Between them, Mark H. and Floyd H. have over forty years of physical sobriety. Subsequently, in more recent times, they have also found the solutions that have led to their mental, spiritual, and emotional sobriety as well by following the specific instructions as laid out in the book Alcoholics Anonymous.
You may visit their websites at
or
EMOTIONAL, MENTAL and SPIRITUAL SOBRIETY
If one has joined AA, for example, worked the steps, and found all that he or she is looking for in life, congratulations are in order. The literature actually says that some (called "moderate drinkers" or "hard drinkers") can quit simply by being shown a few good reasons to do so. Others, however, have found that they need additional help. Two of those types have written a book that explains in detail the exact, specific steps that they took to find the other three levels of sobriety that Bill W. identified.
Their book
A Twelve-Step Journey to SELF-Transformation
also contains the following:
**A section showing a man being guided through the twelve steps, word-for-word, revealing how he was led to a life-changing spiritual experience
**A guide for sponsors to use outlining step-by step the way they can take their proteges through the steps effectively
**Specific details on how to get treatment for the physical part of the illness and how to restore and fine tune the body to maximize one's health to the best degree possible
**A section on treating the Unresolved Trauma which usually preceded the manifestation of the Addictive Personality Disorder
**A Workbook to be used during step work
**A 20-Day Quick-Growth Plan
The book can be purchased by visiting the "Recovery Literature" link or clicking on:
and navigating to the "Order" page
for those who are engaged in the practice of daily meditations, information about two books that are companions to A Twelve-Step Journey can be found at:
PHYSICAL SOBRIETY
(For Newcomers)
"I want to be able to have two drinks and stop."
Some people can do that. Some cannot. What is the difference? The difference is in the different way that organs process what is placed into bodies. In the book reviewed on the link above, the authors wrote the following: When the alcoholic takes a drink, his body breaks out in the phenomenon of craving for more alcohol, and he must drink to satisfy that craving, regardless of what he would like to do or what he should do. (Floyd would learn later that the phenomenon of craving arises during the fourth stage of the breakdown of alcohol by the body. The metabolic process slows in real alcoholics but does not decrease in normal drinkers. When alcohol reaches the acetate form—which is broken down in the pancreas and the liver—the process slows since those organs function at a slower rate than in non-alcoholics, and it is the lingering presence of that acetate that triggers a craving for more. That physical phenomenon creates the allergy to alcohol in real alcoholics.) That physical craving is coupled with a mind that tells the alcoholic time and time again that he can take that one drink and that something different will happen this time, something different from all of the negative things that happened every time before. He will think that he’ll be able to control the amount that he will drink this time, even though years of experience have shown the alcoholic that such a thought is a lie.
A normal drinker is a person who has organs that function at a normal metabolic rate and process alcohol effectively. An "alcoholic" is merely a person whose organs that deal with the breakdown and processing of alcohol do not function at a normal metabolic rate. Some people have a sugar allergy. That means that if they consume sugar, it triggers a desire for more sugar. With an alcoholic, the same type reaction occurs: when he or she consumes alcohol, it triggers a desire for more alcohol. The more an alcoholic drinks, the more he wants to drink. That is the typical reaction though, on occasion, an alcoholic might have had drinks and not reached a state of full intoxication. Those few times create the delusion that the problem is not real. If you have any sense that you might have organs that cannot process alcohol and are thus susceptible to uncontrollable drinking, then you might take some action to determine if that is truly the case with you. The allergy/phenomenon of craving never gets better. As organs age and work less effectively, the ill effects will worsen. The illness is always progressive and often fatal if not treated.
One of the initial actions that one can take is to attend a Twelve Step Meeting. Twelve Steps Meetings are generally "substance specific," meaning that an "Alcoholics Anonymous" Group offers help without charge to those suffering from alcoholism, a "Cocaine Anonymous" Group offers help without charge to those suffering from cocaine use, etc. If one checks in the Yellow Pages of most directories, he can find under "Alcoholism" a variety of listings for professional treatment centers and for volunteer groups in the community. If only professionals are listed, call and ask where meetings are held in your locale. Other meeting locations can be found via an internet search. Find the exact times of local meetings in your area as well as the exact location. Arrive five or ten minutes early. Coffee will be available and then you'll see people moving to tables to meet. Find a seat at the table with the others in attendance. After some opening procedures, the chairperson will ask if anyone is attending his or her first meeting. Raise your hand and let them know you are attending for the first time. You need do nothing else but listen, and you'll not be pressured to do anything that you're not comfortable doing. However, the success rate among those groups--which was 90% or higher during the early years--has reversed and is now closer to 5%. While focusing on physical sobriety, other methods are required to attain the other three levels of sobriety that the co-founder identified. Alternative sources providing treatment are available for those who find they need additional help, and the Book Review (see "Links") offers insight into finding all of the levels of sobriety that lead to complete recovery and healing.
(Working the Steps)
Another variable has caused success rates to fall. Various volunteer groups and professionals as well approach step work in a variety of different fashions. Federal research into the effectiveness of step work in treating addictions has revealed that the most positive results come when the steps are worked according to the specific method and clear-cut directions as outlined in the book Alcoholics Anonymous. That book, unfortunately, does not lay out the process that sponsors or guides can use, step-by-step. Some who guide others through the steps--and those just beginning to offer service work through sponsorship--have found help in using guidebooks and other resources that simplify and clarify methods for taking others through the steps in the proven method. Many excellent guides are available. A Twelve-Step Journey to SELF-Transformation contains "A Guide for Working the Steps" that has received praise from across the globe. It is being used in most states in the U.S. and in Spain, Israel, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Mexico, Canada, France, England, Scotland, and Ireland. It can be ordered by visiting the "Recovery Literature link" above.
(For Those with a History of Chronic Relapse)
In-house treatment is almost always necessary for those suffering chronic problems. Effective treatment centers are available that specialize in helping those with histories of chronic relapse. You may visit the websites listed in the upper right section of this home page to find additional information about centers that offer long-term treatment plans for those with a history of slips. The Mark Houston Recovery Centers is one with an excellent reputation nationally and internationally, as seen on "The Dr. Phil Show" [ http://www.drphil.com ]
The Mark Houston Recovery Centers program of recovery includes elements that make it completely unique in the field. More information about the center can be found at the bottom of this page and by visiting:
(Individual Counselors Experienced in Working with Those Suffering from Addictive Personality Disorder)
Remember that the book Alcoholics Anonymous (First Edition) says that the founders of the treatment program used "doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds." Do not hesitate to follow the book's suggestions and seek assistance if you realize that you need more help than you have so far received. There is no shame in following the book's recommendation and finding assistance from as many sources as required for your particular case. One therapist who has experienced success in treating the Addictive Personality Disorder is Marie Lachney, LPC, LMFT. You may learn more by visiting her site via the link provided. Her "FAQ's" section provides insight into the role that body organs play in contributing to such conditions as restlessness, irritability, and discontentment. She offers methods of treating the conditions without the use of psychotropic medications.
Trauma and Addiction
More has been disclosed about the roots of alcoholism, and one powerful link now established is the clear connection between unresolved trauma and addictive behavior. In A Twelve-Step Journey to SELF-Transformation, the authors list 20 behaviors and belief systems that result from past trauma which still drive current reasoning fallacies and self-destructive behaviors. Their experience shows that unless the unresolved trauma is treated via methods that are available only through trained, mental health care professionals, then the Addictive Personality Disorder will likely continue to dominate the sufferer. A typical response is, "That was then; this in now." Few know that their "then" is very much their "now." To admit one is powerless and behaving insanely is also to admit that something is driving that abnormal behavior that violates the natural law of survival and self-constructive behaviors. What is that "something"? If you admit that it is possible that past influences are impacting current behaviors, then you can benefit from the tremendous strides that have been made in treating this aspect of alcoholism. If you do not know a Trauma and Emotional Disorder Specialist in your area, you may contact one whom we know from experience is helping addicts to address the problems that are rooted in this area through use of EMDR techniques and/or his other therapeutic methods. Total treatment for the total problem has been proven to be a necessity for many alcoholics. That specialist with a proven track record is Dr. James Wayland, M.A., Ph.D. You may learn more about him and his services by clicking on his link above.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT
THE MARK HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTERS:
If you have completed treatment at a residential treatment center, our residential recovery program serves as the next forward step. If you‘re ready to learn how to live a sober, responsible, committed life full of promise and fun, we‘re here to help you.
A Different Kind of Drug and Alcohol Recovery Center in Texas
A certain percentage of men will relapse following completion of a residential clinical treatment program, only to feel an even more debilitating sense of failure regarding their alcoholism and drug addiction. It is at this point that these men and their families ask themselves: What can I do to truly recover from my alcoholism and drug addiction? What relapse prevention tools are available to me following a relapse after completing treatment?”Unfortunately, many of these men and the people in their lives begin to believe that there is no hope for a life without addiction. The Mark Houston Drug and Alcohol Recovery Center offers that hope. Our unique program, which combines the elements of a longer length of stay (90 days), a gender specific (males only) environment, 4 homes set on 70 beautiful acres, and a staff that models recovery at the highest levels, can be your chance for a life of permanent sobriety.
We believe that alcoholics and drug addicts can be taught how to live a sober, responsible life that is characterized by permanent sobriety, self respect and authenticity. By regaining strength in your body through healthy exercise and proper diet, you will learn how to create energy from the inside out rather than take it from other sources like drugs, alcohol, anger, and control. You will learn life skills such as financial sanity, nutrition, and disciplined meditation that lead to a permanent sense of inner peace. Many people require the longer continuum of care that the Mark Houston Drug and Alcohol Recovery Center provides. All too often, men leave a residential treatment center and return to the same environments that were a part of their active alcoholism and drug addiction history without having developed the inner resources and life skills necessary to maintain their sobriety. Our 90 day program is designed to bring about the transformation that is so vital and necessary to permanent recovery and relapse prevention.
It’s not uncommon for those who complete a traditional drug and alcohol treatment program to slide back into a life dominated by addiction. Many of these men do not understand that they have done nothing wrong; that they simply needed more time and more inner work to bring about a change within themselves sufficient to prevent future relapses. The Mark Houston Drug and Alcohol Recovery Center provides a longer continuum of recovery as an alternative to shorter-stay clinically based treatment centers. Achieving permanent sobriety is a process of failures and successes. Realizing how to achieve success—whether in a drug and alcohol recovery center or in any area of life—requires time to collect the experiences of appreciating and overcoming failure using healthy coping mechanisms.
The Drug and Alcohol Rehab Program that Is Changing the Industry
If you or your loved one are searching for a drug and alcohol rehab program and you’ve experienced relapse following your length of stay in a clinical drug or alcohol treatment facility, please consider the Mark Houston Recovery Center as your next logical choice for relapse prevention. Our drug and alcohol rehab program is unique in a number of ways that help men to achieve permanent sobriety. The first is our longer continuum of care (90 days) compared with most drug and alcohol rehab programs. It takes the body time to become completely free of drugs and alcohol. Detoxification of the mind and body occurs at about that same time that a traditional drug and alcohol rehab program ends. Afterward, men are then sent back into their old environments without proper coping strategies and without the inner resources and support systems to maintain permanent recovery and relapse prevention. The Mark Houston Drug and Alcohol rehab program picks up where treatment centers leave off for those who require a longer continuum of care. With our 90 day program, residents have the opportunity to work all of the steps and develop the life skills and daily practices necessary to prevent relapse in safe, secure, fun, family-style ranch homes set on 70 acres of serene Texas landscape. The 12 step program is by far the most widely accepted and most effective methodology used in drug and alcohol rehab programs in Texas and throughout the United States. However, the process of working through these steps requires follow-through that many drug and alcohol treatment facilities can not provide due to their shorter length of stay. From our experience, the three most critical steps to implement into your daily schedule once after working steps 1-9, are steps 10 (continuing to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitting it), step 11 (seeking through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out), and step 12 (practicing these principals in all our affairs and being of service to others). These three critical steps require continuous practice and development. They require actual living of the steps rather than just a cognitive knowledge of the steps. It is through the practice and use of steps ten and eleven that the alcoholic/addict has the inner resources to experience life head-on without fear and anxiety and with Power.
Drug and Alcohol Relapse Prevention Center in Texas is Only a Phone Call Away
You don’t need to wait until you relapse to seek help. Many of the top treatment centers in Texas and throughout the United States recommend that individuals come to the Mark Houston Drug and Alcohol Relapse Prevention center because we offer a longer length of stay and provide the tools necessary to prevent relapsing back into addiction. It’s completely normal and understandable that many people need a longer continuum of care than a typical 20-30 day drug and alcohol treatment center can provide. Not all men who go through a residential treatment center need a longer length of stay but the Mark Houston Recovery Center is here for those who do. Throughout your stay at our drug and alcohol relapse prevention center in Texas, you’ll discover happiness and fun in sobriety. Right now, you may not even be able to recall a time when you felt happy without drugs or alcohol in your life. You may at some level be resistant to recovery because you can’t imagine life without drugs and alcohol. We can show you how to have a sober, responsible, fun filled abundant life. We’ll show you how to replace drugs and alcohol with inner resources that will provide you with far greater power, peace, and happiness than you ever experienced with drugs and alcohol. You can find a more pure and powerful sense of happiness and fulfillment without the consuming shadow cast by an addiction to drugs and alcohol. Discovering this inner peace and happiness is a matter of taking a course of action on a daily basis which will sustain you throughout your life of recovery.
You Can Transform Your Life
Here at our drug and alcohol relapse prevention center you’ll learn how to find the joy and the fun within yourself. You’ll learn to become proud to be a man again. To feel the power you can generate within yourself through exercise and proper nutrition. To feel the burden of guilt leaving your mind caused by things you have done in the past that are causing you to destroy yourself today. You’ll learn how to take charge of your finances and create a future of abundance. At Mark Houston’s drug and alcohol relapse prevention center, recovery extends far beyond a body free of substances and a logical knowledge of the 12 steps. The spiritual life is not a theory—we must live it in order to achieve permanent sobriety and the Mark Houston Recovery Center can teach you how to do that. All change is a change in consciousness and the process we utilize will bring that about within you. We provide the framework, you take the action, and the result is inevitable; permanent sobriety and a life of abundance. If you feel that you are in your darkest moment or have learned to live with the despair and shame of believing that you do not have the capacity for true happiness and permanent sobriety, then we encourage you to give us a call at 866-905-4550. Our doors are always open for you.
Labels: alcohol, alcoholism, alcoholism treatment, drug addiction, long-term treatment, recovery programs
posted by Floyd Henderson at 12:51 PM
