People that have an addiction to alcohol and drugs usually do not have the luxury to start and stop whenever they want. Once they have one drink or one drug, an allergy of the body will take over the addict to kick off a non-stop obsession in the mind that provokes them to ingest one continuous substance after another in hopes to not have to breathe in one sober breath.
An addict that has a lack of control when it comes to substance abuse and has incurred more consequences than they care to admit, must launch an efficient plan of action to keep them from drinking or using again. To say that an addict should stay sober forever is too big of an order to fulfill, so the philosophy of one day at a time is used with addicts.
A recovering addict in early sobriety can have a hard time comprehending how to jump through the perceived hoops that they must undertake to stay sober. Keeping things simple in recovery can help a recovering addict focus on first things first. The main thing is staying sober no matter what. Trying to remain sober one day at a time is more achievable than trying to look way into the future that is completely unknown.
Taking sobriety in daily increments can also put a recovering individual’s recovery into context in a sustainable way. Doing step work with a sponsor and connecting to a Higher Power on the daily is way more manageable to those who want long-term sobriety. People that have addictive personalities will pile on as much as they can to feel good, even in sobriety. By doing too much too soon someone in recovery can fizzle out pretty quickly with an all-or-nothing mentality.
The length of the sobriety is not quite as important as the quality of the sobriety. In fact, a fun way to look at the one day at a time philosophy is whoever wakes up first has the most sobriety even between someone who has 21 years versus someone who has 42 days. It should not be as much a competition as recovery should be about people supporting each other to stay sober on a daily basis.
To answer the hard-hitting question of how long does an addict need to stay sober? The real answer – one day at a time.
If you, or someone you know, has substance abuse with drugs or alcohol, there is a way out. Together here at Serenity Oaks Wellness Center we can take recovery one day at time. Our staff is here to encourage you to make the best of your recovery. Call us today: 844-720-6847
