The latest statistic in the recovery world states that only 1 in 33 will find true sobriety and recovery from their addiction to alcohol and drugs. Many wonder why that number is so low, except I’m not one of them anymore and here’s why.
First off, the amount of people who are court ordered to attend 12-Step recovery meetings these days is alarming. Most of them actually don’t want to be there. For the few who do, it’s generally only temporary due to their fear. But once those court slips are signed, completed, and life is back to normal, the majority of them never come back and instead immediately return to the drinking and drugging that led them there in the first place. I’ve noticed there are tell tale signs of these type of people when they come to the meetings. Most sit as far away as possible from those who are speaking. They usually spend their entire time there looking at their phones or getting up and going outside for a smoke. And they never show up early or leave late to carry on conversations with those who are actively doing their recovery work.
A second reason why only 1 in 33 are finding true sobriety and recovery is due to the amount of pampering they can receive from various state programs these days. While these programs are geared to help a person find recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, they also don’t prevent them from coming back again and again. Many of the people I’ve known in recovery have gone to dozens and dozens of detox centers solely to get a warm shelter, a bed, and some free food for a while until they feel better. Once they do, they frequently will go right back to the drugs and alcohol they gave up for a small bit of time. This pattern is what’s referred to as an addict’s “Spin And Dry”.
A third reason why so few find true sobriety from alcohol and drugs can actually be placed on the responsibility of those who are already working on their recovery. Meetings are so much bigger these days and it’s quite easy for a newcomer to slip in and out the back door without ever being noticed. It’s important for every single person in recovery to greet each other and make everyone feel welcomed. Most newcomers don’t even know how to say hello because of the abuse they’ve already put themselves through. That’s why it’s important to make it a point at every meeting to greet those we see, especially those we may not recognize. Unfortunately, there are many cliques that have formed in meetings nowadays and many newcomers end up feeling left out because of them. Those cliques can lead a newcomer out the back door quite easily never to return.
There are a few other notable reasons why only 1 in 33 make it to full recovery from alcohol and drugs. Some of those can include situations where the family and friends are enabling a person to stay in their perpetual relapse state or where the damage and destruction has not gotten great enough to bring them to their knees. Sometimes a frustrated husband or wife, a medical condition, or the risk of losing a job brings people around to recovery for awhile but as soon as those conditions settle down, they go right back into their disease.
Lastly, as difficult as it is to mention this, a final truth is this. Alcohol and drugs are so easily acquired these days and there are way too many individuals who are using them to cope with life. Essentially if everyone is doing it, then why should a person stop? That’s the thought process of way too many people, especially with teenagers and young adults.
All of these things I’ve mentioned contribute to why only 1 in 33 find true sobriety and recovery. This wasn’t the case a long time ago when 12-Step recovery was in its origins. Back then recovery meetings were far and few between. There were no addiction programs out there that were government subsidized. There was no court ordered attendances. And there was a lot more individual attention given to newcomers because the amount of people in recovery was so little.
The sad truth is that the second number in this statistic will most likely only rise as time goes on. That doesn’t mean we should lose faith or be downtrodden in life. It just means we should all try a little harder to put our hand out and pass on our experience, strength, and hope to those still suffering. Hopefully our messages will ring home to those out there who are still suffering from alcohol and drug addiction and help change this statistic. In the meantime though, may God bless everyone who is actively working their recovery and all those who are still yet to fully find it.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson