"You have to look at it not as a failure of treatment, but as part of learning to manage the disease," Dr. Friedman said. "The standard course of recovery is multiple relapses." After rehab release, more uncertainty for Lohan -Associated Press January 2, 2011
"The standard course of recovery is multiple relapses.”
Dr. Friedman is a qualified addiction specialist by all means. I have the utmost respect for men and women who dedicate their lives to the recovery field. In the article Dr. Friedman brings up a lot of great points in regards to recovery. But isn’t that a scary comment? I mean talk about giving alcoholics/addicts a way out. I don’t believe the Book or every treatment center believes that relapsing multiple times is the standard course of treatment.
(Changes your view on spending $30,000 a month to get a loved one in a treatment center, huh? Multiply it by 2 or 3 and they you know that one you care for has got a shot! )
A mentor of mine says, “I know I can relapse again, I just don’t know if I’ve got another sobriety in me.” Relapse doesn’t have to be a part of to sobriety process. It shouldn’t be standard for treatment or recovery. I know many people that are chronic “relapsers” who would agree. There are many reasons we go out again, seldom a good one!
The court systems have acknowledged alcoholism and addiction as a disease in multiple cases and I’m thankful for that. These judges have recognized that someone with offenses that are alcohol and drug related should be rehabilitated rather than thrown in prison and part of the “system.” Our society believing the standard for of recovery includes individuals relapsing as just “part of the process,” can be devastating.Unfortunately, relapses occur. That’s the truth and we know it. Some of us have even experienced it. It’s unfortunate when someone goes out, and it’s scary. Some friends and fellows of ours don’t just mosey on back for their second, third or fourth shot. They die.
Again, I’m not here to say relapsing isn’t ok, because it can happen to anyone including myself. But accepting it as an expected part of the recovery process can be a very dangerous back door for our friends, families, fellows and newcomers in our rooms.
I am not an addiction specialist, I am not a PH.D. I am grateful sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous. God willing, statements like these will not hinder or change the integrity of 12-step programs. I believe that it won’t. That’s my opinion, and I’m sticking to it. “Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.” Chapter 5 –Alcoholics Anonymous.
-Avinash Satz
I’m sorry, but Dr. Friedman and the rest of the sympathizers who think that relapse is the standard course of recovery are full of shit. In my opinion, these people are making excuses for their flawed and failure-filled programs. Who are these people and their sympathizers? You can find them at your nearest high-end $1,000+ a-day-for-30days rehab or your local $500 a month sober living with no structure. Of course the success rate of your plush $1,000+ a-day-for-30day programs are going to be low when the structure is based around things like acupuncture, equine therapy, massages, and arts & crafts. And I don’t even need to go over the obvious failures of $500 a month type sober livings with no real structure and accountability.
ReplyDeleteI’m here to tell Dr. Friedman and the rest of the industry sympathizers that relapse is not the standard course of recovery and that I am living proof that people can have long-term recovery without relapse. I agree with you Avi that it is extremely dangerous to allow ourselves to set the bar so low and think that relapse is the normal path for recovery. I think the rest of the recovery world needs to take a look at their approach and methodology for treatment and instead of making excuses for themselves, perhaps they should come up with a new strategy. There are plenty of us that have recovered which are not of your so called “typical chronic-relapser” variety. Ask us how we did it and what works…