My 44-year-old client Ruben went through his fourth chemical dependency treatment program a year ago and has been clean and sober ever since. A drug addict since his early teens, at no previous time has his sobriety lasted longer than six months. He freely admits that his totally willingness to do whatever is suggested to him by his sponsor and the professionals involved in his care has made all the difference. “I tried it my way long enough to know that doesn’t work – now I’m finally learning to follow directions.”
Recently I asked Ruben what brought him back time and again
to treatment, when each time he had started out committed to sobriety and then lost
his recovery. Many people in this position become so demoralized and
discouraged by their failures and the people they have hurt that they simply give
up on getting better.
Ruben answered immediately, “It was my ex-mother-in-law Ella
– she was the only person in my life who never gave up on me. She always told
me that she believed in me, that I was an amazing guy and that I was smart. She
said that my addiction wasn’t the real me, and that she knew I had what it took
to get and stay clean and sober. I played her words over and over in my mind a
lot, and, eventually, when I got really sick of myself, her belief in me, when
I had none, would lead me back to treatment. I am forever grateful.”
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