Series: 15 Of 16

BEATING DRUGS ONE STEP AT A TIME

Many drug addicts and alcoholics spend time in treatment facilities. They
are kept for a specified length of time, then discharged. But they are not
discharged without resources to help them on their road to recovery.

Sandy James, admissions coordinator for Caradale Lodge, a treatment center
in Sylacauga, said most patients are introduced to a 12-step program while
they are at the treatment facility. Working the 12 steps, or "12 stepping"
as it is sometimes called, has made alcoholics sober and drug addicts clean.

"At a 12-step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous,
newcomers are introduced to people just like them who have attained longtime
sobriety and clean time. The longtimers are able to show them what has
worked for them," James said.

"There is a lot of written work and changes that must be made in your life.
You apply the 12 steps to every way of your life," he said.

James described 12-step meetings as "happy, joyous people that are free of
addiction. They share a common bond - people that truly care about one
another, with a common purpose to stay sober and clean.

"It is recommended that a recovering addict attend at least 90 meetings in
90 days. It becomes a habit and you continue to want to be a part of the
fellowship," she said.

"There are award celebrations for newcomers and for those who have reached
their 30, 60, 90 days of clean time. NA gives out key rings that start out
at 24 hours of clean time and go up to multiple years 10, 15 and 25 years of
clean time."

James said it is a good idea for someone newly in recovery to attend a
meeting every day for a year.

"Find a sponsor in the program and let them guide you through the clean
time. It's different for everybody, but in order to stay sober or clean you
have to attend meetings," she said.

Twelve-step strategies include finding a meeting place and going to
meetings, finding and using a sponsor, committing yourself to recovery, and
believing in a higher power of your understanding.

James said the meetings are group led. Someone will run a meeting for a
while and be responsible for the service work of the meeting, such as
arranging the seats and making coffee.

"The chairperson will make announcements. They may pick a topic such as
gratitude, surrender or complacency, and each person will have an input on
the topic," she said.

Speaker meetings involve someone with one year clean time addressing the
group.

"It always gives people hope that the guy is clean and sober after a year,
when they are still struggling to stay clean and sober day to day," James
said.

The Serenity Prayer plays an important role in recovery.

It reads, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

The prayer began as part of the AA programs, but it is used by recovering
drug addicts as well.

Recovering addicts are taught to look at their lives one day at a time, and
the "just for today" sayings are beneficial - "Just for today I will try to
live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life's problem at once.
I can do things for 12 hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up
for a lifetime."

There are 10 of these "Just for Today" sayings.

Different mementos and keepsakes keep the participants encouraged and
involved in a fellowship of people that is focused on one goal - to be clean
and sober just for that day.

Another strategy used at Christian Recovery Centers, such as Rapha Christian
Home, focuses on faith and religion as sources of strength for recovering
addicts.

That "I must meet certain standards in order to feel good about myself is a
false belief," said Steve Yarborough, founder of Rapha Christian Ministries.
"The consequence is fear of failure, perfectionism, withdrawal from risks
and manipulation of others to make you succeed.

"God's specific solution is, because of the justification we are completely
forgiven and fully pleasing to God, we no longer have to fear failure. And
the result of God's solution is freedom from the fear of failure, intensity
about the right things, and love for Christ."

He said another false belief is that people must have approval of others to
feel good about themselves. That train of thought can lead to fear of
rejection, pleasing others at any cost, being sensitive to criticism and
withdrawing to avoid disapproval.

Like AA participants, Yarborough said, each member of Rapha memorizes a
declaration aimed at giving them back their self-worth: "Because of Christ's
redemption, I am a new creation of infinite worth.

"I am deeply loved, I am completely forgiven, I am fully pleasing, I am
totally accepted by God. I am absolutely complete in Christ.

"When my performance reflects my identity in Christ, that reflection is
dynamically unique.

"There has never been another person like me in the history of mankind, nor
will there ever be. God has made me an original, one of a kind, special
person."

People in Talladega, Sylacauga and Pell City referred to a narcotics 12-step
program will not find those programs in their hometowns. Aside from AA
meetings, the closest 12-step program for drug rehabilitation is in
Anniston, according to Tri County Outreach spokesperson Cephus Thomas.

He said Tri County Outreach holds a narcotics 12 step meeting at 13th Street
and Noble, behind a nightclub called City Limits. Open meetings are for
anyone with an interest in NA. Visitors are welcome to attend.

Closed meetings are for those people who feel they may have a problem with
drugs.