Treatment Centers (Are They Needed?)

I went to a few treatment centers when I hit bottom twice in my lifetime. I have to say that for a short while alcohol and drug treatment facilities are a way to stay sober for the lenghth of time you are to stay there. You have no choice and the community in which you are in seems so unreal. The fact is that it is not real. In every day life there are bars and liquor stores all around us and the temptation to take a drink is overwhelming at times in sobriety. Treatment centers have stores, but no liquor is to be found in these places. Everyone at the treatment facility is sober or at least appear this way.

I think they are a necessity for some people who have not been sober for long in their lifetime. The success rates in staying sober just out from a treatment center is staggering at about 3-7 percent will stay sober from leaving this treatment center. Why is this? Do they not teach how to live without drinking and drugging at these centers. Not really, you are in the now when you are locked up in a center, and the only contacts are with dried up drunks and counselors who have years of sobriety.

I have been to so many treatment centers and psychiatric places that I dould not sit down and tell you how many. Thats pretty damn bad, I know. I have almost 6 years of sober time now and the last 30 years of drinking really screwed me up with my past. The cool thing is , I have a life now that I would not trade for any drink or drug. That is the goal of one whom has been in and out of the treatment centers, or at least for me. I got sick and tired of seeeing sick and tired people, at these places. Yeas , I was one of them and had been homeless at least two times in my lifetime.

I guess I bring this up to remind myself of what I do not want to repeat in my life. The obsession to drink and smoke weeed has been taken away. What does that mean , you might ask? It means I know where it will take me if I decide to go back and start drinking again. I know the drill, so to speak and I don't want to fall back like so many people do. Until the goverment realizes that addiction is killing us off, and that alcohol is a disease that threatens their sons, and daughters. The viscous cycle will continue too endeavor and engulf people from now on. God Bless Happy Turkey Day..