A newcomer came up to me the other day sharing some
advice a speaker, he heard at a 12 Step meeting, told him. The speaker advised
the young man to take a year off and live on social services. I cringed upon
hearing this. It goes against everything I’ve been taught and shown by other
people in long-term recovery from addiction. It also spits in the face of our
Seventh Tradition which states, “[we are] self-supporting declining outside
contributions”.
Alcoholics Anonymous’ co-founder Bill Wilson penned
the Traditions and there was reasoning behind each one. The reason for the
Seventh Tradition is simple. Part of an alcohol/addict’s disease is
self-centeredness at the extreme. As a result of this malady we take and take
and take. From my own experience I would beg, borrow and steal money to feed my
addiction not caring who I took advantage of. I was a burden to my family and
to society as a whole. As part of our living amends and to show that we have recovered
from this spiritual malady we pay for our own way. This means that as a group
we collect money from members only to pay for rent, coffee, etc. This means
that as a recovered alcoholic/addict I pay for my own in life. In order to do
this I get a job, pay my bills, my rent, buy my own food and so on.
I understand that some people, fresh in recovery, need
help getting back on their feet financially. I needed that help myself and was fortunate
enough to have a loving father to help me. But as soon as I could I got a job
and started paying rent to my dad (whom I lived with) as well as paying for
other things I needed (including smoking until I quit eight years into
recovery). I didn’t’ wait until I got the job I deserved. I took the job I was
offered and started there. My Higher Power gives me want I need not what I
want. Social Services is there as a helping hand until one gets back on one’s
feet. It’s not meant to be a permanent solution. My permanent solution is
trusting God, cleaning house and helping others. I’m not much of a help if I
continue to suck on the public teat not taking responsibility for myself. I had
to take responsibility for my treating my disease of addiction and part of that
treatment is standing on my own two feet.
The reason I mentioned smoking is that, in my
opinion, someone with a year or more of recovery who continues to bum smokes is
clearly not living in recovery. But I digress…
Telling someone to take it easy and go on Social
Services for a year is as dangerous as telling someone to stay on Step One for
a year. When I’m in Step One I’m still sick. It’s not until I begin the other
11 Steps that I begin to get better. If am able but do not work for a year I’m
not only continuing to be burden to society but I’m ensuring that I have a load
of time on my hands. In early recovery a lot of time equals a lot of danger. As
a member of Alcoholics Anonymous I am accountable to my Higher Power and AA as
a whole to practice my principles in all my affairs. All of my affairs includes
taking care of myself and in so doing I begin to get back the dignity I lost
due to my behaviours when I was active in my addiction.
Dave the Dude
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