What are some strategies for preventing relapse?
(This section is from a seminar given at the 1996 AGRM Annual Convention) In addition to introducing men and women to Christ, helping addicts to maintain sobriety is a primary responsibility of the rescue mission residential program. Learning to read, completing high school, and gaining other life skills are important. But, if residents cannot remain sober, we have only succeeded in creating smarter Biblically literate drunks. The act of using drugs or alcohol is an end result of a process that began long before. Addicts relapse when it is more painful to stay sober than it is to get “high.” The immediate benefits of ceasing drug and alcohol use include: improved health, better sleep, return of appetite, and clearer thinking. However, all addicts eventually face a challenge even more difficult than stopping drinking or using drugs — coping with life without them! Doing so involves a whole lot more than just “putting the cork in the bottle.” They must learn a completely new way of life
