Before we get into the meat of this podcast, I want to acknowledge how devastating relapse is. I also want to say that relapse is not a necessary component of lifelong sobriety. People relapse because of many different reasons at different times. Everyone must be open and honest with themselves to isolate and work through those reasons. Recovering from addiction comes with its own set of challenges. These challenges usually include physical dependency, psychological dependency, family problems, financial problems, spiritual and emotional dysfunction. These general obstacles vary by degree and importance to the person experiencing them. One person may have a greater physical dependency than a financial dependency while one may have more of a spiritual malady compared to the mental obsession. Regardless of the immediacy of each area, each one of them plays a role in preventing relapse. For most of us, in the beginning, the physical dependency is the most important one to prevent relapse. After that, it could be the psychological dependency and then others would follow suit. Over time, every single Must be addressed if a person is going to achieve lifetime sobriety. Although they operate independently of each other they also have a connection.

Below are some observations from Psychology Today. I will include the link to the entire article at the bottom of the blog. 

Of all the people who attempt recovery it is estimated that;

• Only about a third of people who are abstinent less than a year will remain abstinent.
• For those who achieve a year of sobriety, less than half will relapse.
• If you can make it to 5 years of sobriety, your chance of relapse is less than 15 percent.

Per psychology today’s statistics, the longer we are abstinent the more chance we have of lifetime recovery. The progression and percentages are striking. When a person is less than one year, there is a 66% chance that they will relapse. One year and beyond that very same person as a reduced recidivism rate of 50%. Once a person reaches five years of sobriety and beyond the chance of a lifetime, recovery grows to 85%. I think this goes in line with my opening assertion that these areas that make up our addiction need to be addressed. Since they did not occur overnight they will not be remedied overnight. This is where time is our best friend. A very wise person said, “quantity has a quality all its own“. Simply put, the longer we stay sober and clean the longer we stay sober and clean. I wish you well in all that you do. 

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Robert Pardon

Robert is the Recovery Guy. Getting clean and sober on April 25, 1986 has given me the insight and practical skill set to not only stay sober, but to also re-invent myself to the person I always wanted to become. Showing others how to do this is my life goal.

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