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SOS: Non-religious help for
addicts and alcoholics
Where does a person in your
family or community get help with their addiction to alcohol
or drugs which is ruining their life, creating a mess for
everyone around them, and breaking the hearts of their loved
ones? The only hope for about 98% of them is Alcoholics
Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or a similar "Twelve Step"
group, unless you're wealthy and willing to spend a lot for
better care for them. Even then, once they complete some
kind of intensive care, they are usually referred to a
twelve step group for on-going support for the rest of their
lives. Chances are near 100% you know someone near and dear
in this predicament.
There, in the twelve
step group, they are made to believe that the only hope for
controlling their irrational, self-destructive addiction is
to replace it with rejection of their own capacity to manage
their behavior and to accept an irrational dependence on a
"higher power" rather than to rely on themselves. They are
told they are powerless and yet they are also told it is
entirely up to them to make the necessary decisions and to
act on them. Does that sound contradictory and
disempowering? It is.
The logical
inconsistencies, the embracing of a new irrational belief
system to counter their irrational dysfunctional behavior,
the required submission to a super spirit that many view
with healthy reasonable skepticism are major obstacles to
success in these groups. So, most just drop out. Irrational
thinking, including religiosity, is not the solution to
irrational dysfunctional behavior; it's the cause of it. And
yet, that is almost universally the only "hope" being
offered to them. Until just recently.
"The SOS movement
began with the article 'Sobriety without Superstition' in
the Summer 1985 issue of the secular humanist journal
Free Inquiry. James Christopher, a sober alcoholic and
son of an alcoholic, wrote an account of the path he took to
sobriety. He felt that there must be others who want to
achieve and maintain sobriety through personal
responsibility and self-reliance.
As a result of the
tremendous response to the article from addicted individuals
who wanted to maintain sobriety, Christopher founded the
Secular Organizations for Sobriety, Save Our Selves. Today
there are SOS groups around the country and around the
world." (from The SOS Alternative: A Manual for Treatment
Providers, 2009).
In Grants Pass, the
Rogue Valley Freethinkers agreed with Christopher's
reasoning and added that so long as only religiously based
support groups exist to offer hope to people in trouble
humanists will be ceding the vital community support role to
churches. And, that shouldn't be. We felt that it's our
responsibility to offer a rational alternative. So, in June
of this year we started our own SOS group, meeting weekly at
an excellent facility provided at no charge by our local
hospital at their Outpatient Services center.
Frankly, SOS -
Grants Pass is still in 'start up' mode, with just two
or three of us attending each week at this point. We have
begun posting notices on available bulletin boards and
handing flyers out to friends who may know someone in need
of help. As the news gets out, we're confident interested
people will begin coming.
We look to other
regional SOS groups for shared support in starting and
improving our group -- and theirs. And, we look also to
continued support from Jim Christopher and SOS staff at the
SOS International headquarters at CFIWest in Los Angeles.
For more information you can get to their website at
http://www.cfiwest.org/sos/index.htm . At that site you can
access the latest SOS newsletter by going to the paragraph
on the SOS Newsletter and clicking on the link to 'view the
latest issue'.
So, what is SOS?
First, a little about what SOS is NOT: It is not a program
based on any religion. It does not suggest that a "higher
power" or anyone else is going to solve your problems for
you. It is not a 12 step program; however it does offer some
guidelines about how to achieve sobriety. And, It definitely
does not try to persuade you that you are powerless. Nor, do
we end our meetings by holding hands and reciting the Lord's
Prayer.
SOS does expect you
to hold yourself responsible, but it offers the support of
other group members struggling with similar dysfunctional
addictive behavior who share their stories, experiences and
advice in an honest, supportive, anonymous, confidential
group environment. And, it offers guidance based on rational
behavior change principles. We ask each participant to make
a commitment to change and emphasize that change is your
personal responsibility. To the extent that you succeed, the
achievement is attributed to you.
SOS groups have
considerable freedom and flexibility to adapt their process
to their own needs and preferences. Members are expected to
take ownership of their group and to maintain it. Funding is
very frugal, based on no fees, just acceptance of small
voluntary donations at each meeting, intended to cover just
actual operating expenses, including support materials.
SOS has various
support materials, which can be accessed by calling Jim
Christopher's office (323- 666- 4295) or going on line
at the web address given above. To begin with you should ask
for the "SOS Guidebook for Group Leaders" and "The SOS
Alternative: A Manual for Treatment Providers". Locally,
other SOS group facilitators are generally happy to offer
advice and encouragement. If you would like to find out more
about our SOS group in Grants Pass feel free to call Jerry
Reed at 541-474-6847.
- Jerry Reed is the
organizer for CFI Rogue Valley Freethinkers Meetup and has
family members struggling with alcoholism.
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