LifeRing Dogma
Knucklehead
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Davenport, WA
Posts: 4,005
LifeRing Dogma
In ancient Greek mythology there was a roadside bandit named Procrustes who had a bed in which he forced all travelers to lie. Those who were shorter than the bed, he stretched until their bones cracked; those who were longer, he cut off their feet.
Most alcoholism and addiction programs are like Procrusted and his bed. Everyone has "The Program": one size fits all. In AA, everyone does the Twelve Steps. In Rational Recovery, everyone does AVRT. In SMART, everyone does REBT. And so on. Each vendor promises that its particular Program is the Answer. In fact, some people are helped by the Steps, some are not, and the same is true of the others. There is no such thing as one Program that works for everybody, and we doubt there will ever be.
LSR is unique in the alcoholism and addiction movement in deliberately not offering a capital-P Program. We have no Program, no panacea, no one-size-fits-all, no cookie cutter, no miracle cure, no magic pill to sell. We reject the whole dichotomy between Program and alcoholic, in which The Program is the active, knowing, healthy protagonist and the alcoholic is the passive, dumb, sick raw material to be stamped and molded into the desired shape. We think that any approach that acts on the alcoholic over time as an outside compulsion, a Program, is doomed to fail with most people most of the time.
No program, including the LSR self-empowerment approach, will work if the person doesn't have an inner desire to escape from addiction. LSR rests its entire chance of success on the encouragement and rational nurture of that desire.
We hold that each alcoholic or addict needs to construct their own sobriety based on their own experiences and needs. We think each alcoholic not only needs to, but is able to constuct his or her own personal sobriety program, if afforded the support and the tools. The work of puting a program together must be and is done by the newly recovering persons themselves, just as each of us with long-term sobriety has done it for ourselves. We have confidence in the ability of alcoholics and addicts, no matter how serious our history, to pull ourselves together with peer support. We have seen it work. Conversely, we are quite certain that we cannot get and stay sober unless we construct a sobriety program for ourselves. That is why we say that we have no one (big-P) Program; we have as many programs (small p) as we have participants.
Most alcoholism and addiction programs are like Procrusted and his bed. Everyone has "The Program": one size fits all. In AA, everyone does the Twelve Steps. In Rational Recovery, everyone does AVRT. In SMART, everyone does REBT. And so on. Each vendor promises that its particular Program is the Answer. In fact, some people are helped by the Steps, some are not, and the same is true of the others. There is no such thing as one Program that works for everybody, and we doubt there will ever be.
LSR is unique in the alcoholism and addiction movement in deliberately not offering a capital-P Program. We have no Program, no panacea, no one-size-fits-all, no cookie cutter, no miracle cure, no magic pill to sell. We reject the whole dichotomy between Program and alcoholic, in which The Program is the active, knowing, healthy protagonist and the alcoholic is the passive, dumb, sick raw material to be stamped and molded into the desired shape. We think that any approach that acts on the alcoholic over time as an outside compulsion, a Program, is doomed to fail with most people most of the time.
No program, including the LSR self-empowerment approach, will work if the person doesn't have an inner desire to escape from addiction. LSR rests its entire chance of success on the encouragement and rational nurture of that desire.
We hold that each alcoholic or addict needs to construct their own sobriety based on their own experiences and needs. We think each alcoholic not only needs to, but is able to constuct his or her own personal sobriety program, if afforded the support and the tools. The work of puting a program together must be and is done by the newly recovering persons themselves, just as each of us with long-term sobriety has done it for ourselves. We have confidence in the ability of alcoholics and addicts, no matter how serious our history, to pull ourselves together with peer support. We have seen it work. Conversely, we are quite certain that we cannot get and stay sober unless we construct a sobriety program for ourselves. That is why we say that we have no one (big-P) Program; we have as many programs (small p) as we have participants.
Last edited by doorknob; 02-13-2009 at 02:32 PM.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Flint MI
Posts: 4,455
I have tried working different programs only to find most did not fit me in one way or another all I know is the power within myself ( with the love faith and support of friends loved ones alike) gave me 613 days clean today
Love and Hugs,
Pamm
Love and Hugs,
Pamm
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Flint MI
Posts: 4,455
I have tried working different programs only to find most did not fit me in one way or another all I know is the power within myself ( with the love faith and support of friends loved ones alike) gave me 613 days clean today
Love and Hugs,
Pamm
Love and Hugs,
Pamm
Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Htown, baby!
Posts: 384
Out of all the programs, I still like rationalrecovery the best... It makes me feel empowered that I'm a grown man and I dont have to give in to thoughts of using, or any self destructive behavior. Like, nothing bad will happen if I dont use, and the thought will pass. But if I do use...then bad stuff does happen. Nothing bad will happen if I'm occassionally sad or feeling worthless, anxious, or bored, or if I cant sleep 7-8 hours every night,. Its not easy, but that doesnt give me a right to down 12 beers. IMO Humans have endured these hardships for thousands of years. So what if I'm in pain? If Emily Dickinson wasnt in pain would she have been motivated to write her poetry??
After I eat a chocoate or a dorito... I want another and another. I dont think I'm addicted to doritos chips because I cant stop eating them. lol No, the responsible choice would be to stop after a handful because they're bad for me. Or to not eat any if I know I'll keep eating them.
After I eat a chocoate or a dorito... I want another and another. I dont think I'm addicted to doritos chips because I cant stop eating them. lol No, the responsible choice would be to stop after a handful because they're bad for me. Or to not eat any if I know I'll keep eating them.
Resident
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 4,150
I am with coffeenut DK. You will have to write out what the acronyms stand for. I just found out BB stands for Blue Book but I still have no idea what buying a car has to do with recovery. 
Knucklehead
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Davenport, WA
Posts: 4,005
Cheesus Chrust.. since nobody's ever heard of Google... 
AVRT - Addictive Voice Recognition Technique
AVRT in a Nutshell
REBT - Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
What is Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)? - REBT Network: Albert Ellis | Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Getting a ****** up deal on a car can make anyone want to drink... 
AVRT - Addictive Voice Recognition Technique
AVRT in a Nutshell
REBT - Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
What is Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)? - REBT Network: Albert Ellis | Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Originally Posted by Fubarcdn
I just found out BB stands for Blue Book but I still have no idea what buying a car has to do with recovery.
lunarlovelunar
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 674
Well I am not working any program but I looked up REBT and I can say that the following statements are familiar to me at times...or alot 
1. I must do well and win the approval of others for my performances or else I am no good.
2. Other people must treat me considerately, fairly and kindly, and in exactly the way I want them to treat me. If they don't, they are no good and they deserve to be condemned and punished.
3. I must get what I want, when I want it; and I must not get what I don't want. It's terrible if I don't get what I want, and I can't stand it.
1. I must do well and win the approval of others for my performances or else I am no good.
2. Other people must treat me considerately, fairly and kindly, and in exactly the way I want them to treat me. If they don't, they are no good and they deserve to be condemned and punished.
3. I must get what I want, when I want it; and I must not get what I don't want. It's terrible if I don't get what I want, and I can't stand it.
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