Hi All:
Duaine M here;
Before you start reading I want to insert my thoughts on this members article.
It's important to know that in SOS there is a diversity of thought and just about everything is debated. 
So what you read may be agreed on my a large majority of members or a small minority of members.
The final authority is........... "You"........... the member.
What I want you to do is not except the view that addiction is some how a physiological illness,
a disease and that the person who has become addicted is not held responsible for his or her actions.
SOS helps those who want the help. The person who needs help must be willing to accept that there are consequences for their actions.
There is no free rid for them. Once detoxed they are responsible. They can not think they can not be held responsible for their actions. 
I have seen people who were told there are no more chances.
This is "it" and I have seen how surprised they were when they told me they thought for sure they would get one more chance.
I told them, they said they understood, there were no more chances and did it anyway.
We have Support groups where you can talk to others and maybe get a full picture of SOS in action.
Duaine Metevia
Duane Metevia

These SOS groups are no longer active.
SOS E-Groups

Home E-Group of SOS

SOS Save Our Selves E-Support Group --Support and Information-
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sossaveourselves

SOS Women E-Support Group --Set up to meet the needs of women in SOS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SOSWomen

SOS Friends and Families --Set up to meet the needs of friends and families of those who are or have
been addicted. http://www.itsachoice.org/group_family_friends.htm
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SOS_Friends_and_Families

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Family members and friends of alcoholics and addicts are very welcome at SOS meetings. 
They may attend whether or not the person they are close is continuing their addiction or is in recovery. 
Although, family and friends may not be addicted themselves, their lives are greatly affected by the addictive behavior of a loved one and they too need support,
advice and the opportunity to share and learn. SOS offers support from people who have been on both sides - 
the experience of recovering addicts and other who have had to deal with the problems related to active addiction and the recovery process.

FAMILY RECOVERY

Many family and friends of alcoholics and addicts come to recovery groups desperately searching out for help and answers to their problems.
SOS provides support and help on understanding and coping with the problems by providing information about chemical dependency and its consequences for relationships.

Family and friends of alcoholics and addicts often suffer as much or more physically and psychologically as the addicts themselves. They can get caught up in the behavioral crises of addicts in ways
which then affect their own behavior and physical and mental health. Moreover, their well-meaning actions may not work and they find that their actions are only further alienating the person and
causing problems in their relationships. Living with an alcoholic and/or addict is incredibly stressful. The advice and support of other who have or continue to face this situation, as well as speaking to
recovering alcoholics and addicts directly themselves, is critical to helping you help yourself and your loved one.

By coming to SOS, family and friends can learn about the illness and arm themselves against its negative effects. Understanding the illness excuse is the first step toward defending oneself from its
destructive influence on you and your close ones, and also allowing YOU to free YOURSELF from its clutches, as well as helping you to aid your loved one in a more constructive way.

The first thing is to understand the Cycle of Addiction which your loved one is in and into which you have become entrapped. By understanding that addiction is a choice after detox , one is better 
able to see that the addiction is solely an individual journey for that person. 

Once your loved is sober and in recover, you also need to understand the Cycle of Sobriety  and the addict’s Sobriety Priority. This will help you to make sense of the decisions which he or she takes
in everyday life.  Moreover, as recovery progresses, you will find a « new » person emerging from the shell of addiction.  This may be a wonderful and longed for thing. However, it can cause relational
problems also, as the person goes through changes, confusion, as well as mood swings, which are part of recovery.  Possibly, you may find to your surprise that this « new » person is not what you want
 or expected.  In a perverse, unconscious way, you may even feel more secure with the « old » alcoholic/addict you once knew.  Unconsciously, you can contribute to undermining the person’s recovery, 
or you may come to decide to separate from him or her. You will find that YOU also will begin to change as you become free of a direct relationship with an active alcoholic/addict. You can begin to
change and grow and find a « new » person within yourself, with a clearer idea of your own needs and direction.  SOS will help you to understand better many of these processes taking place in your loved
one, yourself and your relationship. This will arm you to deal and cope with the wonderful, but often complex road of recovery for YOU and your loved one.  

Family & Friends Recovery Cycle

is the fundamental basis from which to approach all other questions for you as a co-dependent. 
It allows you to free YOURSELF from the feelings of responsibility, anger and other feelings connected to being the close one of an alcoholic/addict and to go on to prioritise 
YOUR OWN WELL BEING on a daily basis.
 
1. Knowledge of Addiction & Sobriety Cycles
2. Daily

Acknowledgement & Acceptance

  3. Daily Prioritisation of Own Well-Being

SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS

Don’t give up hope ! Many alcoholics and addicts have been helped to choose recovery by the informed intervention of those who loved them. Many tens of thousands have done it alone ! 

 Learn all you can about alcoholism and addiction and, also its affects on relationships, family and otherwise. 

 SOS stresses that sobriety must be the priority for the chemically dependent person. 
The Sobriety Priority is the alcoholic/addict’s bottom line. You too must learn to make your own well-being (and not the addict’s) YOUR PRIORITY. You can call it what you like - your 
« Health Priority », 
« Sanity Priority », 
«Happiness Priority ». 
Start making this your bottom line for decision-making . 

 Believe that the choices you make by prioritizing your own well-being are the best thing you can do for the chemically dependent person.

 General Principles of SOS Family & Friends 

 All those who wish to gain understanding of their feelings about their relationship with an addicted person are welcome. 

 Family and friends may be invited by SOS groups to attend meetings with recovering alcoholics and addicts, as well as having the right to form separate SOS Family and Friends meetings, if they wish. 

 Honest, clear and direct communication of feelings, thoughts and knowledge aids in recovery.  Support in choosing non-destructive, non-delusional and rational approaches to living sober, rewarding lives
helps in developing healthier relationships. 

 In SOS, family and friends gain insight into the workings of other recovering persons, as members share experiences, information, strengths and encouragement in friendly, honest and supportive
group meetings. 

 SOS guards the anonymity of all those who attend meetings and the contents of the discussions from those not within the group. 

 SOS is not the spin-off of any political or religious group. SOS is concerned with aiding family and friends in developing understanding and compassion for the recovering individual.

 SOS encourages the scientific study of all aspects of alcoholism and addiction. 
SOS does not limit its outlook to one area of knowledge or theory of alcoholism and addiction.
 
 SOS is secular. We welcome all regardless of religious or non-religious beliefs. 
Spiritual and religious matters are not discussed in group and are respected 
as the private domain of each individual..

 
 

Building Recovery
by Duaine Metevia
http://www.itsachoicepublishing.com

 
Index
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Religious & Non-Religious Freedom is Practiced Here
Religious & Non-Religious Freedom
An Over View of SOS - What are we about?
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An Overview of SOS
Sobriety Priority
SOS Organization
The Founder of SOS. How it came to be.
James Christopher
Sobriety Tools & Articles by SOS Members
Sobriety Tool Box
P.A.S.T. Para-Addiction Stress Trauma
Sexual Orientation
Family & Friends
Is Your Group a Cult?
Starting and Running an SOS Meeting
Startling an SOS Meeting
Print Out Opening a Meeting
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SOS International Conference 2000
SOS International Conference 2002
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AA-SOS as One Member sees it
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Web Master Duaine Metevia