“Don’t be ashamed to need help. Like a soldier storming a wall, you have a mission to accomplish. And if you’ve been wounded and you need a comrade to pull you up? So what?” --Marcus Aurelius

I am writing this on what is the 89th Anniversary of the recognized formation of Alcoholics Anonymous.  As an organization, AA has recognized from its inception the power of two or more alcoholics working together to a common goal.  Consider the completion of the 12 steps.  Multiple steps are designed around the concept of the individual working with another.  The standard practice of working with a sponsor through completion of all of the steps is further recognition of the power of the principle of teamwork and leadership in sobriety.

It is not surprising that we addicts and alcoholics have a better chance of success when we are working with another addict or

alcoholic.  Of course, working with someone else adds accountability.  People in active addiction are certainly used to foregoing their own rules as it relates to alcohol use or sobriety. 

Before I committed to sobriety through AA, there were times I attempted to lay ground rules to keep my drinking in check.  These never worked.  I was never in a position to be a fair arbiter of whether I was playing by the rules I attempted to lay down.  I would lie to myself.  I would push boundaries.  I would delay start dates.  I had zero real ability to enforce anything I might even momentarily want to do as it related to sobriety.  Working with someone else built that accountability in. 

Aside from accountability, in early sobriety, addicts and alcoholics most of the time are not thinking in rational and healthy ways.  Most of us aren’t going to think our way out

of the alcohol or drug problem we have. We have minds corrupted by prolonged and heavy substance use.  We are not thinking clearly or rationally about much, if anything in that state.  On top of that, our very thought processes will betray us as we even deign to consider the possibility of leaving our using days in the past.  Our minds will convince us life won’t be worth living sober.  Our minds will tell us we can’t do it.  Our minds will tell us we aren’t bad off enough to take such a decisive step for the betterment of our futures.  None of this, of course, is true, but in that state, it’s easy for a person considering sobriety or in early sobriety to find truth in these doubts. 

Working with a sober person will help us to identify the fallacious thinking that dooms sobriety to failure before it’s even started.  Allowing someone to help us will also help us recognize we have worth. We matter.  That’s easy to forget in addiction.  Our self-esteem at that point is in the toilet.  Many of us feel worthless.  Many of us feel like the world is indifferent to our entire existence, or, possibly, it’d be better off without us.  Someone who has recovered from alcoholism/addiction will help us find the good in ourselves, the part worth fighting for.  If we see that, our efforts at sobriety won’t be in vain.

No one wants to go through difficult times alone.  It’s always beneficial to have a listening ear and a bit of helpful advice from an experienced person.  Working with someone through the struggles of early sobriety is a certain way of increasing the odds of success, which are certainly stacked against us.  Dear Reader, if you need help, please ask for it. If you, Dear Reader, have experience to lend, please don’t hesitate.  We are in this together.