For those seeking support for moderation, we suggest other groups that would better fit their needs.

Abstinence, is not cutting back on the number of drugs used:

SOS supports those who want to change their lives by removing alcohol/drugs from their lives.  It does not support cutting back from five or six drugs to only one or two.

Sometimes there are exceptions.  The exception would be someone who is cutting back because of withdrawal having every intention of becoming abstinent.  Exceptions are only temporary.

Medicine:

What is taken because of medical reasons is best left to the SOS member and their doctors.

Abstinence Issues of Distraction:

Some side issues of distraction are coffee, tea, chocolate, and tobacco.  These are not issues SOS would like to spend time on and are best left to individual members to decide for themselves.  Endless debates using SOS support group time for this would not be productive. 

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This was taken from the Book "Building Recovery"
Chapter; SOS Core Belief, page 18
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The following is from
Page 75 "Building Recovery"
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This Is an Abstinence-Support Group

I will repeat, SOS is an abstinence-support group, not a group for cutting back on the number of drugs used:

SOS supports those who want to change their lives by removing alcohol/drugs from their lives.  It does not support cutting back from five or six drugs to only one or two.

Sometime there are exceptions.

The exception would be someone who is cutting back because of withdrawal who has every intention of becoming abstinent.  Exceptions are only temporary.

Another exception would be if drugs are needed for medical reasons.

This is a very serous issue.

It could be a life and death decision for the person who is in need of medical treatment.

Severe depression, if left untreated, could lead, at the very least, to a poor quality of life and at worst suicide.

Our SOS Support Group is here to help, not to cause harm.

Issues with depression, pain and other medical issues are exceptions to our abstinence requirements.  The health and well-being of our members has to override almost everything else.

There Will Be No Promotion of Drug Use

There will be no promotion of drug use except for medical reasons - not for getting high reasons.  If you are in recovery for alcohol and had no problem with pot, don't start using pot.

This Is Not a Single-Substance Support Group

If you are and addict who used, for example, heroin, and had no problem with beer, to say you plan to have a beer after you cut your grass on a hot day would be, in an SOS group, to promote the use of a liquid drug, alcohol.  Also, you would not be embracing what we are here for.  We are here to give and get support in our choice to live a life alcohol/drug-free.  This is the reason we come together as a group.

If for some reason you are not willing to stop all alcohol/drugs and still want to come to the group to listen, that's OK.  I would ask that you not share with the group if I were there because you're promoting the use of the drug/alcohol you're using.  If that's what you want to do I think it's best that you find another place to do it.  This is an abstinence-support group.

If you are here for an eating disorder and want our support, we will ask fro your support in our journey in living sober lives.

It doesn't matter if you're an alcoholic/drug addict and want to get off drugs, what matters is that your make a choice

* to embrace life,

* to live life alcohol/drug-free,

* to live in the real world,

* to make the decision to live a sober life,

* to take up the challenge of living life no matter where it takes us.

This is how I see SOS.  My definition of sobriety is to live life alcohol/drug-free no matter where it takes me.

Now a question:  What's your definition of recovery from your addiction?

I think the answer you give will help you find the best possible recovery path for you.  I hope you find the journey of searching for what works as easily as I did.