LifeRing Secular Recovery
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LifeRing Secular Recovery (known commonly as "LifeRing" or "LSR") is a network of support groups for people who want to live free of alcohol and other drugs. LifeRing exists to serve recovering alcoholics and addicts, and the general public, by organizing meetings dedicated to sobriety, secularity and self-help, and by providing educational information toward that end.
The three core values of LifeRing are:
Sobriety: LifeRing is an abstinence-based organization. By “sobriety” LifeRing means complete abstinence from alcohol and illicit or non-medically indicated drugs.
Secularity: As the name indicates, LifeRing is a secular group, dedicated to providing an alternative to groups which stress supernatural or religious paths to recovery.
Self-Help: LifeRing believes that the only people who can really know what a recovering person is going through are people who have been addicted themselves and are working successfully on their own recovery. LSR meetings are run by alcoholics and addicts, for the benefit of alcoholics and addicts.
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[edit] History and Context
Lifering is one of several self-help groups that have come into existence as alternatives to the spiritual self-help offered by the 12-Step programs of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Other groups include Secular Organizations for Sobriety, SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety and Moderation Management. The first three groups are abstinence-based; Moderation Management is a group which seeks to help drinkers drink moderately.
LifeRing is an outgrowth of Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS), which was founded in 1985 as a Humanist alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous, which was closely affiliated with Council for Secular Humanism. After a 1999 law suit over the use of the name SOS in Northern California forced one of the SOS meetings to use another name, the members of the newly named "LifeRing" meeting broke from SOS so as to operate independently from the Council for Secular Humanism.
LifeRing grew quickly, and by 2005 had "face to face" meetings across the US, as well as in Canada, Australia and Japan. Lifering Europe was also launched in 2005, but has yet to launch face to face meetings. In addition to these face to face meetings, where people come together at one location, a significant number of LifeRing meetings are electronic, being held in chat rooms and on email lists.
[edit] How LifeRing works
[edit] The Toolbox Approach
LifeRing is distinguished from most other recovery groups in that it does not have one official approach or program. Instead, members are encouraged to find approaches and techniques that best suit them. This is referred to as building ones own program or building a "toolbox." It is very common for LifeRing members to be members of other groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART Recovery and to discuss techniques, attitudes and approaches learned in these other groups at LifeRing meetings. The only tools which may not be discussed at a LifeRing meeting are those that conflict with the secular nature of the meeting or with the principle of complete abstinence.
LifeRing has several publications, the most important of which is a workbook called "Recovery by Choice." The workbook provides a structure and specific exercises to help people design their own recovery program.
[edit] Meetings (the cross talk approach)
LifeRing meetings are small enough so that everyone can participate. After a short opening statement, the meeting facilitator asks “How Was Your Week?” People take turns talking about what has been going on in their recoveries since the last meeting, and what lies ahead for them in the coming week. The focus is on current events in the participants' lives. LifeRing meetings encourage questions, comments, and other feedback throughout the hour. If a person has a question, they can ask the person right then. Likewise, if they have something to say, they say it while it is fresh in their mind. In other words, so called "cross talk," is encouraged. LifeRing believes that the more a person participates in a meeting, the more effective that meeting will be for them.
Online meetings are similar to face-to-face meetings. All meetings are confidential. Participation is free. A basket may be passed to defray expenses, but contributions are voluntary.
[edit] The Theory
Because LifeRing does not adopt a set of steps or a single therapy technique, it is assumed that the benefits accrue largely through participation itself. This is usually explained by asking people to imagine that inside of each person who is struggling with drug and/or alcohol issues, there is a conflict between a voice that wants to keep drinking/using, and another voice that wants to be free of the drug and lead a better life.
These voices are abbreviated as the “A” (the addict self) and the “S” (the sober self). When two or more people get together who have this inner conflict, two outcomes are possible. Too often, the “A” in one reaches out and connects with the “A” in the other. “Let me buy you a drink!” “Sure, and I'll get the next one.” They set up a feedback loop that reinforces the “A” in both of them and suppresses the “S.” This is a vicious cycle with harmful consequences ultimately leading to premature death.
Addict self connects with other addict self.
The “A” in each gets stronger, “S” weaker.
Person is 100% “A”.
Early death follows.
But if the “S” in one person connects with the “S” in the other, they reinforce one another's sobriety. “I'm fed up with my drinking/drugging life. I want something more.” “That's my feeling too.” “I didn't think I could do it but I stayed sober today.” “If you can do it, I guess I can too.” “Last week I celebrated a birthday without drinking – I'm so pleased!” “Good for you!” After each meeting, the “S” in each person is stronger than before. At some point, the person experiences a transformation. The “S” grows stronger than the “A” and rises to the top. Sobriety stops being an uphill battle and becomes almost second nature. So long as people avoid putting alcohol/drugs into their body, they can realize whatever potential lies within them and live full, productive lives.
Two “S” connect: sober self talking to sober self.
Reinforcing one another's sobriety.
The “S” rises to the top.
The person is transformed.
LifeRing sees this “S-to-S” connection as the engine of the recovery process as practiced in meetings. This is also referred to as “Empowering Your Sober Self.”
[edit] Stance on Alcoholism and Addiction
LifeRing has no official stance on the disease theory of alcoholism nor on the mechanisms of addiction. Notably, however, LifeRing makes no distinction between addiction to alcohol and addiction to other drugs.
[edit] Organizational Structure
LifeRing is a free-standing, self-supporting, democratically run organization. They are not affiliated with any other group. Each meeting elects a delegate to the annual LifeRing Congress, which decides all major issues of policy and elects the Board of Directors. There is a Service Center and a Press. All directors and officers are unpaid volunteers. Expenses are by passing the basket at meetings and through literature sales.
[edit] Advantages and Criticisms
In a 2005 survey, LifeRing participants listed the lack of religious content and the "positive, empowering" atmosphere as the biggest merits. These were closely followed by encouragement for building a personal recovery program, crosstalk being encouraged and the small group settings. A perceived non-judgmental atmosphere was also highly ranked.
While LSR meetings are recognized by numerous courts and professional addiction recovery centers in the US, no figures are available concerning what percentage of participants actually overcome addiction to alcohol or other drugs with the LifeRing approach.
Criticisms of the LifeRing approach include lack of support for harm-reduction goals such as moderation and lack of recognition of the role of spirituality.
[edit] Literature
- Recovery By Choice: a workbook, by Martin Nicolaus, 2001, ISBN 0-9659429-3-7
- Keepers: Voices of Secular Recovery, Martin Nicolaus ed., 1999, ISBN 0-9659429-1-0
[edit] External links
Alternatives
