Are You Serious?

We can usually tell if someone’s serious about recovery by the kind of questions they ask when they call about our program.

For example, the other day a man called to ask about getting in. When we told him we had beds available he started asking about the accommodations. How’s the food?  Do I get a private room? Where are the different facilities?  How soon he could have an overnight pass?  When he could get visits?  Could he bring his computer and cell phone?

So what's the problem with these questions?  There is none. The problem’s with the questions he didn’t ask.

He asked nothing about our recovery services. He didn't ask about 12-step meetings. He didn't ask about on-site counseling. He didn't ask about 12-step meetings in the area. He didn't talk about getting a sponsor. He didn't talk about how long he'd been sober. 

When the questions are all about creature comforts and not much about recovery we don’t have a lot of optimism about a person’s chances of success.

Recovering from a life threatening disease is a serious challenge.