How having a cocoon of procedures and protocols can be helpful in maintaining sobriety from sex addiction
Timothy D. Stein, MFT, CSAT
April 5, 2013
A routine is important especially when you are in a dangerous situation regarding your sobriety. I was watching a special about the USS Eisenhower, which is an aircraft carrier, and they were talking about how the United States is the only country in the world that practices night takeoffs and night landings from aircraft carriers. The reason other countries do not practice this is that it is really dangerous! One of the commanders interviewed explained that in order to follow through with this dangerous maneuver “You have to wrap yourself up in a cocoon of procedure and protocols. When you’re inside that cocoon, you can pretend that the danger isn’t there. You can fall back on those procedures and protocols, and as long as you follow those, you should be okay.” As I listened to this commander, I thought there were many similarities to the work that we do in recovery. When we use a recovery routine which includes both tools of recovery and tools for maintaining sobriety, we are creating our own cocoon of procedures and protocols.
For example, if there is a situation coming up and you know that there is a dangerous risk for relapse, having that cocoon of protocols and procedures might save your sobriety. You might be going to visit family which is often stressful for you. You might be visiting places where you have acted out in the past and being there might create reactivity for you. There are any number of situations that might be dangerous for your sobriety. If you go into these situations without a plan, there is a good chance you are you are going to have a hard time. Like the night maneuvers on an aircraft carrier, having a cocoon of protocols and procedures can be helpful.
So what sort of cocoon can you create? It might include making more program phone calls than normal; increasing the number of people that you check in with can create more accountability regarding your sobriety. It may include a commitment to continue meditation and journaling even though it may not be easy or convenient. Your cocoon may include consistent exercising. It may involve increased vigilance about your red flags are and having a plan in place to manage these situations; if this red flag comes up, here’s what I do first , here’s what I do second, and here’s what I do third. Creating a cocoon of protocols and procedures means having as many pieces of your sobriety plan in place as possible. It means that you have plans in place for whatever might come up so that you can get through that situation sober; you are not trying to deal with it on the fly. Having a cocoon of protocol and procedures that supports your recovery and your sobriety that you can fall back on as you go into those situations is one way to get through the dangerous times with your sobriety. Like the pilots who are doing night landings and night take offs from the USS Eisenhower, creating this cocoon of protocols and procedures takes time and energy but it’s worth it.
