The Unshakable Truth: Why the Government Can’t Keep You Sober

In the journey of addiction and recovery, we are taught to identify our triggers. Stress, certain people, specific places—these are all well-documented landmines on the road to peace.

But what about the triggers that are so vast, so embedded in our daily lives, that we fail to see them? What about the systems that are actively designed to keep us in a state of anxiety, dependence, and hopelessness?

There is one “missing trigger” that the old recovery models never addressed because it has grown into a behemoth since their time: The belief that the government will save you.

The Unshakable Truth

Let’s be clear: Our government will never love you. It will never fix you. And it certainly will not keep you sober.

Your truce with alcohol begins the moment you stop feeding this monster that feasts on your peace. You must see it for what it is: not a benevolent parent, but a bureaucratic machine that thrives on your dependency.

As it is written: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” – Matthew 22:21

Your taxes? Your compliance? That belongs to Caesar. But your mind, your soul, your health, and your bottle? Those belong to God. Surrendering your recovery to a government agency is a profound misplacement of faith.

The Most Dangerous Words: “I’m From the Government, and I’m Here to Help”

Ronald Reagan famously called this “the nine most terrifying words in the English language.” For the addict and alcoholic, they are the most dangerous.

We have been sold a lie: that a new bill, a new law, a new department, or a new committee will fix what ails our civilization. We look to external, political saviors to solve internal, spiritual problems.

And what is the result? We have more laws, more agencies, and more spending than at any point in human history. And yet, are we more at peace? Are we healthier? Are we less addicted?

The data screams the answer:

• In 1939, when the Big Book of AA was written, the alcohol-related death rate was approximately 5.3 per 100,000.
• Today, that number has skyrocketed. We have more addicts and more alcoholics than ever before.

The government declared a “War on Drugs,” and in any war, it is the people who become casualties. The real enemy was never just the substance; it was the hopelessness and disconnection that the system itself helps to create.

Identify the True Enemy

For the drinker and the addict, there is no greater enemy than the illusion of salvation from a federal paycheck. The enemy is the promise of a external solution to an internal problem.

The path to a truce is not found in a government program. It is found in the exact opposite direction:

• Self-Reliance over Dependency: Taking full, personal responsibility for your choices and your healing.
• Community over Bureaucracy: Finding support in real, human connections—faith groups, true friends, family—not impersonal systems.
• Internal Sovereignty over External Control: Guarding your mind and spirit from the narratives of fear and dependency.

Your recovery is your responsibility. It is your property. It is a sacred ground that no government entity has the right to occupy.

Stop looking to Washington D.C. for your salvation. Look within. Look to your faith. Look to your own two hands and your will to be free. That is where your truce begins.

Do you agree that self-reliance is the key? Or do you believe government has a role to play? Share your thoughts in the comments below—let’s have a real conversation.

Chris
Author of Grateful Truce