Austin, Texas is famous for having a community that has made getting sober fun, and has chronically high success rates for getting and staying sober, particularly for young people. There is a culture that has not only made recovery possible, but even singularly desirable, and even downright trendy. Many people who see recovery in Austin as such a success ask the question of why. Why is Austin such a great place to get sober?
The answer is two-fold. First, when examining the efficacy of recovery in Austin, it is prudent to look at the treatment centers in Austin, where ideas about recovery are explored, and a new way of life is introduced to people looking to experience a psychic change. Treatment centers in Austin, in general, have a certain approach to recovery that, although a fairly old concept, is still budding in terms of treatment. The approach that is common in the Austin area is an intensive study of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, and a comprehensive, hands-on experience with working the twelve steps. This provides a genuine and safe way to experience what Bill Wilson was talking about when he wrote the Big Book, and helps addicts and alcoholics to begin implementing the principles discussed within those pages. Through the employment of people who have worked the twelve steps and had a spiritual experience resulting in a psychic change, treatment centers provide the support necessary to coach struggling addicts and alcoholics through the steps, and through the Big Book.
The environment that the city of Austin provides is another interesting factor in the question of why Austin has such a great recovery community. Austin is the home of UT, as well as the budding center for new growth in business and media. In short, Austin is a hub for young people to come and make their dreams come true, whether it is through education, or trying to find work. This promotes the atmosphere of heavy drinking and heavy drug use, which is understandably common among young people, who are experience life and freedom for the first time. It is important to note that with many people who drink and use, so too comes the understanding that there will be many young people who come to the realization that they are addicts and alcoholics. As a result, there is a large population of young people in Austin who are trying to get sober and live a full life. Such a demographic promotes the culture of attending meetings to meet other young people, engaging in activities with other young people in sobriety, and simply experiencing everything that Austin has to offer to people in recovery. Another important note is that because Austin is a very liberal city, it is generally more accepting of people with different identities; people that may find difficulty getting sober in places that are more culturally fundamentalist.
In a nutshell, because of the approach used by modern treatment centers around the area, and because of the culture that the city provides, getting sober in Austin has become an experience that is fun, successful, and lasting, and generally has a positive impact on the community in general.