Drop the Rock in Substance Use Recovery: What It Is and How It Is Used

Do you attend recovery meetings? Then possibly you’ve heard somebody tell you to “drop the rock.” While it can seem like another recovery term that everybody understands except for you, it’s easy to grasp and apply: there are things that supported us in surviving formerly that are now too heavy to carry.

In addiction recovery, “the rock” is frequently symbolic of defects of character and previous practices (resentment, fears, etc.) that hold a recovering individual stuck. Dropping the rock suggests being willing to give up those practices, not simultaneously and not flawlessly, but genuinely.

What Is Drop the Rock Defined to Be?

Drop the Rock is a recovery term and a widely recognized twelve-step secondary source titled Drop the Rock: Removing Character Defects, Steps Six and Seven. The book was authored by Bill P., Todd W., and Sara S. and distributed by Hazelden Publishing.[1]

Commonly expressed in regular recovery terms, Drop the Rock means releasing the emotional burden that can contribute to making long-term recovery difficult. That burden can be resentment, guilt, fear, dishonesty, anger, self-pity, controlling behavior, perfectionism, people pleasing, or reluctance to seek assistance.

The expression is usually linked to a story in recovery about someone carrying a large stone while attempting to float. The message is that long-term recovery is not merely about ceasing chemical dependency. It is additionally about recognizing what continues to pull us below.

Drop the Rock Connection to Steps 6 and 7

Twelve steps comprise the basis of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)’s plan of recovery from alcoholism.[2] Drop the Rock primarily addresses Steps 6 and 7, focusing on readiness for removing defects of character and requesting a higher authority to help with doing so.

While several 12-step programs view Step 6 as about willingness, a person starts to identify that particular practices are no longer beneficial to him or her. Step 7 is regarding humility. A person requests assistance in abandoning those practices and growing to become more honest and more useful, and spiritually grounded.

Some people may experience difficulty identifying character defects since they were initially employed as survival techniques. Control could have offered safety. Anger could have guarded against vulnerability. Self-pity could have given rationale for experiencing pain. In recovery, these methods may eventually offer greater danger than protective measures.

Recovery work utilizing Drop the Rock calls upon an individual to examine these patterns with honesty rather than embarrassment. The goal is not to condemn oneself. The purpose is to grow in willingness.

What Does the Rock Represent?

The rock represents something that hinders recovery.

For one person, the rock could represent resentment. For someone else, it could be represented by fear, self-pity, arrogance, seclusion, deception, impulse, or the belief that he or she must address every problem personally.

Drop the Rock’s character defects list includes:

• Resentment
• Fear
• Self-pity
• Pride
• Deceit
• Anger
• Envy
• Controlling behavior
• Blame
• Impatience
• Criticisms
• Defensiveness
• Perfectionism
• People pleaser
• Seclusion
• Avoidance
• Manipulation
• Sense of entitlement
• Shame
• Resistance

This listing is intended to name common patterns, not to categorize people as good or bad. In recovery, defective characteristics are typically seen as processes that prevent honesty, interaction, humbleness, and spiritual expansion. Every person experiences processes he or she struggles with. Recovery merely offers an organized method for recognizing these processes and practicing new behaviors.

Simplistic Drop the Rock Description

An illustration of a simplistic Drop the Rock description might appear as follows: sobriety entails much more than placing substances down. It involves setting aside both emotional and behavioral weight that can interfere with continuing recovery.

The authors urge readers to approach Steps 6 and 7 with concrete honesty. Rather than viewing those actions as abstract spiritual terminology, Drop the Rock applies them to daily life. It presents inquiries similar to the ones listed below:

• What appears repeatedly within my interactions with others?
• What forms of repetitive behavior leave me feeling stalled?
• Which older patterns am I still protecting?
• Where do I elect to utilize control over trust?
• What am I concerned may occur if I alter?
• What would humbleness look like today?

Recognizing these patterns fosters a way of living for recovery rather than only abstaining from substances.

Does Drop the Rock Qualify as Official AA Literature?

No. Drop the Rock does not qualify as official AA literature. Although it qualifies as a supplementary recovery book issued by Hazelden Publishing. AA’s own literature is published by either Alcoholics Anonymous World Service or AA Grapevine.[3]

Although this difference is significant, many individuals in AA, as well as in other twelve-step programs, find Drop the Rock helpful; however, it is not part of AA’s official conference-approved literature. Therefore, it must be acknowledged as a form of self-help or recovery support materials rather than an AA text such as the Big Book or Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

It does not signify lack of value. It signifies that users need to know what type of resource they’re utilizing. Some people read it with a sponsor, sponsee, group, or therapist as a method to expand their Step 6 and Step 7 efforts.

Significance of Character Defects in Recovery

Chemical dependency can cease prior to modifying the underlying emotional patterns associated therewith. Such is why numerous individuals report feeling sober yet nonetheless restless or anxious or unhappy or easily overwhelmed.

Character defects in recovery are not indicative of immoral behavior. They indicate repeated behavior patterns which cause separation from other humans, from values, and from emotional equilibrium. If an individual quits drinking or chemically abusing yet proceeds to reside through resentment, dishonesty, isolation, or fear, then his or her recovery may begin to appear unstable.

Removing character defects can facilitate long-term recovery by assisting an individual:

• Constructing better interpersonal connections
• Decrease shame and defensiveness
• Adopt honesty earlier in relationships
• Seek assistance instead of isolation
• Repair damage when feasible
• Deal with tension without resorting to substance use
• Grow into a more emotionally steady state
• Identify early signs of potential relapses
• Create patience and humility
• Maintain linkages with a community of recovery

Such work does not occur instantly. It occurs one day at a time. An individual may abandon one rock, pick it back up, realize it again, and attempt to give it away again. That is part of the journey.

Drop the Rock and Emotional Sobriety

Emotional sobriety refers to acquiring skillfulness in dealing with feelings, relationships, stress, failure, changes, etc., without reverting toward behaviors associated with addiction. For many individuals, this is ultimately the deeper work involved in recovery once sobriety develops physically.

Since it examines what exists beneath the surface (fears, concerns, avoidance, resistance), Drop the Rock connects into emotional sobriety.

To illustrate:

• Resentment can cause an individual to seclude.
• Guilt or shame may encourage an individual to conceal their difficulties.
• Fear may prompt an individual to exert excessive control over others.
• Pride may discourage an individual from seeking assistance.
• Self-pity can justify continued utilization of old behavior patterns.

When these procedures are identified, they become simpler to deal with. This is where spiritual development meets practical change in conduct.

How Do I Practice Dropping the Rock?

Dropping the rock is rarely a sudden shift in most people’s lives. Practicing dropping the rock is essential.

A couple of examples include:

• Documenting behaviors or patterns which continuously result in harm.
• Engaging in open discussion with a sponsor, therapist, or trusted supporter.
• Identifying when previous patterns of resentment or fear recur.
• Reacting less quickly.
• Querying what value you wish to exercise.
• Making amends when reasonable.
• Praying, reflecting, or meditating, if applicable for your recovery efforts.
• Practicing humility by seeking assistance sooner.
• Viewing progress, not perfection.

For an individual engaged in AA-style Steps 6 and 7 (requesting removal), this would involve asking a higher authority for aid in eradicating what they cannot eliminate via willpower alone. For an individual who participates in a program outside AA, this would entail developing self-awareness, accountability, or healing skills through counseling or another supportive resource.

Professional Treatment and Twelve-Step Development

There are times when books, meetings, sponsors, daily meditations, and recovery networks are sufficient, yet other times professionals can offer support beyond peer recovery resources.

Professional drug or alcohol treatment can assist individuals who are battling cravings, relapse, mood disorders, trauma, family problems, or rebuilding their life in recovery. Treatment providers can support clients developing emotional sobriety, self-awareness, and relapse prevention skills through evidence-based treatment modalities.

Evidence-based treatment can be extremely helpful if an individual’s chemical dependency is related to anxiety, depression, trauma, loss or grief, chronic stress, or relationship issues that they feel cannot be modified without professional intervention.

Alpas Virginia’s Support for Recovery Treatment

At Alpas Wellness Northern Virginia, we provide compassionate, individualized treatment for people struggling with substance use and co-occurring disorders.

Whether a recovery resource such as Drop the Rock has helped you identify changes you want to make or you are still figuring out what sobriety looks like for you, you do not have to navigate recovery alone. You can contact our admissions team for an initial assessment and help determine the treatment options that best fit your needs.