Things to Know About Addiction Recovery
- Addiction is a mind disease. Keeping this in mind will be very helpful in dealing with someone going through addiction. During the recovery process, most of the focus is on rebuilding the character of the addict and finding different means to achieving happiness and reward.
- There is no express cure for addiction. Attending a rehabilitation center should not be mistaken for a cure. Addiction recovery centers equip patients with the knowledge and skills to handle and manage the disease. It is the patient’s duty to ensure they always remain sober.
- Living sober and getting sober should not be mistaken as being the same. Getting sober can be a onetime thing of shunning the use of alcohol and drugs. However, living sober is a life-long journey.
- Substituting one addiction with another addiction is not a solution and can turn for the worse. This is something that individuals in recovery are susceptible to and therefore should be aware of. The onset of the problem starts as an attempt to fill the void of a feeling of something missing. Addicts should avoid engaging in other addictive vices to fill the void left by the previous addiction.
- Recovery from addiction is not a one-way solution. The road to recovery involves a combination of behavioral therapy, medical treatment, commitment to change, support and the right treatment plan. This is among many other factors to consider.
- Be prepared to be distressed. Recovery from addiction is not a pleasant experience. There will be challenges along the way, including the need to develop new coping strategies and mending relationships.
- Actions are more important than intentions during the recovery process. Positive thoughts and affirmations are good during the recovery process, but it is the actions we take that count.
- Recovery demands a complete change of lifestyle and finding a new purpose in life. Where as before everything revolved around the addiction, having a new direction and sense of purpose will be vital. Socializing, spiritual actions or developing new hobbies are good options for a establishing a new way of life to avoid relapse.
- Changing the place of residence and acquaintances is simply not enough. While it may seem like a good idea to change friends and frequented places, a recovering addict should focus on changing his or her way of thinking and deal with the emotions.
- Design a path outside group meetings. Developing principles outside group recovery meetings can be very helpful in staying on track and motivated.
- Dedicate more time to mastering staying positive. As the recovery process changes through the stages, the amount of change required can be overwhelming. Mastering a positive outlook one step at a time increases the chances of success. To master a positive attitude towards the whole ordeal, an individual should focus on being happy in sobriety. Focusing on what about being sober and free from drugs makes them happy can make recovery easier.
- Quit all forms of smoking. Recent research shows that patients who go through a treatment program often die from tobacco-related issues.
- Form a new group of friends that include people in and out of recovery. Such friends will often encourage you and be more understanding as compared to individuals who have not gone through the process.
- Appreciation is a powerful recovery tool. Being thankful is very helpful in the healing process as recovering addicts can appreciate what they have. It is the lack of appreciation and greed that drives many people into addiction, hence the importance of gratitude.
- Being healthy is important in the recovery process. Healthy individuals have been proven to have lower chances of experiencing a relapse.
- It is always good to familiarize yourself with all the causes of addiction relapse and the triggers. Even the less common triggers can often get recovering addicts by surprise.
- Recovery from addiction is a lifetime commitment and requires lots of personal growth.
- Redefine the definition of enjoyment. What individuals enjoyed doing before recovery from addiction will be much more different from what they will enjoy after recovery. Changes to the way individual’s look at things should be welcomed and embraced.
Article by Charlie Brown
This article was written by the guest author listed at the end of the article.