Best Links US: How Recovery Works

How addiction recovery works to help you get your life back BestlinksUS
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Recovery doesn't happen.
It's a PROCESS.
Most people take months-- sometimes years--
to recover from their addictions but
after a few months, it gets much easier
as your body and brain adjust to a
new life without the altering chemicals.

PAWS--
Post Acute Withdrawal
Symptoms

PAWS happens after your
withdrawal. There'll be
ups and down. You may
hit what they call "The Wall"
where you feel grungy.

Here are the 3 accepted
Stages of Recovery.

Click here to see the Gorski Blog Stages and much more.

Stage 1: Early Recovery
-- coming off drink
or drug use

Common problems experienced in early recovery include:

Difficulty stopping your use
Repeated lapses or relapses
Major obsessions and cravings to use
Willingness to give up some substances but not all
Trouble committing to recover
Insistence on recovering alone, without others' help
Involvement in early romances that detract from sobriety

Acute and protracted withdrawal symptoms that
sometimes need medical help

Medications are needed in some cases to
stop or reduce withdrawal symptoms
and reduce the risk of major complications
such as seizures.

If you've had a history of serious
withdrawal complications when you
detox yourself of the poisons (they're called "the DTs"--
seizures, or feelings of suicide,) you may need medication
and strong social support to help you through them.

Residential programs to help you 'dry out' usually have
a staff doctor or nurses to monitor you first couple weeks,.

This might take up to a week or a bit more.

Sometimes it's hard to get insurance companies or the
government to pay for hospital DETOX because it is
expensive. After this first period, it's time to start on the
road to recovery.

Right after you have finished detoxing, you may well
see these issues have not yet disappeared. They might
even last weeks or even months. This is "PAWS":

Sleep problems

Remaining or becoming emotional

Problems thinking clearly

Problems remembering things

Stage 2:
Middle Recovery

Middle Recovery involves more in-depth commitment and work on staying sober -- often you're in a treatment or 12 step program.

Here, you are developing coping strategies to deal with common problems people experience in recovery. You are learning to manage upsetting feelings, cast off negative thinking, learning to deal better with interpersonal problems and conflicts And you talk with others about addressing other addictions and lifestyle issues.

It's important you become aware of relapse risk factors (like triggers and temptations-- warning signs you're falling off
your game! Common problems in middle recovery include:

Any problem listed in early recovery that lingers

Difficulty controlling your emotions

Boredom with recovery routines (like having to attend group or self-help meetings)

Boredom with not using substances to pass the time

Serious difficulties in close, interpersonal relationships

Hesitance to change your addiction playgrounds and playmates

Struggling with spiritual or emotional emptiness

Conflicts with sponsor or friends in AA, NA, or CA

Fear of making amends to family of significant others

Staying Sober

Feeling UPs and DOWNs

It isn't unusual for your motivation to go up and down--
especially in early recovery. Think about strategies you
might try to get through periods when it's harder to stay clean.

1. Remind yourself how bad addiction is on yourself,

your famiły, and others.

Do this by thinking about the benefits

of sobriety--both short- and long-term.

2. Repeat to yourself, your goals and how important sobriety
is in reaching these goals.

3. Accept that your motivational struggles are normal and be
patient with those up and down feelings.

4. Admit your motivational struggles with your support group,
sponsor, or counselor, and share them with others who understand

6. Keep going to support meetings and attend recovery classes.

7. Read inspirational literature or recovery literature.

8. Stay with your recovery strategies even when your motivation
is low.

Keep at it, so you can get past these lower moments:

Expecting to avoid substances but not make personal changes

Master awkwardness saying no to offers to drink or use drugs

Develop new fun activities without drug/alcohol use

Don't expecting things to automatically get better; work at it.

Remember the negative consequences of addiction

Notice when some consequences start going away.

Realize you might discover some hidden serious head problems and you can deal with them.

Know that family members might not give you support

You might sometimes lose confidence in coping with stresses

Stay the course, talk it through with someone you trust!!

Step 3:
Late Recovery

Late Recovery involves ongoing relapse prevention, and continued work on 'self” or lifestyle issues.

This stage provides the recovering person with the opportunity to address more ingrained personality or character issues, make amends to important people hurt by your past addiction.

Many people then develop their sense of spirituality during this stage of recovery.

Generally, you're getting more comfortable with your new, cleaner life. You feel better, get some confidence. You understand addiction and know the triggers and the risks to slip back into it.

You probably are working with other recovering users to support each other. And building some trust back with family, new friends, coworkers. Learning through group what works for others that you might find useful for you.

Watch for common problems that might creep back in and be ready if they happen: