5 Things Addiction Recovery Is Not
There are many misconceptions about what drug or alcohol recovery can and cannot do for you. It is not as straightforward as it may seem from the outside looking in. Many people in addiction recovery will tell you that it is a fine example of trial and error. It is important to discern these differences as early as possible to ensure you have created a solid foundation to build your sobriety. These are five common misconceptions that will clarify your questions about what recovery will not do for you.
#1. Addiction Recovery Is Not an Immediate Solution
Recovery takes time, just like it takes time for substances to leave your body completely. Your first day of sobriety does not mean that your body has immediately recovered from the damage done by using substances. Recovery and its relationship with the mind are the same.
Recovery can also take the shape of a roller coaster rather than a gradual, straight climb. It has its fair share of ups and downs. There will be good days, and there will be bad days.
Because recovery has its ups and downs, it is essential to take your recovery one day at a time. As much as you would like to, you cannot promise to stay sober forever. You can only wake up sober, work throughout the day to maintain that sobriety and go to bed sober. It takes effort to find comfortability and stability in sobriety, and it will not come immediately.
#2. Addiction Recovery Does Not Absolve Your Past Behaviors
One of the biggest things you may be looking forward to in recovery is establishing or reestablishing your relationship with loved ones. However, your loved ones may still be wary, considering your past behaviors. These behaviors may have been defined by stealing, lying, broken promises, neglecting responsibilities or not living up to the second and third chances you may have been given.
Remedying these relationships is extremely important. However, it will take time. Your family will want you to prove to them that you are trying to resolve your shortcomings. Rekindling your relationships will involve you taking responsibility and making amends for your actions. Carrying this trait over into your daily life as you make mistakes later in life will be just as important to show that you are willing to continue working on yourself.
During this process, you may also consider using family programs to aid in repairing your relationships while also providing your family with resources to help them better understand what recovery might entail.
#3. Addiction Recovery Does Not Mean You Can Return to Your Old Ways
Coming home from a treatment program does not mean you can pick up where you left off in life. You will have to create healthy boundaries between yourself and any factors that may exacerbate your triggers and cravings. Setting boundaries may include avoiding acquaintances that you would use or drink with, a job that caused you a level of stress that may jeopardize your sobriety, a toxic living situation or an unhealthy romantic relationship.
Early on in recovery, you should do your best to avoid these situations. Setting boundaries will involve making hard decisions, but they may be the difference between sobriety and relapse. Any distance you can put between yourself and reminders of your life without sobriety will be crucial.
#4. Addiction Recovery Is Not the End of Your Social Life
Recovery does not have to be a lonely process. Although it may be hard to return to your previous social life in early sobriety, it does not mean that social opportunities will not arise. As you rectify old relationships and cultivate new ones, plenty of chances to have companionship will come about.
Life after treatment may lead you to recovery groups. These groups are configured around a sense of unity. They will not allow you to weather the storm all on your own.
Spending time with the people in these groups outside of meetings is just as important as attending them. You may have old hobbies or hobbies you potentially would have pursued that were turned aside due to your uneven priorities before sobriety. Now is the time to experiment. There is an excellent chance that you will find someone inside these rooms that will want to accompany you as well, further growing these essential relationships.
#5. Addiction Recovery Is Not the Same for Everyone
Above all, your experience in sobriety will be unique. However, you will find definite similarities in the stories of your peers, your sponsor and anyone you may come in contact with on the road to recovery. These experiences allow the failures and successes of others to become guidelines for your path.
Everyone comes from different backgrounds, which will undoubtedly shape their decision-making. Do not become discouraged if you believe that someone is making progress faster than you. Recovery is not a race. Take any outside resources into consideration to provide yourself with as much knowledge as possible. Keep your expectations reasonable and do what you feel is best for your sobriety — one day at a time.
Recovering from drug or alcohol addiction is not as straightforward as it may seem from the outside looking in. Getting a head start on your expectations of recovery could be life-changing. You will have abundant resources to draw from, whether in treatment or recovery groups you join after treatment. Cliffside Malibu is a facility that provides you with the necessary knowledge to walk along your path of recovery. Call us today to learn more about our programs at Cliffside Malibu at (855) 403-5641.