Each person’s recovery from substance abuse is a unique experience. But for everyone ready to take control of their lives and leave addiction behind, it’s important to remember that recovery is a lifelong process made up of stages.
The first stage begins when a person accepts that their drinking or drug use is a problem. After this admission or understanding, the process of recovery is different for everyone, but typically includes three stages—each helping the person recognize the factors that lead them to use and enabling them to make the personal changes necessary to create a new, healthier path:
The first stage begins when a person accepts that their drinking or drug use is a problem. After this admission or understanding, the process of recovery is different for everyone, but typically includes three stages—each helping the person recognize the factors that lead them to use and enabling them to make the personal changes necessary to create a new, healthier path:
Early Recovery
In this stage, the person’s whole life may focus on recovery. Goals include:
• Detox
• Learn about the addiction
• Build new, healthy habits
• Find healthy ways to handle problems and stress
• Avoid making hasty decisions
• Examine good and bad personality characteristics
Middle Recovery
Goals in this stage are:
• Changing values to reach a better way of living
• Making life changes
• Making up for wrongs and the pain that was caused by the addiction
• Finding balance
Late Recovery
This stage of recovery will go on for life. Goals include:
• Experience personal growth
• Experience the joy in living
During the recovery process, there will be many times when it is tempting to return to abusing a substance. That is why it is so important to be aware of personal triggers that cause the cravings. Never think that just one more drink or just one more hit is ok--it is the surest way to relapse into old destructive habits.
Ways to combat cravings include attending a meeting, calling a sponsor, seeing a mental healthcare provider, talking to a trusted friend or loved one, listing reasons not to use and/or distracting oneself. Recovery can be achieved if it is made a priority every day and the person has the tools and support in place to find lifelong success.
Speak with a Chemical Dependency Specialist at Laureate
For questions, or to schedule an appointment with a mental health professional, please call the Laureate Chemical Dependency Center at 918-491-3700.
If you or a loved one is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, dial 911.