The Cycle of Addiction
The disease of addiction consists of a repetitive cycle of guilt, pain, cravings, and drug use. For the addict and alcoholic, everyday feels like groundhog day. The decision to come to treatment is life-changing. It throws a wrench in the cycle and disrupts everything that is associated with addiction. As your body adjusts to existence without drugs and alcohol, your mind also begins the healing process.
The time spent in treatment is similar to being in a bubble. Access to drugs and alcohol is cut-off, outside influences are no longer around, and the stress of life on the outside is put on hold. It is an incredible opportunity to begin recovery. We learn what’s good for us, what to avoid, and we are also given a few suggestions on what to change. We learn to more easily identify the people, places, and/or things that have caused us problems in the past, and we learn how to handle or rid ourselves of those situations.
We are taught to not make any big decisions in our first year of sobriety, but also that everything needs to change. This may seem conflicting and confusing, but it’s really quite simple. For instance, you may have been considering moving to another city to start fresh. This line of thinking would tell you to hold off, get involved in the recovery community where you are, and stop going to your old haunts and hanging out with your old friends who drink or use.
Changing Your Routine
Change your routine, change your friends, and even change your job if that’s what was triggering you. For example, being a bartender in early sobriety may not be the best idea, but becoming a barista is more in line with staying sober. We have to make changes, even the most difficult ones that support our health and our lives if we want to make it.
Giving up old using friends is often the hardest change, but in truth, they really won’t miss you. That hurts, but it’s true, and to be honest, those aren’t real friends anyway. Real friends are ones you will meet on your journey in sobriety. Recovery is possible, and we can help you begin your own path, today.
The Lakehouse Recovery Center offers private, residential care. Our program brings together recovery and non recovery focused treatments to help clients heal and learn how to live life again, without drugs and alcohol. Call us today for information: 877.762.3707