Recovery from Alcohol and Drugs
Do you know somebody who is destroying their life through compulsive abuse of drugs or alcohol? Or perhaps you’re finding your own life spiraling out of control as a result of alcohol and drug abuse? Recovery from alcohol and drugs may be the light at the end of the dark tunnel you’ve found yourself in.
Recovery from alcohol and drugs is the state of having the disease of addiction in remission. In order to medically diagnose a person with addiction they need to have two defining symptoms – the presence of withdrawal symptoms and tolerance.
The twelve step fellowships suggest that physical compulsion and mental obsession are also hallmarks of addiction. Recovery from alcohol and drugs therefore implies that the person does not show these symptoms any longer.
Physical addiction is a horrid trap. It’s the situation where the alcoholic or drug addict cannot stop using their substance without suffering withdrawal symptoms. Imagine how frustrating it must be to know that alcohol and drugs are problematic in your life but being physically unable to endure the pain that comes with stopping drinking or using. This can lead to hopelessness and despair.
Drying out from alcohol or “detoxing” from drugs is the first step in getting recovery from alcohol and drugs. Getting a medically supervised detoxification is possibly the safest and most effective way to take this step.
Mental obsession with alcohol and drugs is a mental prison that addicts and alcoholics construct for themselves. As their drug addiction progresses the sufferer increasingly finds their thoughts wandering to alcohol or other drugs. They obsess about how they will acquire drugs/alcohol and how they will use them, continue to find money to drink and use as well as get away from family friends and employers finding out how bad their problem is.
Instead of paying attention to daily responsibilities the alcoholic or addict will first ensure that they have obtained enough of their substance to get the “high” or degree of drunkenness that they require. This can lead to problems at work and in the home.
Recovery from alcohol and drugs frees the person from this mental prison and allows them to start enjoying life to its fullest.
Addicts and alcoholics feel a compulsion to use their substance of choice. A social drinker may be able to choose to have a glass of wine with a meal, but an alcoholic feels physically compelled to drink. Addicts and alcoholics will abuse their substance regardless of the consequences – they find themselves unable to stop. This continued usage in spite of the negative results is the hallmark of any addiction and it’s so important to find recovery from alcohol and drugs.
Recovery from alcohol and drugs ends this compulsion, but never gives the alcoholic the ability to choose to have a drink. It is commonly believed in academic circles as well as in the 12 step fellowships that even after long term recovery it is not advisable to have a single drink or drug as it will invariably lead to full blown relapse. There is a saying “one is too many and a thousand never enough”. Only complete abstinence, coupled with behavioural changes, will allow the drug addict or alcoholic to find and stay in recovery.
Recovery from alcohol and drugs brings many freedoms to the lives of alcoholics and addicts. It brings a sense of fulfillment and contentment and promotes ongoing self-development. People in recovery feel more at ease with themselves, their pasts, and in situations where they used to struggle.
Recovering drug addicts and alcholics find themselves opening up to people around them and discover that they are likeable and valuable members of society who can use their past addictive experience to help others – no matter how bad those experiences were.
If you want to turn your life around and start living free of the negative consequences of drug addiction and alcoholism please contact one of our qualified treatment coordinators today. If left untreated alcoholism and drug addiction does kill.
Article by We Do Recover