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Obstacles addicts face in the early stages of recovery

Early recovery from drug addiction is marred by physical symptoms from withdrawal. The mind and body both are clouded by the cessation of the drug, making it difficult for addicts to focus on the psychological aspects of recovery.

 

Many addicts make it through a bit of early recovery and expect everything to go back to normal in their lives, forgetting that recovery from addiction is a lifelong process that requires many lifestyle changes and behavioral changes not just in relation to drug use but in responding to stress. There are a few early recovery mistakes that can derail a recovery. So here are 5 things to avoid in early recovery to ensure everything goes smoothly.

1. Don’t expect miracles:

 

Early recovery is emotionally draining and sometimes painful. It may include sickness from physical withdrawal and anxiety over the massive damage drugs have caused to your life. Don’t expect miracles overnight.

 

Remember that addiction is cunning, baffling, and powerful and that fighting against it in early recovery is going to be hard. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re growing and growing sometimes hurts.

2. Don’t ignore advice:

 

While every addict is free to take the advice that makes sense to them and not follow the advice that doesn’t, it’s best to take stock of each piece of advice you get, especially if it comes from a drug addict who’s had a successful recovery.

 

Not everything will work for every addict but each piece of advice is a piece of the puzzle from someone who genuinely cared enough to reach out and give you a piece of information you didn’t have before. Even if you don’t follow the advice, listen to it.

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3. Don’t isolate yourself:

 

Reach out to other people in recovery and to the professionals who are getting paid to help. These people can inspire you to hold on and stay clean. The importance of peer support in recovery is well documented and contributes to many addicts getting clean and staying that way for as long as they rely on their peers.

4. Don’t be afraid to try something new:

 

There’s no one certain way to recover. Group therapy works for a lot of people but if you’re frustrated by lack of results with group therapy, try individual counseling. If that doesn’t work, try community service.

 

Try meditation. Try anything reasonable. People who try to limit your recovery to one single area of it deprive you of the opportunity to find a huge arsenal of weapons against your addiction. You need tools to recover. Try many of them. Keep what works. Discard what doesn’t.

5. Don’t stop trying:

 

Slips in early recovery are tragic and they can end in horrible consequences, but even if you slip, don’t stop trying. So many addicts die of their addiction because they thought one slip was failure. And while it’s not a good thing, slips are common as addicts get serious about recovery.

 

If you’re struggling to stay sober, just know that many addicts slipped before finally hitting on that one recipe for success that saved them from addiction. A common saying is, “Don’t give up before the miracle happens.”

6. Reach out today

If you’re struggling with early recovery, don’t be fooled. Every addict, no matter how calm they seem, is struggling in early recovery. The devastation of drug addiction is most pronounced in early recovery. There are so many problems to fix it might seem impossible that they will ever go away. But one small problem at a time goes away as addicts remain sober.

 

As long as you have sobriety, you have life and the opportunity to undo the mistakes of the past and create a new, better existence for yourself and the people in your life. As long as you’re alive, it’s never too late to begin an earnest recovery from drugs and alcohol.

 

While early recovery will be tougher than later recovery, life is always there to be coped and dealt with. The tools you pick up in recovery will show you how to live life and cope with even its darkest tragedies. If you want help, it’s out there waiting for you.

 

Article Submitted By Community Writer

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