I've always wondered if us addicts could fully recover from our addictions or if we would forever be in recovery. I've come to realize that opinions on this vary a lot and this might be because we don't all have the same idea of what being recovered means. Even I've changed my opinion about it more then once. I used to think that fully recovering from an addiction was possible because I thought being recovered meant no more urges to do that drug of choice or that specific behavior.
I haven't had the urge to do drugs in a very long time. I can even be around it and not want any whatsoever. I thought that meant I was recovered but recently I've come to believe that although I might be recovered from my coke and oxy addiction, I will always have an addictive personality. That means I'll always need to be aware of my emotional state and Ill have to regularly keep track of my thought patterns, which means I'll always be in recovery. I really don't mind that because recovery for me means keeping myself happy.
To me recovery has always been practicing self care, keeping track of my feelings and analyzing why I feel the way I do, controlling my negative thoughts and practicing positive thoughts and self image. So basically working on staying happy and how to get there if I'm not. My recovery isn't just about drugs but about being happy and healthy. Its about growing and moving past the emotional trauma I've experienced. After 6 years I might be recovered from my drug addiction but for me recovery will always be part of my life.
What's your opinion on being able to fully recover from addiction ?
Yours Truly Charmed ;)
Hey chelsie! Yes there are many thoughts on this for sure and I feel that you are always in a state of recovery.Your view is great! Some people can be sober for many many years and then all of a sudden find themselves relapsing. Not having urges to use is one part of the process of recovery I think anyways, as is, working on the deep emotional issues that keep many of us addicts addicted.I am continually working on myself and undoing the damage done from years of abuse,sexually, mentally and physically.and learning how to truly live the way I was meant too, not the way it was pushed upon me! Great post by the way, just love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks :) I know what you mean. I know major life events such as a big break up or the death of a love one can send someone into relapse who has been clean for years. I think recovery means using the healthy coping strategies that we have learned when life gets hard, and because life can get hard at any time we should always be using and practicing what we learned in recovery. For me that means always being in recovery, but I understand and respect when people say that they are recovered because it really depends on what that means for them. Thanks again for your kind words and commenting again. I love to hear from you. <3 Take Care Guys :)
DeleteWhat an awesome post Chelsie. You have some really valuable understandings here. I think that when any of us decide to change from old behaviors to new....then we are in recovery. I am not a substance abuser, but I am addicted to people and it takes constant vigilance to mind my own business and let us all walk out our own journeys. These are old old habits that are so deeply rooted they are a part of who I am at this point, so the risk of "relapse" is always present. I think being aware of who we are, what our weaknesses are, what our strengths are and taking good care of ourselves is crucial. I loved reading this.....I hope that some day my daughter can find her way to this place. See! I am always waffling that line.....lol
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that. Its so true that recovery is all about being aware of who we are, what our weaknesses are, what our strengths are and taking good care of ourselves. Changing our way of being is a definite challenge that requires us to always be vigilante of our thoughts and actions because new challenges arise all the time. I wish you the best with your recovery and your daughter. Thanks again for stopping by :)
DeleteHey Chelsie,
ReplyDeleteInteresting question. I believe addict is a personality type and the substance or action merely a symptom of that. I believe I will always be recovering. Like you I need to be hypervigilent about self-care and mental state. I think we are lucky to be addicts...the normies aren't nearly as aware of themselves as us lucky gals<3
Love, Pearl
That's exactly how I feel sometimes. I find myself feeling lucky for everything I've learned through my addiction and because of this I appreciate and understand things on a different level then most normies, and for that I feel very lucky. I feel like Im more aware of the world around me and how things really are. We are definitely lucky ;) Thanks for commenting :D
DeleteHi Chelsie, for me it comes down to balance. I am still programmed (grew up in alcoholic family, very black and white, and rigid!) to be overly serious and responsible in my recovery. Although I'm 17 years clean and sober, I can still value my worth through doing, rather than being. Balance restores wellness for me, not only physically, but mentally, emotionally and more importantly, spiritually. I find the urge to drink, which BTW will lead me to crack I'm sure, is more pronounced in the summer. I don't know if I would describe it as a craving, but rather a thought. A fleeting one. I fully comprehend what would happen should I pick up the drink - I'll pick up the consequences (loss of job, loss of relationships, loss of ME) because they don't come separate. So as much as a frothy glass of something might look like FUN, what comes after, is never worth it! You've raised a great topic! Thank you. I'm so glad I found your page!
DeleteThank you so much for dropping by abd commenting. I m glad you found my blog and like it. What you said about doing instead of just being makes a lot of sense to me. I feel like I rather be doing recovery then just being in recovery. I've never had a problem with alcohol but I can just imagine how careful a recovering alcoholic has to be. Alcohol is every where and it being legal its seen as not a big deal and the average thing to do. I'm guessing with that being society view on it must be harder to keep away from it and not dismiss it as not a big deal or a one time thing. Thanks so much for sharing and I hope to hear from you again.
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