recovery tips
Recovery is a long journey of many steps that entails more than just not using mind-altering substances. It takes hard work, but the payoff is wonderful -- a life you could never have imagined
recovery tips for women
Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS)
People new to recovery and those around them should be aware of something called "post acute withdrawal syndrome," a name developed by the internationally know substance abuse specialist Terence (Terry) Gorski. He is known for his work on relapse prevention. Gorksi has said, "recovery from the damage caused by addiction requires abstinence. The damage itself interferes with the ability to abstain. This is the paradox of recovery...For this reason, it is necessary to do everything possible to reduce the symptoms of PAW. It is necessary to understand PAW and recognize that you are not incompetent and you are not going crazy." PAWS is a cluster of symptoms that emerges 1 to 2 weeks after acute withdrawal has passed and peaking 3-6 months after initial abstinence. It is a biopsychosocial syndrome that is caused by the central nervous damage resulting from addiction, a normal part of recovery. For most the damage is reversible, but it takes time. Two factors influence the severity of PAW symptoms (1) the the extent of brain dysfunction caused by addiction and (2) the amount of stress experienced early in recovery PAWS is characterized by 6 types of symptoms (1) Inability to think clearly (2) memory problems (3) Emotional overreaction or numbness (4) Sleep disturbances (5) Physical coordination problems (6) Hypersensitivity to stress PAWS helps to explain why early recovery is so difficult for most people Read more about PAWS at: http://americanaddamericanaddictioncenters.org/withdrawal-timelines-treatments/post-acute-withdrawal-syndrome/ |
Research has supported the following relapse prevention strategies:
- identifying and coping with high-risk situations
- enhancing self-efficacy
- obtaining social support; work at getting friends who understand that you are working at recovery and support you
- maintaining physical well-being; avoid getting hungry, angry, lonely or tired (HALT); exercise regularly
- global lifestyle self-control strategies; maintain balance in your life, avoid overdoing anything
- stimulus control techniques, namely avoiding people places and things associated with addiction
- urge management techniques to help you figure out how to cope with cravings and urges to use, which are normal and inevitable, especially in early recovery
What to do if you relapse
- stop as soon as you realize that using is not good; don't say, "what the hell, I've already slipped so I might as well just keep using"
- get to a 12-step meeting
- talk to your sponsor (or get a sponsor if you don't have one)
- if you are in counseling, let your counselor know right away and work with him/her to figure out where you went wrong; learn from your mistake so you don't have to do it again
- forgive yourself, your human; beating yourself up just creates negative emotional states that push you toward a drink or a drug rather than away from on
MORE RECOVERY TIPS
- Research strongly indicates that active participation in self-help programs, in particular the 12-step program Alcoholics Anonymous, is positively associated with sobriety. It is necessary to regularly attend meetings to benefit from such programs.
- Other tips include:
- getting a sponsor and using that sponsor
- developing a belief in a Higher Power, which can be the 12-step program itself
- work the steps; they are a blueprint for recovery
- understanding what your own personal "triggers" are for drinking or using drugs and avoiding those people, places, and things when you can
- avoiding people who drink and use drugs to excess and developing a sober network of friends who understand and support your recovery; attending 12-step meetings or other self-help groups is an excellent way to develop such a network
- getting professional counseling to assist with personal problems that affect your recovery if meeting attendance and working with a sponsor is not enough support
- avoid people who are negative and be actively grateful about the blessings in your life -- your attitude really matters; avoid "stinking thinking" and self-pity
- identify any resentments that you hold and work toward letting them go; the only person they hurt is yourself
- seriously consider starting a regular meditation practice. Research indicates that regular meditation is associated with reduced stress, anxiety, and depression and enhances self-awareness. Thus it can be very helpful to people in recovery. Read more about meditation on my blog
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