There is a false belief among those in early recovery that the longer you are clean, the easier it gets to manage your addiction. Many believe that "easy" means fewer meetings, never reviewing the steps again, abandoning your sponsor, foregoing service work, or disregarding self-care and therapy. The fact is, to live clean and sober, your approach to recovery must be as dynamic a process as your life is.
It is essential to recognize that in the battle to stay clean and sober; addiction is winning a vast majority of the time (research statistics put relapse at 60% to 80%). When anyone or thing is dominating by such a large margin, it is worthwhile to take notice. The fact is, addiction is winning because of its approach. Through a consistent and proven method, your addiction works to get you using again. However, if we employ these same tactics in our recovery, we can flip the statistic. That is, what would happen if you added these attributes to your recovery:
· Singularly Focused: Addiction has one goal, to get you to use again. This focus enables it to eliminate all distractions and worries. It cares very little about what is going on around it or what others think. It merely wants you to use again, and all its energy is spent on that task.
For Consideration: What if you define who you want to be and how you will become that person. What if your goals and priorities had you singularly focused on living your purpose? What if your purpose had you so determined that when negative influences or distractions presented themselves, you quickly dismissed them?
· A Short Memory: Addiction has a very short memory. The outcomes of yesterday do not matter. Your addiction does not get down, depressed, or consider itself beat when it fails to get you to use. If addiction was unable to achieve its objective yesterday, no problem, it will attack today with an even stronger force. There is no loss of confidence, feeling of helplessness, or thought that it is not good enough. Regardless of past outcomes, today, your addiction will be working as hard as ever.
For Consideration: We often let past outcomes influence future decisions. We let unwanted thoughts and emotions cause our faith to vanish. We allow biases and false believes to determine our effort. What if the only thing that mattered to you was the actions you were taking and whether those actions were in line with who you want to be? What if outcomes became secondary, and your mission each day was to act solely on a set of core principles.
· The Struggle Motivates It: Addiction does not get derailed by a few hurdles or difficulties. It is almost as if hurdles and difficulties boost its motivation. Addiction loves the challenges associated with someone attending treatment or looking to stop using. It does not get unhappy or run for cover when stress arrives. In these moments, addiction gets louder, looks for creative ways to attack, and becomes patient. Addiction refuses to lose, and it will always find a new motivation to keep it focused on the objective.
For Consideration: What if when failure or difficultly crossed your path, it motivated you to work harder? What if your resolve to become that person you want to be gained strength when you were confronted with past challenges or unwanted consequences? What if you were so determined that you never allowed barriers to influence your effort, attitude, or desire negatively?
Accepts Reality: Addiction does not wish things were different, run from its feelings, or ignore the truth. Your addiction is honest about its position and what must be done to find success. It understands that there are good and bad days and that things don’t always work out how it is imagined. Your addiction does not set expectations but willingly accepts what it must do today without blame or excuse.
For Consideration: Would life be easier if you spent less time worrying about what you don’t have and focused on what is possible. What freedoms could be gained by letting go of what might have been or by accepting what is? What would be possible if you set out to do what is right with an acceptance that it may take time to get to where you want to be.
To find sustainable recovery, one must be stronger, more determined, and better equipped than their addiction. Your addiction never relaxes or takes a day off. It never rationalizes why it is okay to take a short-cut, bend the truth, or give less than 100% effort. It certainly never thinks it has been beaten, has wasted too much time, or is not capable.
What if you took the same approach? You have all the same traits that have made your addiction successful. What if you now employed them to build a life that you love. What if you become singularly focused on making the right choices? What if you successfully worked through the trauma and past experiences that seem always to stop any life advancement. What if a love for life becomes your motivator, and what if your reality becomes your happy place?
If you took this approach, what side of the statistic would you be on?
ABOUT CHOICE RECOVERY
Finding the courage to even call an addiction treatment facility like Choice Recovery can be painfully difficult. However, like anything in life, the first step is always the hardest, even with addiction. The fact is, we are all on the same team. Choice Recovery wants the same thing you do; for you to live a life that you love free from drugs and alcohol.
Whether you or someone you love is fighting opioid addiction, heroin addiction, alcoholism, or marijuana addiction, the Choice Recovery team provides an intensive outpatient treatment program "IOP" that is equipped to support you on this journey. In addition to treatment, the Choice team also provides support around transportation, housing, other medical needs and much more. Choice Recovery accepts AHCCCS insurance like Mercy Care, United Healthcare, and others.
For more information about Choice Recovery or to see if our approach and services align with what you are looking for, please call us at 480-527-0337 or email at admin@choiceiop.com. We are located in Mesa near the 60 and 101 interchange.
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