Recovery & Relapse

Recovery & Relapse

Recovery is a process for those who have lived an Addictive lifestyle. There are behavioral changes that will not happen for long periods of time, if ever for many.

Relapse is a common occurrence and honesty does not occur all at once, just because the substance is removed from the Addict.

Since the onset of the 12-step recovery programs, there has been a problem for those new to the groups with those who have less than perfect behaviors (which is everyone!). Because they have learned strongly the ways to manipulate and coerce others, this behavior may continue to develop in their recovery. New members may encounter those whose motives are less than sterling.

How to arm newly recovering clients against the possibility of encountering predators (or being one!) in 12-step groups is a challenge for many who work with treatment. There are numerous things that should be taught to clients. The first thing that they need to know is that 12-step groups can, and many do, include members who have done things that are criminal to others. Sometimes there are people who have committed assault on women (or men), convicted rapists, suspected rapists, child molesters, and burglars; perhaps others who have killed someone and served time, and certainly quite a few guilty of dishonesty and stealing, whether caught and convicted or not. These persons are welcomed to 12-step recovery groups, because the nature of the group is one of recovery. It is truly believed, and the idea embraced, in these groups that everyone who wishes to recover and considers themselves a member of the group can be and is.

Being a member of a recovery group does not guarantee that they have changed all of the behaviors that were problematic socially. Many talk a great game in the meetings, seeming quite charming and spiritually centered, but are still perpetrating great dishonesty outside the group, and sometimes with other members. There are stories in abundance about this type of situation. It must be stressed that everyone should be somewhat careful when becoming involved with persons that they do not know. Just because they belong to a group that no longer participates in addictive behavior, or that they say they do, does not mean that they do or that they have ceased all other unacceptable activity.

Forgiving others is tough for recovering addicts. In fact, 12-step programs have steps designed to show them how to get past resentment and anger with others. This is relatively early in the recovery process, right around steps 4 and 5. Part of the reason this is so tough is due to their own sense of guilt and shame for things they have done to remain active in their addiction.

If there is a way to transfer that guilt and shame onto others, it is the addict who has mastered this skill. They are quite capable of doing something wrong to another person and then helping that person find the culprit. In 12-step meetings, it is often heard by recovering addicts that they would “Steal your money and help you look for it.”  This is not uncommon practice for those who are behaving as those who are actively practicing an addiction behave.

Forgiving others is the first part of the process of recovery. Learning about their own part of the problems that have occurred in their lives is the purpose of Steps 4 and 5. It really isn’t about learning to forgive others so much as it is about learning who is really at fault in most of the cases that are cited. This is going to continue to be true for them, as they project their own behaviors onto everyone around them. This is an important concept to master for ongoing recovery. Learning to forgive them selves, therefore, is the lesson to be learned in this case.

Forgiving themselves for the horrors that they have inflicted on their own lives, the lives of those who care about them, and on everything that has been tainted by their addiction is a tall order. It is difficult to imagine that the simple act of forgiving of self is so deeply rejected by addicts that it takes all 12 of those steps to achieve just that, self-forgiveness.

The entire process of 12-step recovery is to produce the necessary Spiritual conversion that will allow an addict to stop the cycle of repeated relapse and addiction. In order to allow the Spiritual component to become an active part of their lives, addicts need to see that they are fit for a Spiritual relationship with a Higher Power. Most addicts are seen as lacking in self-acceptance, self-worth, and self-esteem. Therefore, they do not see themselves as worthy of a Spiritual relationship. Changing this view to one of allowing them to be worthy of such a relationship takes all of the work that is done in all 12 of those steps. This process is all about forgiveness of self and acceptance of self; a very tall order for anyone who has spent the entirety of their time actively destroying themselves and everything good and fine about their lives.

Those who work with addicts in recovery are often astonished to see the levels of self-destruction and self-loathing that exist in the addict’s frame of reference. This is another symptom of addiction, self-hatred. In order to fully embrace their own recovery, it is imperative that they begin to understand this concept and to learn to love and honor themselves, but mostly to learn to forgive themselves.

Humility.

 

On his desk, Dr. Bob had a plaque defining humility, "Perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me.It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised, it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness,when all around and about is seeming trouble.
"Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers, p. 222.
Humility is attentive patience.
P U T = Patience, Understanding, Tolerance.

What is Rehabilitation?

Alcohol Rehabilitation.

People who regularly consume Alcohol , suffer from health problems such as, Liver disease, Chronic Pancreatitis, Gastritis, Cardiovascular, and Neurological problems. Alcohol abuse may even lead to "Cancer" and a painful ''Death''. Those who have difficulty in moderating drinking neglect daily Activities and show physical symptoms of withdrawal are in need of Alcohol Rehabilitation.

 

Picture courtesy Google

 

The Treatment Program chosen for Alcohol Rehabilitation, should fit the specific needs of the Addict. If an incorrect Evaluation is made at the initial stage, then the chances for failure heighten. There are varying degrees of Alcohol abuse.
Some individuals may have a history of many failed attempts, to end their abuse pattern. These patients are suitable for in patient "Residential Treatment".
Long-term inpatient Alcohol Rehabilitation programs are conducted over a period of Three to Six months and provide the addict with a change of Environment as well as Care.
However, if an individual has only a short history of abuse, then out patient treatment or Counseling may suffice.
The first step to Alcohol Rehabilitation is Alcohol intervention. In this process, Addicts are made aware of the extent of their situation through a non-judgmental, non-critical, systematic process.
Individuals accept the reality of their problem and are motivated to seek help. Then comes Alcohol Detox.
This process rids the body of Addictive substances. It also involves physiological and mental readjustment through meditation, yoga and other holistic therapies.
The most important thing about Alcohol Rehabilitation is that the longer a person abstains from Alcohol, the more likely he or she will be able to stay sober.
The second part of alcohol abuse treatment involves working to improve self-esteem and self-worth, heal core traumas, learn life-skills, gain control over Addictive patterns and improve the health of the body in addition to Recovering from Alcohol abuse. Counseling focuses on the symptoms of drug addiction, the individual and the structure of the individual's Recovery program. It teaches coping strategies and tools for recovery.

A Self-help group meeting is another tool of Alcohol Rehabilitation. Such meetings follow the 12-step model of recovery. These meetings are held a few times a week and are usually free of charge. They focus on members sharing their experiences, strengths and hopes of Recovery from Alcoholism. “Alcoholics Anonymous” is one Better programme in Alcoholism Recovery.

Gratitude

 

God has been gracious enough to give me sober days and a life blessed with peace and contentment, as well as the ability to give and receive love, and the opportunity to serve others -- in our Fellowship, my family and my community. For all of this, I have "a full and thankful heart.
Daily Reflections, p. 93
                                           courtesy AAOnline.net


I am grateful for this minute; my eternity may be in it.
A A = Always Awesome.

 

I have much to be grateful for, my life has been much better than I deserve, for I have been blessed with an abundance of love, generous family, good friends and a spiritual path of joy and freedom.

 

My gratitude list looks like this

 

• A Power of the Universe, that I choose to call God, is in my life and wants only that I be happy and allows me to build a relationship of trust, honesty, love, forgiveness and freedom.

•  A woman who has chosen to spend her life with me, believe in me at my depths, love me unconditionally, been a wonderful mother to our children, daughter to my mother and sister to my sisters. My best friend and most loving and forgiving wife.

• Old friends have returned to my life and forgiven me, while my new friends, always hold their hands out to me to remind that I will never be alone again.
•  A new way of life that has put me on a journey of joy, peace and serenity that does not have a destination.
• 
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•  For the food, shelter belongings that sustain me, but don’t identify me.

•  For skills that allow me to have multiple profession that seem endless and ever evolving.

•  Recovery and sobriety; the miracle that embraced me and given me more than I ever dreamed possible.

•  Myself; not so fearful, not so angry, not so full of shame and able to trudge the road to my happy destiny and help others find their paths.
• Life constantly present storms which must be weathered, what I try to do is not become part of the storm but remain calm through it all. Being grateful and acknowledging God and all that has been done for me is that calming influence.

 

Life isn’t always fair, but it is life and I choose it over the alternative. I have been given tools and choices for good that allow me to put positive energy into the Universe. Life is to be lived “one day at a time”.

Yes Addiction “Hijacks” the Brain

Addiction involves craving for something intensely, loss of control over its use, and continuing involvement with it despite adverse consequences.

Addiction changes the brain, first by subverting the way it registers pleasure and then by corrupting other normal drives such as learning and motivation. Although breaking an addiction is tough hence it can be done.

Addiction extracts a long and powerful influence on the brain that manifests in three distinct ways.

·      Craving for the object of Addiction.

·      Loss of Control over its use.

·      Continuing involvement with it despite Adverse Consequences.

For many years, experts believed that only Alcohol and powerful Drugs could cause Addiction. Neuroimaging technologies and more recent researches, have shown that certain pleasurable Activities, such as Gambling, Shopping, and Sex, can also co-opt the brain.

Although multiple addictions, each tied to a specific substance or activity, consensus is emerging that these may represent multiple expressions of a common underlying brain process.

Nobody starts out intending to develop an Addiction, but many people get caught in its Snare.

In the 1930s, when researchers first began to investigate what caused addictive behavior, they believed that people who developed addictions were somehow morally flawed or lacking in willpower.

Overcoming addiction, they thought, involved punishing miscreants or, alternately, encouraging them to muster the will to break a habit.

Today we recognize addiction as a chronic disease that changes both brain structure and function. Just like.

·      Cardiovascular disease damages the heart.

·      Diabetes impairs the pancreas.

·      Addiction hijacks the brain.

This happens as the brain goes through a series of changes, beginning with recognition of pleasure and ending with a drive toward compulsive behavior.

The brain registers all pleasures in the same way, whether they originate with a psychoactive drug, a monetary reward, a sexual encounter, or a satisfying meal. In the brain, pleasure has a distinct signature: the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, a cluster of nerve cells lying underneath the cerebral cortex,

All drugs of abuse, from Alcohol to heroin, cause a particularly powerful surge of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens.

The likelihood that the use of a drug or participation in a rewarding activity will lead to addiction is directly linked to the speed with which it promotes dopamine release, the intensity of that release, and the reliability of that release.

Even taking the same drug through different methods of administration can influence how likely it is to lead to addiction.

Addictive drugs provide a shortcut to the brain’s reward system by flooding the nucleus accumbens with dopamine. The hippocampus lays down memories of this rapid sense of satisfaction, and the amygdala creates a conditioned response to certain stimuli.

Scientists once believed that the experience of pleasure alone was enough to prompt people to continue seeking an addictive substance or activity. But more recent research suggests that the situation is more complicated. Dopamine not only contributes to the experience of pleasure, but also plays a role in learning and memory — two key elements in the transition from liking something to becoming addicted to it.

The reward circuit in the brain includes areas involved with motivation and memory as well as with pleasure. Addictive substances and behaviors stimulate the same circuit, and then overload it.

Determining whether you have addiction isn’t completely straightforward. And admitting it isn’t easy, largely because of the stigma and shame associated with addiction. But acknowledging the problem is the first step toward recovery.

A “yes” answer to any of the following three questions suggests you might have a problem with addiction and should be at the very least stage consult a health care provider for further evaluation and guidance.

1. Do you use more of the substance or engage in the behavior more often than in the past?

2.                       Do you have withdrawal symptoms when you don’t have the substance or engage in the behavior?

3.                       Have you ever lied to anyone about your use of the substance or extent of your behavior?

Over time, the brain adapts in a way that actually makes the sought-after substance or activity less pleasurable.

In nature, rewards usually come only with time and effort. Addictive drugs and behaviors provide a shortcut, flooding the brain with dopamine and other neurotransmitters. Our brains do not have an easy way to withstand the onslaught.

Addictive drugs, can release two to 10 times the amount of dopamine that natural rewards do, and they do it more quickly and more reliably. In a person who becomes addicted, brain receptors become overwhelmed. The brain responds by producing less dopamine or eliminating dopamine receptors — an adaptation similar to turning the volume down on a loudspeaker when noise becomes too loud.

As a result of these adaptations, dopamine has less impact on the brain’s reward center. People who develop an addiction typically find that, in time, the desired substance no longer gives them as much pleasure. They have to take more of it to obtain the same dopamine “high” because their brains have adapted — an effect known as tolerance.

Cravings contribute not only to addiction but to relapse after a hard-won sobriety.

A person addicted to heroin may be in danger of relapse when he sees a hypodermic needle, for example, while another person might start to drink again after seeing a bottle of whiskey. Conditioned learning helps explain why people who develop an addiction risk relapse even after years of abstinence.

It is not enough to “just say no” — as the 1980s slogan suggested. Instead, you can protect and heal (by the help of an ex-problem addict or Alcoholic) from addiction by saying “yes” to other things. Cultivate diverse interests that provide meaning to your life.

 Understand that your problems usually are transient, and perhaps most importantly, acknowledge that life is not always supposed to be pleasurable.