Thursday, March 14, 2024

What Does It Mean To Be In Recovery From Addiction

Cinde Stewart Freeman Rn Mac Ladac Ii

What does addiction and recovery look like?

CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER

Cinde Stewart Freeman is Cumberland Heights Chief Clinical Officer and has been with Cumberland Heights for 30 years. During her tenure, Cinde has served in nursing, clinical management, and administrative roles.

Cinde is a bachelors prepared Registered Nurse and a masters prepared Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, Level II. She holds NAADACs Master Addiction Counselor credential and is a Qualified Clinical Supervisor as well.

Cinde has a love for the places where opposites touch. This has led her to clinical explorations of somatic and spiritual healing of the things that wound us, as well as explorations of how the lived wisdom of the 12-step tradition informs and brings color to clinical education and experience. It also leads her to the beach as much as possible!

Cinde regularly trains on topics ranging from 12-step based Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Spiritual Care principles to ethical practice and clinical supervision. Her core belief is that love is more powerful than the wounds we have experienced, and, in fact, can cause us to become our strongest at those places.

Disease Theory Of Addiction And Responsibility

In previous generations it was assumed that people fell into addiction because they were just bad people. The disease theory of addiction became popular during the middle of the last century, and this puts forward the idea that the addict is not fully to blame for their situation. They have a brain disease, and it is this that drives the addiction. This would imply that the addict is no more responsible for their condition than the diabetic.

While many would agree that the individual is not responsible for falling into addiction they certainly have a responsibility to get themselves out of this situation. Nobody else can do this for them so if they fail to take responsibility they are doomed to an unpleasant ending. Some individuals use the disease theory as justification for their failure to escape addiction, but this is argument is not valid at all. If people choose to continue to abuse alcohol are drugs they are fully responsible for the outcome of this.

How You Can Develop Life

Anyone can obtain the acceptance they need to change their life and beat their addiction. Let me repeat that: ANYONE can! That means you, my friend. All it takes is an honest mind and a little hard work. But maybe you need to a little help getting pointed in the right direction. Follow these practices to master the skills necessary to gain personal acceptance:

  • Mindfulness meditation This practice is designed to make your more present in your daily life and to feel a more peaceful and relaxed state of mind.
  • Create a beginners mind What is a beginners mind? It is the state of mind you feel when you begin a new task without understanding anything about it. Your mind is free of biases and opinions about that task. Obtaining this state of mind is crucial for acceptance.
  • Practice humility Humility is the understanding that you have limitations and may require help. Accepting this part of your life can give you a stronger sense of your strengths and open you up to getting the help you need to recover.
  • Understand your fallibility I make mistakes. You make mistakes. Making mistakes is a part of life. Your addiction is a mistake. But like all mistakes, there is a solution. Accepting that you made a mistake and taking charge of healing from it will aide your recovery.

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Narrative Review: The Meaning Of Recovery For Addiction Treatment And Research

Mimi Rosealie Borrelli1, Suna Mantori2, Stephen Kaar3, Mike Kelleher4 and James Bell5
1 Stanford University School Of Medicine, United States
2 Guys And St Thomas, NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
3 Department Of Psychosis Studies, Kings College, London, United Kingdom
4 Lambeth Addictions Consortium, South London And Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
5 Kings College, London, United Kingdom

Received DateAccepted Date

What Does Recovery From Addiction Truly Mean

Relapse Does Not Mean Failure It

Call to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.Who Answers?

02/28/2016|Addictions Content Team

Addiction is a progressive disease, manifested in a variety of ways, and nearly every addict believes at the start that they can stop using drugs on their own. Like any other chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma, the conditions of addiction worsen over time and become more difficult to manage without the right type of care. While they may be fleetingly aware of the impacts that their drug abuse has on their health, relationships, finances, or ability to enjoy life, recovery hopes are lost with each attempt to quit.

For those who seek addiction treatment services, full recovery is an achievable goal, but, partial recovery is a more realistic one. The message from SAMHSA is clear Recovery emerges from hope. The belief that recovery is real provides the essential and motivating message of a better futurethat people can and do overcome the internal and external challenges, barriers, and obstacles that confront them. So, what does recovery from addiction truly mean?

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Aa And Meditation For Addiction Recovery

Strict medical treatment for addiction can only help individuals so much. Ultimately, long-lasting recovery involves a sound mind, body, and soul. One of the most widely-known support groups for individuals with alcohol use disorders is Alcoholics Anonymous, otherwise known as A.A. Part of what makes A.A. groups so successful in their treatment of individuals with alcohol use disorders is their use of holistic practices such as meditation.

The literature that holds the basis of A.A. is called The Big Book. In The Big Book, there are 12 steps that help individuals overcome their addictions to alcohol from start to finish. The eleventh step in the book is as follows:

Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

This step asks individuals to meditate with the intention of being more conscious as a whole. While the step says God, individuals can meditate on the faith they have in themselves to remain sober. In short, this step means to clear the mind of thoughts that dont serve a purpose regularly and opt to direct thoughts to a peaceful state of mind.

Productive Members Of Society

While in active addiction, your whole life is controlled by your drugs use. Your entire day involves coming up with ways to get money for use. Many times the addiction can completely destroy your life. Once the drugs are gone, part of the process of recovery is being a productive member of society. The drug no longer controls every action. Holding down a job now becomes possible. A steady job and no longer needing to spend all your money on using, allows for bills to be paid. Many are now able to have a home.

Meanwhile, a person in recovery may discover hobbies they once loved or even new ones. There is a lot more time available when you are no longer spending every waking moment to feed your drug habit. Spending time working or on hobbies can be very fulfilling. Having goals and ambitions are a big part of recovery.

It is now possible for people to reach goals they never would have dreamed possible while in addiction. Some may decide to go back to school or begin a new career. All the energy once focused on negative things is now being harnessed for positive.

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What Does It Mean To Take Accountability In Addiction Recovery

First, heres what taking accountability and personal responsibility does NOT mean.

It does not mean that you caused or deserved the hard things that happened in your life.

It also does not mean that you assume a heavy weight of guilt, blame, and shame, because you should have known better.

How can you blame yourself for something you did from a place of ignorance? In the wise words of Maya Angelou,

I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.

Heres what taking accountability and personal responsibility DOES mean

What Being In Recovery Means

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When someone says they are in Recovery, they usually mean they are receiving treatment for their drug or alcohol addiction. Recovery covers a lot of territory. Many people use Recovery as synonymous with in remission.

As long as you are in Recovery, you are not actively suffering from the disease, though it may still impact you in many ways. People can stay in Recovery for their entire lives because there is no cure for addiction. There is only treatment. While you can sustain treatment for a long time, you cant take a pill that magically ends your addiction.

Recovery is an active phase. When you are in Recovery, you do everything you can to push through it.

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The Difficulty Of Dual Diagnosis

If youre struggling with a dual diagnosis – a substance addiction combined with a mental health concern such as depression or anxiety – you may feel as though your life is out of control.

And well be the first to affirm that your struggles are real.

Its not easy to cope with a dual diagnosis. But the good news is, youre the author of your story.

You can decide to despair, or you can believe that your unresolved issues are opportunities for spiritual growth. You can choose to abdicate personal responsibility, or you can step up to the plate.

Everyone has all of resources that they need to heal within themselves. This is good news, because it means that you dont have to rely on anyone else to heal you.

Much as we work to create a wonderful addiction recovery program, we know that we can’t heal anyone. Rather, we show people how they are capable of staying clean. We do this by providing a safe, loving, and supportive environment and empowering, practical teaching.

Drug Rehabilitation: What Does Recovery Mean

At Ridgeview Institute

When youre battling a drug or alcohol abuse, it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe youre just beginning to realize that you need to change. Maybe youve tried to kick the habit before, only to find yourself back where you started. You may be wondering if drug rehabilitation is even possible. The good news is that, with effective substance abuse treatment, you can achieve and maintain sobriety.

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The Power Of Perception: A Thought Experiment

Imagine that you have two friends.

The first friend has had a hard life. Growing up, his parents emphasized harsh, rigid rules instead of emotional connection, and his siblings teased him mercilessly. In high school, he started doing drugs and decided to drop out before graduation. His health and happiness deteriorated, and now hes struggling to stop using.

The second friend is incredibly gifted. Hes an amazing musician, always creating new melodies on his guitar. He has performed in several showcases and has had steady work teaching others to play. He feels things deeply, and when you talk to him, he really listens. He has issues with drug abuse, but hes working hard to recover.

Heres the thing: these two hypothetical friends are one and the same.

Does this guy have hope for recovery?

It depends on your perspective, on what story you choose to tell.

Humility In Recovery From Addiction

80 Uplifting Addiction Recovery Quotes

Humility is a personal quality that can be undervalued in the modern world. The modern focus is on individual empowerment and assertiveness. Most people will admit that humility is praiseworthy, but it tends to be associated with weakness. This misunderstanding about humility means that people fail to recognize how much it could benefit their lives.

Individuals who have escaped an addiction to alcohol or drugs will need to develop at least some degree of humility. If they fail to do so, they will be faced with a barrier to progress. The good news is that once people do begin to practice being humble, they will discover that it can bring substantial joy to their life. At this point, it can become a habit.

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Addiction Treatment Begins With Assessment

Looking inward at your thoughts, feelings and behaviors regarding addiction is a complicated process as well. Dependence skews your perceptions, so you believe only you are correct, and the others around you are wrong.

Having faulty points-of-view distorts the way you view your addiction. Additionally, it can prevent you from recognizing your addiction at all.

In situations like this, a thorough assessment performed by a knowledgeable mental health or addiction professional can offer a better understanding of your condition. A formal evaluation will diagnosis your status as well as outline possible risks and benefits of ending use and beginning treatment.

The best evaluations are comprehensive, which means they account for all aspects of your life affecting addiction. A detailed assessment will inspect your:

  • Mental health symptoms.
  • Housing and transportation.
  • Family relationships.

Without knowing your entire situation, it will be impossible to accurately grasp your needs or provide the best types of treatment. Once the evaluation is complete, the professional refers you to the level of treatment that matches your needs, supports and stressors.

Substance Abuse: The Power Of Acceptance

Accepting reality enables us to live in reality.

What does this mean? When life pleases us and flows in accordance with our needs and desires, we dont think about acceptance. But when our will is frustrated or were hurt in some way, our displeasure causes us to react, ranging from anger to withdrawal.

We might deny or distort whats happening to lessen our pain. We might blame others or ourselves or we try to change things to our liking and needs.

Denial

Although in some circumstances denial is a useful coping mechanism, it doesnt help us solve problems. Nor does blame, anger, or withdrawal.

Denial is more common than we may realize. Everyone alters reality somewhat by perceiving events in accordance with our personal biases. Yet, sometimes we unconsciously use the defense of denial to make reality more palatable. Examples are:

  • Minimizing
  • Self-deception
  • Repression

Denial helps us cope with a potential threat or uncomfortable facts and feelings, such as our eventual death. We also deny reality when the truth would put us in conflict with someone else or ourselves.

Although denial may be helpful temporarily to cope with stress, a better defense is suppression, which is the conscious decision not to think about something. For example, a cancer patient may be served by deciding not to think all the time about dying, so that she can find the courage to undergo difficult treatment.

Facing Facts

The Need to Control

Letting Go of Control

Changing What We Can

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The Impact Of Being In Recovery

Being in Recovery is a challenge every day. You have to make choices that uphold your sobriety, which takes concentration and determination. Holding onto that each day can feel like a daunting challenge.

But Recovery also means taking one day at a time. Early in Recovery, it may even mean taking an hour or a minute at a time. Recovery is a process, and you have to experience it deeply to appreciate its meaning.

When you are in Recovery, you:

  • Feel a kinship to those who are also in Recovery
  • Make decisions based on how it could impact your Recovery
  • Adjust friendships and relationships based on how they could affect Recovery
  • Never let down your guard

There is no part of your life that Recovery will not touch. Your Recovery is a daily reminder to appreciate what you have. You may find that sharing time with others in Recovery and talking to them about their experiences can soothe you and ignite empathy that you can also give to yourself. Its important to treat yourself kindly and generously while you are in Recovery, for as long as it may last.

Getting In Touch With Yourself Is Key To Sustaining Your Sobriety

Today I Have Hope: Addiction & Recovery | Alfred Clapp | TEDxStroudsRun

No matter how strong your resolve may be, if you dont learn to become truthful with yourself and be able to ask for help, you will remain trapped within the vicious cycle of addiction. If you or a loved one are looking to truly break free from substance abuse, you need to find a drug treatment center that will give you the tools and confidence you need to become the person you were meant to be.

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Types Of Recovery Programs

Some types of recovery programs include:

  • Recovery-oriented systems of care: These programs embrace a chronic care management model for severe substance use disorders, which includes longer-term, outpatient care recovery housing and recovery coaching and management checkups.
  • Recovery support services: These services refer to the collection of community services that can provide emotional and practical support for continued remission. Components include mutual aid groups , recovery coaching, recovery housing, recovery management , recovery community centers, and recovery-based education .
  • Social and recreational recovery infrastructures and social media: These programs make it easier for people in recovery to enjoy activities and social interaction that do not involve alcohol or drugs .

NIDA offers two resources that can be used by counselors and others working with patients entering recovery following treatment:

The Science of Drug Use – Discussion Points: This resource is intended to give counselors and others who work with patients within structured or criminal justice settings language they can use to explain the risks of drug use, as well as resources that can aid in recovery. The document can be used as a guide when offering the patient the wallet card when he or she is leaving the treatment facility.

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