Addiction Recovery Information

Find Help for Your Addiction

There are many different treatments for addiction, and these vary greatly in terms of price, services offered, medical, holistic or other, however, there are really only 5 stages in the addiction recovery process and while the names may be listed differently, these steps are fairly common regardless of the program of treatment chosen.

1. Admitting the Issue

If the patient is unable to admit that they have an issue, then there is no awareness of the problem and without that awareness, it is impossible to solve the issue. Once the patient admits that there is an issue – and surprisingly this could only be after the patient has suffered severe emotional, financial, health or personal repercussions – true healing and treatment can begin.

A key point, however, is not just acknowledging that a problem exists, it is essential to transition to a point where the patient admits that a change needs to be made.

2. Actioning the Issue

Now that the patient admits that a problem exists and they are willing to do something about it, the next stage is actually taking the necessary steps to recovery. Often this involves learning more about the issue and realizing the impact it is having not only on their lives but also the impact their addiction is having on the lives of other people in their lives.

Once the patient has conducted the necessary research, they can then move to the next step of the process.

3. Recovering from the Issue

Recovery from an addiction can either be accomplished by the individual solo or with the help and assistance of a clinic or center with staff specially trained to deal with the addiction. Depending on the issue specifics, detox might be impossible without specially trained staff and resources and this needs to be acknowledged by the patient. It is at this stage, that an addict can make a rational decision about an addiction treatment program.

4. Early Recovery

After detoxing from the addiction, the addict is in a very precarious position. While the body is adjusting to its new state without the drugs, the mental and psychological reasons for initiating the habit in the first place are still there. Unfortunately, this means that just like yo-yo dieters there is a significant risk for the addict to relapse unless great care is taken.

5. Ongoing Maintenance

This is potentially one of the most difficult, yet important steps for an addict. Acknowledging the issue and actually actioning the problem is extremely important, but without ongoing vigilance, the addictive personality has a very high risk of falling back into the same or similar behavior. Addicts need to realize that stage 5 could last for the rest of their life and will require the practice of new skills and the acknowledgment of the triggers that initially caused their issue to occur.

Addiction recovery is never easy, but for those addicts that have “come through the other side,” it is extremely rewarding and life transforming.