Recovery isn’t about flipping a switch or waving a magic wand. As a treatment provider, I believe it’s part of my mission to build a structure through which recovery is possible. We can pray that addicts simply stop using whatever substance to which they’re addicted, recovery requires at least four (2) things for success
- We must educate the addict’s support system about the relationship between anxiety and compulsion and how each maintains the addictive cycle. This education should include the pharmacology of the respective substance (or substances) of abuse, as someone addicted to cocaine requires different treatment tools than someone addicted to opiates.
2. Recognition of the spiritual needs of the person in recovery. This does not mean pushing one religion or another onto someone; really, all it means is that each person should find a way to engage with something bigger than him or her self. All people have different needs and throwing a higher power at an atheist may be iatrogenic.
3. An understanding of the underlying causes of the Addiction. The underlying cause may be a co-occurring issue such as Depression or General Anxiety Disorder or it can simply be a desire to use the substance. Either way though, finding the root cause is critical to developing and maintaining recovery.
4. Recognition that recovery begins again, every day. The truth is that recovery begins again every day. We can’t “cure” addiction; we must manage it again and again, every day. There is no quick fix; plus, relapse may be a part of someone’s path. People in recovery need to renew their commitment and focus to their health, every day. As a matter of fact, we can all use that kind of daily commitment.
If we can build these four elements, then someone can recovery from an addiction. If, however, we keep hoping that a genie will spring forth from a magic lamp and grant us some wishes, then recovery probably isn’t going to happen…(for more information on research related to addiction recovery, please check out this link)
