Addiction recovery is a fragile process that requires
commitment to a promise to sobriety. Addiction recovery is a fragile process
that requires commitment to a promise to sobriety. Many people attempting to
achieve sobriety and a successful recovery find it very hard to keep to their
promise to abstain. Many people, places and life situations will cause a
person to relapse.
Addiction recovery takes focus on your direction, commitment
and consistency of performing your action plan. Relapse can happen at any time.
If you are not aware of the warning signs of relapse you will not know when a
relapse is about to happen.
8 warning signs that your addiction recovery is
fading
1. Unwilling to get
real about your addiction
To break an addictive
pattern you have to be willing and ready to become sober and change your
patterns of self-destruction. Denial can
blind a person's eyes, heart and thoughts toward your real need for sobriety.
If you are entering into sobriety for some external reason other than self, sobriety is doomed to fail from the start. Be
self honest about your motives to recover.
2. Continued
withholding of self-love
"Addiction
enters when self-love evaporates."
Many do not realize
that self-love is a major issue in addiction. The addicting process is so destructive
to a person's character. The addiction soon takes center stage of your life. Addiction will cause you to abandon family, friends,
interests, career and most importantly self. Understand in recovery self-love
is strength and a barrier to destructiveness.
3. False recognition that
you don't need help to get sober
Recovery is more than
just a decision not to use. It is more than a choice to "not do" a
substance or habitual pattern. Recognition of how your thoughts or behavior is
are distorting your view of self, actions and others. Becoming addicted is the
act of forming a relationship with a substance, thought, emotion or behavior, which
initially is viewed as vital and beneficial but over time turns toxic. Refusal
to admit to the anger and grief of losing that addictive relationship can cause
major internal disruption. The idea that you can do alone is a false acknowledgement.
Without help the influence of past addicted patterns will draw you to return to
the toxic relationship.
4. Looking all the time for a sure fire cure
The major attraction
about addictions is the immediate gratification gained. Recovery is the
opposite. Recovery is a deep exploration, readiness, and willingness to commit to
the long haul. It takes time, patience and investment. One needs to recognize
the original thought that proceeded use, identify your character flaws, and focus
consciously daily on the real underlying issues. There is not quick cure. Be
willing to spend the time in sobriety.
5. Making excuses for unhealthy thought patterns
If you are don't identify and change the
thoughts that got you started into the addictive relationship then the original
distorted thoughts will surface and take over at any time. The subconscious
will allow the sobriety to occur for a while and then trick you into to
returning to old thought patterns. Thoughts such as "I am not good enough
without___", something bad will happen if I don't use ____", and
"I need ___ to function (be social...)". Don't be fooled - every
addiction starts with a thought.
6. Believing recovery is a road to failure
Recovery is an up and
down process. One moment sobriety is easy and the next it is full of nothing
but hurt and pain. It is a moment to moment battle. Recovery is a hard and
constant conscious effort until a new pattern is established. It will take a
good 6 months to a year to establish a new pattern. Understand that the strongest
skill an addict has is the ability to create habitual patterns. Create and
practice a healthy pattern. Choose freedom, not enslavement.
7. Believing short-term sobriety is a cure
In the short-term the
subconscious will allow a change to happen and remain silent. But after time the
subconscious will soon torment the conscious mind to return to comfort. Comfort
is the old established pattern of use.
Many recovery addicts
believe that after a short time of sobriety they can return to maintenance use
without consequences. The subconscious which make 90% of all decisions, will
convince you that you are cured and one use will not cause a problem. Don't be
tricked. Sobriety is long-term commitment. There is not a cure. Underlying,
once an addict always an addict.
8. Inability to love self
Addiction enters when self-love is lost. Part of a successful recovery is to reconnect with self and begin to build a loving relationship with self. If there is no self love there then it is very possible relapse will occur. Addictive habits are developed to fill the hole where self was once.
Own and guard your
sobriety or you will be headed for doom and failure in the form of relapse. Be
strong in your resolve. Know the warning signs and engage help as soon as you
notice anyone of them.
Take Away
To increase success
in recovery design a strong action plan with a sponsor or holistic addiction
recovery coach, commit to it, follow through each step, create positive
thoughts and practice health each day.
About the Author
The author, Coach Bill Tollefson, is a Master Certified Holistic
Addiction Recovery and Life Coach in Cape Coral Florida. He brings his
education, expertise and training of 38 years as a psychotherapist,
hypnotherapist, reality therapist and licensed addiction counselor to his life coaching practice.
Dr. Bill coaches over Skype
and by phone - 239-349-2209. Or go to his website for
more information.
Or join Dr. Bill's Making a Positive Change Community for FREE
