Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Speak out: Recovery By Vicente G. Aldanese Cebu City
CHEMICAL dependency is a disease that causes a person to lose control over the use of alcohol and other drugs. It is an addiction. This loss of control causes physical, psychological, social and spiritual problems. The total person is affected.
Sobriety, on the other hand, means living a meaningful and comfortable life without the need for alcohol or other drugs.
In recovering from chemical dependency, we move from destructive dependence on alcohol and other drugs toward full physical, psychological, social and spiritual health. When we stop using chemicals, we begin to heal the damage done to our bodies, minds, relationships and spirit.
Sobriety is more than just healing the damage. It is living a lifestyle that promotes continued physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health.
Abstinence from mood altering chemicals is the first requirement toward sobriety. We have to do this before we can learn what to do to get and stay healthy in all areas of our lives.
We do not recover overnight. Recovery is a developmental process during which we go through a series of stages. It is a gradual effort to learn new and progressively more complex skills.
A developmental model of recovery means that we can grow from simple abstinence to a meaningful and comfortable recovery.
We confront new problems during abstention and try to solve them. Sometimes, we fail and at other times we succeed.
Whatever the outcome, we learn from experience and try again.
The longer we stay clean and sober, the more we need to know to maintain a sense of meaning, purpose and comfort. The passage toward recovery is clear. First, we stop using chemicals entirely. Then we begin to associate and relate with others who want to recover as well.
Among the ways we can relate to others are:
a. We listen to others who have spent time in recovery, and we practice what we learn on a day-to-day basis.
b. We may fail at some things, but we will also succeed in others. The important thing is that we maintain a commitment to learn and grow no matter what happens.
c. We keep what works for us and leave the rest.
d. We talk honestly about what we tried and what happened. We learn from our experiences and share this knowledge with others.
Here are some points to remember about recovery:
1. Recovery is a lifetime process that is not easy.
2. Recovery requires total abstinence from alcohol and other drugs, plus active efforts toward personal growth.
3. There are underlying principles that govern the recovery process. The better we understand these principles, the easier it will be for us to recover.
4. Understanding alone will not promote recovery; the new understanding must be put into action.
5. The actions that are necessary to produce full recovery can be clearly and accurately described as recovery tasks.
6. It is normal and natural to periodically get stuck on the road to recovery. Getting stuck is not a measure of success or failure, but it is how you cope with the sticky point that counts.
7. We need to work with someone who has walked the path of recovery to act as our guide.
