Major Obstacles to Addiction Recovery
There are numerous reasons why people relapse. Some of the major obstacles to addiction recovery include:
- Denial. Many recovering addicts do not accept that they have an addiction/dependence problem.
- Not changing lifestyle. Many addicts continue to hang around the same people and places that they did when they were using.
- Idle time. After treatment, addicts often find that they have an access of time and they begin to use again.
- Overconfidence. Some addicts feel that they have changed and start to believe that they can not become addicted again, when addiction never goes away.
- Effect of the drug. Addicts often relapse because they miss the “high” feeling that comes from doing drugs.
- Social effect. Addicts will miss the interactions they had when using and will miss the social effects of drugs.
- Daily stressors. Problems with family and friends can influence the decision of the addict to start using again. They want to escape the confrontation.
- Aftercare. When the addict participates in too little aftercare or no aftercare, the addict does not build a support system and is more likely to relapse.
- Personal issues. The addict stops working on psychological issues such as anger or sadness and begins to use again.
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April 28th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I know all of the issues above have been struggles for me through out my journey in recovery so far. A lot of the fear i had in the beginning was about losing my personal identity and the self i thought i had “found” through my drinking and use. While i was getting sober the fear that would come up would get me looking for anything familiar to focus my mind on that wasnt recovery or anything uncomfortable. Idle time, over confidence, daily stressors, and personal issues have all come up for me after getting out of treatment and what i’ve found time and time again is if i look for a solution outside of what i know works (the steps, AA, going to meetings) my life quickly becomes unmanageable. It always comes back to doing what i know to do with the program, it works if you work it. I’m grateful that i have the support of friends, a sponsor, and co-workers when i start having problems come up in my life or i adopt some of the attitudes above. Thats the program working in my life, the fellowship, the steps showing me where my life becomes unmanageable, and meetings to go to where im not judged, shunned, or asked to leave. Im grateful i have been able to work through these attitudes and problems without using or picking up a drink as well as knowing that i’ll never have to stop dealing with these problems and i can only face them one day at a time.