One real danger after addiction rehab is, when new to recovery, is to substitute our drugs or alcohol for something else to fix the hole. Some people start to go mad shopping. It is no bad thing to suddenly want to buy a few clothes and to take an interest in our appearance. After all many of us have shown little interest in ourselves towards the end of our drinking or using. By all means, use some of the money you are saving by stopping drinking or using on treating yourself to some new clothes, a haircut or having a manicure – but don’t go mad. Instant gratification is not the answer.
Similarly some of us start to fix on food as a replacement. Many of us will find we suddenly have a bit of a sweet tooth when we have not had one before. This is because our bodies have got used to lots of sugar from the alcohol and we need replacement sugar from another source. But again don’t go mad. An instant sugar rush might feel good for a short while but in the end it is likely to leave you feeling down in the dumps and low. And while it is better to be clean, sober and a little overweight than drunk, high and thin. It is not a good idea to introduce a new problem into your life if this can be avoided.
Relationship for a Buzz….
Others might start to think a new relationship is what they need to give their life a buzz. It is all too easy to rush headlong into a new relationship and think this will solve everything that has been missing in our lives to date. This is dangerous because we are linking our recovery with something outside our control – another person – and not focusing on the most important person in our early recovery – ourselves. Beware! And be particularly wary if the person with whom you are tempted to have a relationship is in early recovery too.
Fix a Hole Inside…
All of the above are examples of us trying to fill a hole inside ourselves. Previously we tried to fill this with drinking or using but now we have stopped the hole is still there. What we need to do is fill that hole with discovering ourselves and starting to come to terms with that and growing to like ourselves for what we are. We should not be looking outside ourselves to get a rush or a buzz. What we need is self-fulfilment, not economic or emotional greed.
Be Careful of Being a Workaholic
One last word of caution. Many of us alcoholics and addicts are also workaholics. Our drinking or using started as a relaxation after a hard day at work and our success in that element of our lives meant it took us a long time to realise that being successful did not make us any less susceptible to addiction. In recovery, after addiction rehabilitation, we need to be careful of these workaholic tendencies and make time for ourselves and our addiction recovery – without recovery we will soon not have that work to go to.