In early recovery, life can feel immediately so much better and we can be full of hope and optimism that this is it, we have done it. These feelings can come for those of us who attend our first Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Are fortunate enough to immediately recognise that here is the help and the people we need and have been searching for.
It can also happen in treatment, when we realise that this is actually working for us, we are in the right place and it is not going to be as bad as we feared (it might even be quite enjoyable at times!). I always try to emphasise to people leaving treatment who go off full of confidence about how different they feel and how they will never drink, gamble or use again (they have got the message and know what to do) how difficult it is once you get home. You have changed – but everything else remains the same.
Powerless over People, Places & Things
Everyone around you will be the same. They will treat you warily and not trust you to start with, you are returning to the same environment. You might have changed yourself. But you are powerless over other people, places and things and in many cases the consequences of our drinking, gambling and using are still there to be faced. This can include damaged and broken relationships and insecure or lost jobs and careers. Much has to be faced and dealt with. And apart from the consequences of our drinking or using, life will continue to happen with all its problems, big and small.
Bubble will Burst in Early Recovery
At some point, the bubble of early recovery will burst and life will no longer seem so full of glorious possibilities, hope and happiness. AA or NA meetings will lose their appeal and seem repetitive and boring. The people there, instead of inspiring us, may come to irritate us. It is then that we are tested. Some will go back to their old ways and succumb to temptation, dulling their feelings by drinking or using. They will have the relapse they did not expect to have and were so certain would not happen to them. This need not be the end of the world. Many people relapse and still get into a secure and solid recovery in the end. It depends how it is dealt with and how long lasting it is.
Relapse
I would not advocate it but if it can be nipped in the bud quickly it can be a part of the journey to recovery. So, an evening’s drinking can be quickly stopped but this would rarely be without receiving help. For those who drink or use for longer, it is not long before we are back in the very pit of misery we vowed never to go back to again.
Again we usually need help to get back on track whether from AA or NA meetings. Or from swallowing our pride and readdressing the issue back in rehab. Of course. It is much easier if, once the bubble of early recovery bursts. That we really prove that we understand what has been said. The first drink, gamble or fix does the damage, don’t pick up, pick up the phone instead… – and don’t go there. ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…..’
The Haynes Clinic offers treatments for alcohol, gambling and drug addictions including detox and counselling.
Call 01462 851414 for free and confidential advice.