Getting Clean Living Sober
  • Getting Ready
    • Hitting Bottom
    • Ability
    • Attitude
    • Motivation
  • Getting Clean
    • Getting Help
    • Drug Detox
    • Drug Addiction Treatment
  • Living Sober
    • Relapse Prevention
    • Emotional Self-Control
    • Life Coping Skills
    • Self Esteem
  • Your Health
    • Fitness
    • Nutrition
  • Addiction Education
    • Addicted Body
    • Addicted Brain
  • Articles

Getting Clean Living Sober

  • Getting Ready
    • Hitting Bottom
    • Ability
    • Attitude
    • Motivation
  • Getting Clean
    • Getting Help
    • Drug Detox
    • Drug Addiction Treatment
  • Living Sober
    • Relapse Prevention
    • Emotional Self-Control
    • Life Coping Skills
    • Self Esteem
  • Your Health
    • Fitness
    • Nutrition
  • Addiction Education
    • Addicted Body
    • Addicted Brain
  • Articles
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getting clean

Motivation

7 Quotes From Michael Jordan That Will Inspire You To Get Clean And Stay Sober No Matter What.

Was Michael Jordan specifically referring to how to get clean and live sober with these quotes?

get clean live soberI doubt it.

What I believe he was referring to was how to live life. Not just any life put one of excellence. Are you prepared to put in the work needed to get sober and stay sober. Even more important, are you ready to create a new life for yourself and enjoy it?

We hope you enjoy our spin on some famous Michael Jordan quotes and points of view.

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Quote # 1

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.

I believe that anyone with alcohol or drug addiction can be classified into one of three groups. Which group they fall into is entirely their choice and based on their actions.

The first group is people who ‘make it happen’. These are the people who have taken correct action with proper motivation who get clean and stay sober for the rest of their lives. They are following in the footsteps of the millions of other successful people who have gotten clean and sober and doing what they have done.

The second group is people who ‘want it to happen’ or ’wish it would happen’. These addicts like the idea of getting clean and sober or maybe they think they “should” get clean. They either lack the proper level of motivation and commitment or they refuse to do the work that other successful people have done. These people are bouncers. They balance in and out of short periods of recovery followed by relapse back to the drugs they are not taking the correct action to sustain long-term recovery.

The third group of addicts are people who will never have it happen. They flat out are not willing to change their lives. There are such unfortunates. It is unfortunate, but there are far more people who are active in drug addiction versus people who are active in recovery.

Quote # 2

I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.

Getting clean and living sober is all about putting in the work. A fellow therapist once said to me “a thought is just a thought, emotion is just an emotion, nothing really happens until you take action.” Being in recovery is not simply the absence of drugs. It is about being proactive in doing the work of developing a new way of thinking, feeling, and acting that will support sobriety rather than sticking with the old ways that support addiction. Sustaining addiction recovery, getting clean and living sober is about personal growth, progress and change; not just giving up drugs and alcohol.

Quote # 3

Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

This is my favorite Michael Jordan quote. So many people see obstacles as walls or stop signs – a logical reason to quit or give up. A person might want a new job and be rejected in five interviews. He comes to the conclusion that it will never work, gives uo and nothing changes.

Another point of view is to look at each obstacle not as a stop sign, but as a milestone a marker of progress. Not giving up at each obstacle or wall presented and finding a way around it brings you one step closer to your goal. This is where focus, determination and follow through will produce results. It seems to be a universal law of life that nothing truly worthwhile is particularly easy.

The mindset of giving up or succeeding is your choice and your results depend on it.

Quote # 4

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.

i have worked with people who have tried giving up drugs and attempted living clean numerous times. They get some clean time and then relapse. A natural line of thought is to start thinking that they lack the ability to be successful. It is not a question of ability – they have it. End of story.

However, they don’t believe they have the ability and we act out of beliefs, not facts. They are basing their present capabilities and future possibilities on past failures. They give up trying. This manifests itself in a state of hopelessness and giving up on life.

One thing in the addiction treatment field we know with absolute certainty, is that if a person is alive they can get clean. The only thing that disqualifies a person from ever getting clean is if they are dead already. Sometimes the challenge is convincing themselves to break through their own self-imposed limitations.

Quote # 5

Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.

Got lemons? Make lemonade.

Life is life. Good things will happen and bad things will happen. One of the biggest lessons in the field of personal empowerment is the concept that the attitude that you adopt concerning the curve balls life will throw you will determine your actions.

In a given situation you actually have a choice of looking at it in a positive way or in a negative way. Start looking at things in a positive way.

Quote # 6

We all fly. Once you leave the ground, you fly. Some people fly longer than others.

Just about everybody that has decided that they need to quit drugging or drinking has been able to do so for a period of time.

For some people it’s just a matter of a couple hours, for others it’s a lifetime. In talking to a lot of people who have relapsed after a few months of sobriety, they almost universally state that things were much better when they were not using. They were ‘flying high’ on life once they left drugs and alcohol behind on the ground.

If or when, they crash and burn in a return to drug or alcohol use, they are thoroughly confused and have difficulty finding out why they relapsed when they were flying so well.

All addicts and fly once they stop using drugs. Some people fly longer than others.

Quote # 7

Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.

A lot of lip service is given to the “work” of recovery. Many addicts look at the beginnings of sobriety as being a pain in the ass. they have to do a lot of new and uncofortable things. they have to do a lot of things they don’t ‘feel like’ doing. That’s a set up for failure. Human beings are designed to seek pleasure and avoid pain.

It sobriety is a pain in the ass, what’s the logical response? To avoid it. (Avoid pain)

What if we flip that equation around and regarded active addiction as being extremely painful. What would be our logical response to avoid it. What if we start looking at sobriety as being fun, challenging and fulfilling? What would be our logical response? To seek it out (seek pleasure)

For goodness sake, play, have fun, create your own game of life and enjoy it.

Highly Recommended:

Attitude is Everything Rev Ed: 10 Life-Changing Steps to Turning Attitude into ActionAttitude is Everything Rev Ed: 10 Life-Changing Steps to Turning Attitude into ActionAttitude: How To Change Your Behavior and Attitude, Become the Person You Really WantAttitude: How To Change Your Behavior and Attitude, Become the Person You Really WantMake Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the WorldMake Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World

Best Motivational Speech Compilation

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Some Really Good Resources

Free Resources:

  1. Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction (Drugabuse.gov) – In my opinion this is the best short read on addiction. I have used the content for many therapy groups and lectures…check it out.
  2. Understanding Drug Use and Addiction Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. This explains it nicely.

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7 Quotes From Michael Jordan That Will Inspire You To Get Clean And Stay Sober No Matter What. was last modified: April 28th, 2017 by Bill_Urell
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Drug Addiction Treatment

Looking For Drug Or Alcohol Rehabilitation? 12 Revealing Questions You Might Ask Before Your Final Selection

If you are looking for inpatient drug or alcohol rehabilitation, there are certain questions that might be in your best interest to ask before you go.

Drug Alcohol RehabilitationIn this post we have outlined some of the key questions that may help you in making a decision to pick the best rehab if you have hit your bottom and are ready to go.

An inpatient alcohol or drug rehab offers the highest level of care. Person is actually living at the facility in experiencing intensive, round-the-clock treatment monitoring and at least 40 hours of therapy, groups and activities per week.

The best drug and alcohol treatment centers offer complete control of the person’s environment, the most formal structure, and the widest variety of psychological therapy.  The length of stay will vary depending on the assessments of the clinical professionals at the treatment center and the severity of the addiction. Please read our post on using the addiction treatment locator.

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12 Questions You Really Should Ask When Choosing An Inpatient Rehabilitation Center (They Boil Down My List).

The following is a list of critical questions which you should ask when considering a rehabilitation facility:

 

  1. Is the center accredited by JCAHO or CARF? To avoid fly-by-night treatment centers look for these accreditations. The Joint Commission on Accredited Health Organizations (for more information about this organization you may reference this page – http://www.jcaho.org/about+us/jcaho_facts.htm and/or CARF, the Commission of Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (for more information about this organization you may reference this page – http://www.carf.org/ – these two organizations are two of the nation’s leading accreditors for health facilities, and will ensure that the center meets national guidelines and standards for providing health services.
  1. Does your health insurance cover any of their services/program?.
  1. What is the drug treatment rehab’s philosophy/approach towards addiction – is it religious, 12 Step, psychological, both physical and psychological, or trauma-based? Do you think this approach will suit your personality/beliefs, or is one that you can re-structure your life based on? .
  1. Do they offer strongly outlined, detailed, and positive approaches towards treatment – i.e. they may stress responsibility, treatment should be fun not punishment, spirituality, positive motivation, how to achieve happiness, this is a disease/not a disease but a choice, among others.
  1. How do they guide the person during the withdrawal process? ? Is medical treatment for withdrawal provided, i.e., a heroin or opiate medical detoxification process, or should this be done elsewhere prior to entering the facility? Fear of the onset of dope sickness keeps many people out of treatment and using.
  1. To what extent is the family involved treatment? Is there a family program, or at least accessibility to the primary therapist?
  1. How long have they been in business?Avoid brand new or start up rehabs.
  1. How long will the treatment take? What is their average length of stay for this particular addiction?
  1. Are there continuing services and therapies for the patient to follow up with once he is discharged? Are there resources for drug relapse prevention education?
  1. Ask for a copy of the daily schedule. What will the schedule of each day be like – how many hours will a person spend with an individual therapist, a group therapy session, in exercise sessions, activities, etc?
  1. How much will treatment cost? They cannot give an exact figure – but get a ballpark answer. You Have a right to know.

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5 Questions to Ask When Choosing an Addiction Recovery Treatment Center

https://youtu.be/H8viKX5GpG4

Highly recommended 3 books

Highly Recommended:

  • The Recovery Book is the easiest to read reference book on 100’s of topics on addiction recovery. I know tons of couselors who have this on their book shelf and refer to it constantly.
  • The Happy Addict. The Happy Addict is the ultimate guide to achieving an amazing life after addiction. No more guilt. No more shame. No more feeling held back by the past or low self-esteem.
  • The Craving Mind. This ia an Amazon Best Seller. A leading neuroscientist and pioneer in the study of mindfulness explains why addictions are so tenacious and how we can learn to conquer them.

The Recovery Book: Answers to Questions About Addiction and AlcoholismThe Recovery Book: Answers to Questions About Addiction and AlcoholismThe Happy Addict: How to be Happy in Recovery from Alcoholism or Drug AddictionThe Happy Addict: How to be Happy in Recovery from Alcoholism or Drug AddictionThe Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get HookedThe Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked

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Summary:

Selecting a drug or alcohol rehabilitation center is one of the biggest decisions in life. We urge you to be an educated consumer – ask some questions. People are trained to not ask questions about healthcare – this doesn’t make sense to me.

Make sure you get specific answers to your questions, don’t fall for marketing hype. There are many great treatment centers out there but there are a few bad apples. Asking some basic questions and carefully thinking about the answers given can guide you to making a good decision.

We would love to have you share your comments with us and our readers. Please leave a comment. The form is way down at the end of this post.

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Some Really Good Free Resources

Free Resources:

  1. Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction (Drugabuse.gov) – In my opinion this is the best short read on addiction. I have used the content for many therapy groups and lectures…check it out.
  2. Substance Use In Women Women and men may face unique issues when it comes to substance use, as a result of both sex and gender.

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Looking For Drug Or Alcohol Rehabilitation? 12 Revealing Questions You Might Ask Before Your Final Selection was last modified: April 28th, 2017 by Bill_Urell
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Drug Detox

Do I Have PAWS Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms? 5 Common Drug And Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Are you clear on the meaning and impact of PAWS, post acute withdrawal symptoms? If not, read on and it will be explained in clear, easy to understand terms.PAWS post acute withdrawal symptoms

Post acute withdrawal symptoms, sometimes referred to as post acute withdrawal syndrome, can cause discomfort and concern during early addiction recovery.

Not everyone has post acute withdrawal symptoms. They became a field of study as more and poor people looked at why some addicts and read early recovery reported withdrawal symptoms well beyond normal expectations in terms of time. Lack of knowledge of them or how to handle them can lead to alcohol or drug relapse.

It is important to have an understanding of post acute withdrawal syndrome simply because if you’re familiar with what the symptoms are you’re in a position to treat and manage them. Read on to take a look at the symptoms and methods of management.

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What Exactly Is Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome Anyway?

Let’s start with basic withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms are whatever happens to your body and mind as a result of suddenly taking away a substance that you and your body have grown used to over time.

These can be both physical and emotional. An example of a physical withdrawal symptom is hand tremors or the shakes when someone has grown accustomed to alcohol stops drinking suddenly. Ironically, a cure for the withdrawal symptom is more of the substance, in this case, alcohol (not recommended if abstinence is the goal).post acute withdrawal syndrome

Acute withdrawal symptoms are the symptoms that happen closest to the time of stopping use of the drugs or alcohol and, in general, are the most pronounced or severe. In other words, what over goes on in the first few days.  Acute means intense.

A supervised detox is often recommended when long term and/or high volume users of alcohol or benzodiazepines stop because of the possibility of seizures. Seizures are an example of an acute withdrawal symptom.

Post acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) have become recognized as symptoms that persist long after the immediate withdrawal symptoms have lessened and as a relapse trigger. PAWS peak at about 3 to 6 months. Post (means after), the Acute (intense) Withdrawal Symptoms. So, PAWS are really whatever shows up after the intensity of the first few days are over.

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Highly Recommended:

Overcome post-acute withdrawal and become better than everOvercome post-acute withdrawal and become better than everDrug Class 2: Post Acute WithdrawalDrug Class 2: Post Acute WithdrawalAminokit Labs Recovery Formula For Those In RecoveryAminokit Labs Recovery Formula For Those In Recovery

Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome: The 5 Most Common Symptoms And Remedies

The 5 most common symptoms that are attributed to post acute withdrawal are:

  1. Inability to handle and overreaction to stress. High stress can actually increase the intensity of all the other symptoms.
    The solution here is to identify the things in your life that are causing you high levels of stress. Do everything you can to avoid putting yourself in situations are most likely to increase your stress. Identify your stress triggers and prepare plans for handling them.
    help drug addict family member
  1. Disturbed sleep patterns. Disturbed sleep patterns can not only mean difficulty and staying asleep or falling asleep and frequent awakenings, but there can also be intense nightmares or night terrors. The bad news is that it happens to more people in recovery than not. The good news is that over time sleep difficulties go away. For tips on sleeping you can Google the phrase ‘sleep hygiene.’ And get some more tips..
  1. Mood swings, emotional overreaction. Being extremely emotionally sensitive is a very common experience for people suffering from post acute withdrawal symptoms. Not only can this include mood swings with intense highs and lows, but the opposite can occur: frozen feelings – the person is just numb. A third facet of emotional read overreaction is that there is a disproportionate reaction to the reality of the situation. A minor incident gets blown up into a major catastrophe.
  1. Poor physical condition and coordination.Poor physical condition varies greatly from person to person. Basically when using drugs you’re putting poison your body, and your body is fighting it off. That causes damage and changes. As far as physical coordination goes this can show up as occasional dizziness, slower than normal reflexes and poor coordination. One of the simplest remedies for poor physical condition and coordination is to start eating in a nutritious fashion and take vitamin supplements.
  1. The most common memory dysfunction is a disruption of short-term memory. I remember my sponsor telling me when he was in treatment he could not read two sentences in a book and retain the information. Six months later he was back in school for his masters degree. In most cases short-term memory does return over time as your brain learns to rewire itself under the absence of drugs..

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Clear, Easy To Understand Video Clip on PAWS Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms

Summary:

Most professionals agree that PAWS post acute withdrawal symptoms generally occur within two weeks after stopping the alcohol or drug use. Remember not everybody suffers from them. Some particular symptoms in certain individuals may persist for months into recovery. In light of preventing a drug relapse. handling them is crucial.

If you are in treatment and these problems are occurring make sure that you tell your therapist or counselor so they can give you additional insistence on managing the symptoms.

Whether one or many of these symptoms are present, the most important thing in getting clean is to pay attention and address them and address the symptoms.

We would love to have you share your comments with us and our readers. Please leave a comment. The form is way down at the end of this post.

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Some Really Good Free Resources

Free Resources:

  1. Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction (Drugabuse.gov) – In my opinion this is the best short read on addiction. I have used the content for many therapy groups and lectures…check it out.
  2. Impact of Substance Abuse on Families (NCBI) – When a family member abuses substances, the effect on the family may differ according to family structure.

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Getting Help

How Can I Help A Drug Addicted Family Member Who Is In A Drug Rehab Treatment Center?

How can we go about helping a drug addicted family member best help an alcoholic who is in a drug rehab treatment center?

Helping drug addicted family memberThere is a great feeling of relief that generally occurs within families once a drug addict gets into a drug and alcohol treatment center. I have had several family members say to me something to the effect of…

At least I can sleep well tonight because I know where he is and I don’t dread the phone ringing.

There is a feeling of relief that the drug addicted family members finally started getting clean, but there is also some concern and anxiety and how to support them while they are in treatment.

There is a line that most family members are aware of containing those dreaded words and a bore and codependent. They do not want to cross the line that they want to help their family member who is in treatment somehow.

What to do? Read on…

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The First And Best Things You Can Do To Help A Drug Addicted Family Member

Without a doubt the first thing I would do is to encourage family members to seek help and get education for themselves. Especially on relapse and relapse prevention.

drug addicted family memberAs a clinician there is a group I occasionally do in treatment centers which involves asking the clients the question “Have you ever tried to explain drug addiction or what it’s like to somebody who has no experience with it, your family or friends for example?” Almost everybody says yes they have.

I rapidly follow up their agreement with the question “do they get it?” Almost universally the answer is no.

Family members who have not educated themselves on the disease of addiction don’t have the foggiest idea of what it’s really like. Even with drug addiction education they cannot viscerally know the torment of drug addiction. But, at least they are armed with some facts. They are not buying into myths.

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How Do I Get Drug Addiction Family Support Information?

The first way to do this is to attend the family program offered by the treatment center. More often than not family programs are designed to be a benefit to the family member. There is a side benefit of getting to see her family member. I was constantly amazed at how few families took advantage of this.Drug addiction family support

You can also arrange go see a family counselor or in addiction counselor for yourself. There are many in private practice that specialize in helping families reunite and reconcile.

Try going to Al-Anon and Coda meetings. Al-Anon is the sister organization of alcoholics anonymous the 12 step program. CODA is for co-dependents. It was originally started for wives of alcoholics for their support and education. It is now broadened into a support group for friends and family members. The meetings are free and wildly available – just Google it. They some very good pamphlets that are specifically designed for family members such as “A Guide for the Family of the Alcoholic” or “So You Love An Alcoholic”.

A word of caution about relying strictly on information you get on the internet. Be aware of the credibility od the source you are reading. When I research, I pretty much stick to government websites.

These Books And The DVD Are Personally Selected To Provide Great Addiction Recovery Info For Family Members

Book: Why Don't They JUST QUIT?: Hope for familiesBook: Why Don’t They JUST QUIT?: Hope for familiesDVD: (90-min)DVD Roundtable Discussion: What families and friends needDVD: (90-min)DVD Roundtable Discussion: What families and friends needAddict in the House: A No-Nonsense Family GuideAddict in the House: A No-Nonsense Family GuideEverything Changes: Help for Families of Newly RecoveringEverything Changes: Help for Families of Newly Recovering

Video Clip on 4 Ways To Support Those In Recovery

What About Your Responsibility For Their Drug Addiction?

Many family members believe in some way that they are somehow responsible for their family member’s drug addiction. Ideas such as if only I had been a better father or mother this wouldn’t have happened or if I provided better home or gotten the more things this never would’ve happened. That is simply misdirected self blame.

You should be aware of is that a family member or friend actually has virtually no control over whether their loved one will maintain abstinence or not. The decision to enter recovery and get sober is an internal one for the patient that is the prime determining factor.

Most family programs along with Al-Anon will touch on something called the $ C’s. These are truths about family members and their relationship to the drug addict.

  1. Cause – you did not cause their drug addiction. There is nothing that you did that “made them” become a drug addict. On the flip side there is really nothing you can do to cause them to get sober. They have to make that internal decision for themselves when they are ready.
  1. Control – you cannot control their drug addiction. Sometimes family members will knock themselves out trying to monitor the drug addicts behavior after treatment. It’s almost a guarantee that the tighter you haul in the leash the more resentment will build up.
  1. Cure – you, or anyone, cannot cure drug addiction. It is now commonly held belief that once a person has crossed the line into addiction certain physical, psychological, and neurological changes have taken place that can’t be reversed. Can there be improvement? Certainly. But the saying once an addict always an addict rings true.
  1. Contribute – you can however contribute to a person’s drug addiction.This contribution alludes to enablers and co-dependents. For example when an active addiction if you give your family member money you have just paid for their next high. No matter how dramatic the story behind it is, you just paid for their next high. Codependency and enabling our complex topics that will be discussed in other posts.

Family members should be aware that their loved one is going to go through a lot of ups and downs in treatment, physically, emotionally, and mentally. For instance, mood swings are the norm rather than the exception. As patient’s learn more about their addiction and their consequences, emotions will be triggered. This may lead to calls home expressing exaggerated feelings or a desire to leave treatment early.

People in treatment are often ambivalent about being there. Sometimes it seems like a great idea, and other times it seems like a waste of time. Expect calls home to reflect this. It is an excellent idea to maintain good communication with the staff of the treatment center, particularly counselor.

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Help The Staff At The Drug And Alcohol Treatment Facility Out

Drug Rehab Treatment CenterOne way that you can help their loved one during treatment is to provide honest and specific collateral information to staff rather than engaging in secrets with the patient.

Quite often the patient will minimize or under the estimate the extent of problems created more of their alcohol use. The counselor can work more effectively with accurate information.

As a clinician I was often amazed to hear the family side of the story and compare it to what the client has related. Accurate knowledge is fertile ground for therapy.

Do not support any plan to leave treatment early. Period. Finishing treatment does not guarantee success, but leaving early is almost always stacks the odds against them. Your expectation should be that the person stays for the duration. That is nonnegotiable.

I occasionally would “prep” family members to expect a call from their family member in treatment with a long litany of complaints. The food is bad, the staff is mean,etc what they are really looking for is any family member to agree with them as an excuse to leave treatment against medical advice.

When The Addicted Family Member Leaves Drug Treatment

drug addicted family memberIt is a good idea to avoid providing any situations that may remind the patient of drugging or drinking. For example, it is a good idea to remove alcohol and drugs from the house, and not to drink or use drugs in front of them.

I had one client return to treatment shortly after completion for his heroin addiction. When we talked about his relapse he said his family took him out to a nice resraurant to celebrate him being home and suggested a glass of wine with dinner because ‘it couldn’t hurt.’

The idea is to remove temptation and ease of access, but that being said, ultimately they must make that decision for themselves. You can make it just a little bit harder and give them a little more time to say no should an urge or cravings strike.

It truly is a bit of a balancing act, on the one hand you want to remain supportive and positive, but on the other hand you cannot do their recovery for them. Be supportive, but keep healthy boundaries. It’s important to keep healthy boundaries when dealing with the recovering alcoholic; otherwise you could enable them to relapse when you thought you were actually helping them.

Treatment centers will recommend continuing care plan for when the alcoholic leaves treatment. Depending on the situation, this plan might include group therapy, or meetings, or even long term treatment. Whatever the recommendation is, encourage the recovering alcoholic to follow through with it. Do not support, under any circumstances them not following their recommended aftercare plan.

Summary:

Every family member that I have spoken to deep down inside wants one thing, a guarantee that their loved one will not return to using drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, there is no such thing. There are certain things they can be done to maximize a person’s chances for success and avoid a drug or alcohol relapse.

We would love to have you share your comments with us and our readers. Please leave a comment. The form is WAY DOWN at the end of this post.

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Some Really Good Free Resources

Free Resources:

  1. Impact of Substance Abuse on Families (NCBI) – When a family member abuses substances, the effect on the family may differ according to family structure.
  2. Addiction Is A Family Disease (NCADD) Addiction is a family disease that stresses the family to the breaking point. Living with addiction can put family members under unusual stress.

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Addicted Body

An Being Dope Sick Is Horror Made Real: Addicts Crippling Fear Of Dope Sickness Keeps Them Using

Being Dope Sick Is Horror Made Real: An Addicts Crippling Fear Of Dope Sickness Keeps Them Using

Dope sickness is a casual or street way of referring to withdrawal from drugs, specifically opiate withdrawal.

George Carlin said,

“Just because the monkey’s off your back doesn’t mean the circus has left town.”

The simplest way to explain drug withdrawal is that it is whatever happens physically and psychologically when a drug to which a person is addicted to is suddenly removed. The body and brain revolt.

The brain goes into an obsessive state – ‘gotta have it, gotta get it’, these thoughts ruminate over and over again. The body goes through an abrupt adjustment and has to shift gears. The effect on the body is similar to starting a car in Park, flooring the gas pedal, then shifting into Drive. The car might survive but it is not recommended.

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What Is Dope Sickness? What Does Being Dope Sick Mean?

I have worked with many opiate addicts over the years as a substance abuse therapist. One of the most common reasons opiate users will cite for continuing their drug use is their fear of dope sickness. The fear of stopping is greater than the pain of continuing.

What Are Dopesick SymptomsBeing dope sick is the stuff that legends are made of. Just about every addict has their own personal story on the physical agonies of being dope sick.

The reality is that for most people it is like suffering severe flu symptoms. Now I’m not saying that there is not extreme discomfort, there is. But it passes.

When people speak of drug withdrawal most of the time they are speaking of the physical effects on the body. But, in reality, there are two components to withdrawing from opiates the physical and the mental.

In opiate withdrawal the mental or psychological withdrawal works with a body in a really nasty, diabolical way. Many opiate addicts in recovery has stated that they believe that mental withdrawal is the most difficult part.

The mental withdrawal usually has elements of a tremendous fear and anticipation of how bad it will be. Once begun a feeling develops that this will never end. There is a feeling of hopelessness and severe depression. If those feelings get great enough the addict will abandon trying to get clean and sober and go back to using.

A surefire way to end the mental and physical agonies of dope sickness is to go get high.

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What Are Dopesick Symptoms?

There are lists out there on the most commonly reported dopesick physical symptoms which I will list below. My clinical experience has shown that the most common and almost universally shared physical withdrawal symptoms are:

  • Insomnia – sleeplessness
  • Nausea – sickness
  • Muscle aches – cramps
  • Sweats and chills

A more complete list would include:

  • dilated pupils
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • runny nose
  • constipation
  • goosebumps
  • yawning

The Mental Components of Dope Sickness

  • extreme fear of not having the drug available
  • extreme fear of not being able to stand the pain
  • anxiety can go from low-grade anxiety to full-blown panic attack
  • feelings of hopelessness
  • feelings of ‘this will never end’
  • the fear that I will end dope sickness by getting high again

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How Long Does Dope Sickness Last?

What Is Dope Sickness? What Does Being Dope Sick Mean

In attempting to give an answer to the question of how long does dope sickness last is really difficult. The cagey, safe, answer is it all depends on person and the situation.

Factors that play into the answer include:

  • the type of opiate being used
  • the quantities being used
  • the length of time the person is been on it
  • the individuals physical and mental makeup

That was playing it safe. I know you want an answer – so I will provide some ballpark guidance. Opiate withdrawal can last from several days to several weeks depending on the above factors. Opiate users detoxing in a drug and alcohol treatment center are usually given detox drugs to taper them off the level of opiates they were using. The idea of doing this is to bring a person down both mentally and physically for a relatively gentle landing into normalcy. If in opiate user tries to go “cold turkey” generally the discomfort is so great they will go get high.

In a treatment setting if the level of detox medication is too high the patient walks around being high and nothing is accomplished. If the detox medication level is too low the discomfort can be somewhat come so great they will leave treatment against medical advice AMA. They will hop the fence or walk out the door and have a drug relapse. Rehabs are not prisons, a person cannot be forced to stay against their will.

Unfortunately, many opiate users reach a point after a couple weeks where thoughts run along the lines of “if this is good as it gets I may as well go get high.”

Don’t stop until you get over the hump.

This a test of your motivation to get sober and a check on your attitude toward getting clean. Many opiate users refer to ‘getting over the hump’ or finaslly breaking through the fog. There’s a certain point where all of a sudden the senses sharpen up, the sunshine is brighter, the food taste better, you can hear the birds singing and everything is wonderful. Don’t quit before that happens.

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Highly Recommended:

Opiate Detox:

Opiate Detox: What Will I Go Through and How Long Will it Last?.
A Kindle book ready for download.Tells of of individuals in active, full-blown recovery and takes you through their personal detox timelines.

Opiate Addiction

Opiate Addiction – The Painkiller Addiction Epidemic, Heroin Addiction and the Way Out.
Are you looking to move beyond addiction? A clear approach to providing hard facts about opiate addiction.

Heroin Addicts

Heroin Addicts: How to Help a Heroin Addict Before It’s Too Late (A Guide to Understanding Heroin Addiction).
If there’s a friend or loved one in your life that may be addicted to heroin, then this book is for you!l

How To Get Over Dope Sickness

A dead certainty is you will get over dope sickness with abstinence over time.

What is the best way to achieve this?
In my opinion, the addict needs to get some professional help. Part of the mental fear that drug addicts have developed about dope sickness is relying in the past experience when they tried to stop on their own and weren’t capable of doing it. Therefore that they arrive at the conclusion that it is too painful and it can’t be done.

Lone wolves do not do well in detox, treatment, or recovery. The professional help can take the form of the going to a detox center, checking into rehab that provides detox services or, as a last resort going to the emergency room.

drug and alcohol treatment centersI might be stepping in a bear trap here but I have strong views on using medication to get off heroin. The most common medications are Methadone and Suboxone. I have strong negative opinions on the use of methadone mainly formed from dealing with people who are trying to get off a methadone habit.

Suboxone or Subutex is commonly used in drug treatment rehab centers as medication to taper person off opiates. The important thing to note is this is short-term and temporary use of these drugs,usually 2 to 10 days.

There are some medical doctors detox is in treatment centers who advocate the use of Suboxone long-term similar to the way methadone is been suborned. Not a good thing. But that’s a personal and professional opinion. Do your research

People have asked about home remedies for dope sickness. There is no magic bullet. The best you can do is to treat the symptoms of withdrawal. Drink plenty of water to combat dehydration. Some over-the-counter medicines can help specific symptoms of withdrawal such as Imodium for diarrhea, Bonine or Dramamine for nausea.

Pain can be treated with acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). Never use any medication for longer than its recommended usage or in larger doses than recommended. Addict mentality is if one is good 5 Is Way better – that’s a dangerous way to roll.

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Heroin Withdrawal "Dope Sick" Explained

addiction recoverySummary:

As discussed, being dope sick is the modern slang for opiate withdrawal. 

Attached to it are 2 major components, the physical aspects and the mental and psychological aspects.
It seems that family friends and medical professionals who have no direct personal experience with being dope sick will focus on the physical aspects.

Addicts who have been through it and come out the other side may puff up thier story about the physical but almost all universally admit the mental aspects were far more destructive.

It can be psychological hell. Heartening news is that opiate withdrawal is not dangerous, people do not die from it (though it may feel like it). The key is to bring the discomfort down to a tolerable enough level so the addict doesn’t say ‘Forget it” and then goes out and get high. Sometimes certain elements of withdrawal can linger on even sfter the inital doep sickness subsides This is called PAWS Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms.

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Some Really Good Resources

Free Resources:

  1. Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction (Drugabuse.gov) – In my opinion this is the best short read on addiction. I have used the content for many therapy groups and lectures…check it out.
  2. Understanding Drug Use and Addiction Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. This explains it nicely.

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Motivation

Sobriety Alert: Is Your Motivation To Get Clean From Drugs Strong Enough To Make It Happen?

motivation to get clean and soberStrangely, the motivation to get clean from drugs for most people is to avoid pain.

A very common and long-held view of psychiatry is that humans are basically motivated by one of two factors:

  1. The desire to seek pleasure.
  2. The desire to avoid pain.

I’m on board with that 100%. If you think about all the reasons people can come up with that they became addicted to drugs there are lots of stories. But when you boil it down in simple terms it comes down to those two factors.

Most people become addicted to drugs because at some point or another the drugs gave them pleasure. The irony is that for those – the drug changes from causing please to pain. Some people also got involved with drugs to avoid pain, be it emotional or physical.

So what is the right sort of motivation needed to get clean? There is no perfect answer, except the motivation has to be yours alone. It has to make sense to you and be big enough to drive you to take action. Another issue is to maintain motivation to get clean and live sober for the long haul.

Motivation can come from desperation or inspiration.

When an addict decides to get clean the motivation is almost always desperation and the avoidance of pain.

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Motivation Drives Action And Results, Only All The Time.

Motivation and commitment, along with ability to get clean and attitude are the three necessary mindset components in the “getting ready” phase of getting clean.

Sobriety AlertMotivation is the driving force, the energy needed to take action. An idea with insufficient motivation to act is just that, an idea, a fleeting thought. Nothing will come out of it.

Think about the flow of getting anything done. For example, you’d like to have pizza for dinner tonight. That’s a thought. Now, in order for you to be chowing down on pizza tonight, you have to be motivated enough to take the action of getting off the couch and go pick up the pizza (or get off the couch and call delivery).

Let’s look at getting clean. Virtually every addict has had the thought of getting clean at one time or another. A thought is just a thought. They have not started the process of getting clean. The trick is they have not developed sufficient motivation to take the action necessary for that to happen. So, without motivation nothing happens.

Most addicts love the concept of getting clean and living sober but are unwilling to take the actions that sober people need to, and have taken to be successful.

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What’s Your Motivation To Get Clean And Stay Sober?

Motivation is a necessary component all through the different phases of recovery. It starts with the motivation to do something about the horrible state of affairs of your life and continues all the way to living a happy and productive life.

Your motivations will change along the way. A word of warning – most people relapse because their motivation and commitment gets weak. Complacency (lack of action) sets in.   I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard ” I knew what I was supposed to do and just stopped doing it.” They have not adapted their motivation as they grow into recovery.

drug addiction recoveryYour motivation is your own. The fact that you are reading this blog indicates that you have a degree of motivation for getting clean and living sober. Your task is to define and refine your motivation and keep it fresh.

Here are some ideas off the top of my head that might help motivate you to get sober and stay sober:

  • You will die if you continue to use drugs.
  • You will get healthier if you stop using drugs.
  • Do it for yourself.
  • Do it for your family.
  • Your relationships will improve in sobriety.
  • You will have more money and be capable of making more in sobriety
  • You will feel authentic emotions once again
  • The pain of living will stop.
  • You will regain your self-esteem.
  • You will be able to fill the role of a loving spouse and a good parent.
  • You won’t do half as many embarrassing things.

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Another Great Way To Stay Motivated For Getting Clean And Living Sober

Positive affirmations are a tool of choice for helping people with low self-esteem. They can also be used to create and sustain motivation and commitment.

Motivational affirmations are another great way to get motivated when you need it the most. They can increase happiness and increase self confidence. A positive statement such as, “I am create the results in my life,” or, “I use my energy to live my life to the fullest” just might be the spark that you need to find inspiration.

These statements will reprogram your mind in a positive way. Doing so will help you find motivation in times of self-doubt or procrastination. Give it a good old-fashioned try; you just might be surprised by the results!

The purpose of repeating affirmations frequently is actually to reprogram your brain in a different direction. Right now is probably programmed along the lines of getting stuck and staying stuck. Motivational affirmations can program the mind to move forward and take action.

Finding Motivational And Inspirational Mentors In Sobriety

I’ll just say this flat out… The 12 step programs are the best places to find mentors and hear inspirational stories. You will find people in various stages of both struggle and success. You will also find people who are experiencing the exact same problems you are but have come out the other side and resolve them.

The problem with motivation is that you are either motivated or not; there isn’t much of a middle ground. You either believe you can get sober or not.

getting clean living sober

One of the most important things you can do to get motivated is to find someone who has the motivational qualities you desire for yourself. Find a mentor. In the 12 step program they call it a sponsor. This is a person you can develop a one-on-one relationship with and he can coach you through the questions and struggles of getting sober. He can also provide motivational reinforcement in times of struggle or complacency.

Model yourself after this individual and consider chatting with them about their passion and motivation. When you talk to this person, tell him or her that you’d love to learn their motivation secrets. You may find that having this conversation with your role model will help to inspire you into action. We all can use some personal support, so step outside of your comfort zone and give this a try!

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Highly Recommended:

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting YourYou Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting YourThe Motivation ManifestoThe Motivation ManifestoThe Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That MakeThe Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That MakeMotivation - Are You Giving It Your Best?Motivation – Are You Giving It Your Best?Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change YourMake Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change YourThe Motivation Switch: 77 Ways to Get Motivated,The Motivation Switch: 77 Ways to Get Motivated,

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Short Video Clip - Motivation Is Nothing Without Action

Summary:

Motivation is the key driving force in taking any action. If you want to get clean from drugs but are not sure that your motivation is strong enough ask for help. Support is available through drug and alcohol rehabilitation, mental health professionals such as a therapist or drug addiction counselor. Motivating yourself is a key in getting ready to get sober. With the input of an educated second party you just might reveal your own true inner motivation that will initiate and sustain your quest for getting clean and staying sober.

However motivation is nothing without action. Take action big or small but do something!

We would love to have you share your comments with us and our readers. Please leave a comment. The form is way down at the end of this post.

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Some Really Good Resources

Free Resources:

    1. Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction (Drugabuse.gov) – In my opinion this is the best short read on addiction. I have used the content for many therapy groups and lectures…check it out.
    1. Impact of Substance Abuse on Families (NCBI) – When a family member abuses substances, the effect on the family may differ according to family structure.

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Motivation

10 Tips For Maintaining Motivation To Get Clean And Sober And Have Fewer Chances Of Relapse

10 Tips For Maintaining Motivation To Get Clean And Sober And Have Fewer Chances Of Relapse

Motivation determines what you WILL do in your life – good or bad.

Ability determines what you can do. Attitude determines how well you will do something. The thing that moves us from an idea to action is motivation.

Assuming you have developed enough motivation to take action, this post will show you tips to maintain your motivation fro the long haul.

Getting the motivation to do something – whether it’s a small thing like a trip to the kitchen or a life changer such as taking action on your dream of getting clean and sober – seems easy enough, but few can sustain the motivation to follow-through consistently, for the long term..

There’s always too much to do. There are so many distractions. The task is too big. Procrastination takes over, tomorrow’s a better day to get started. Right? There are a million reasons we don’t follow-through with action, but almost always the consequences of our inaction are guilt and regret.

You don’t have to live like that anymore.

There are ways that you can stop that vicious cycle of inaction and regret and become the self-motivated person you always wanted to be!

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10 Tips For Maintaining Motivation To Get Clean And Stay Sober

Here are some great tips on how to initially motivate yourself, stay motivated, and even get motivated enough to overcome blocks and hurdles in your way:

  1. Focus, follow-through and discipline. Focus on just one goal at a time. Even if you’re working toward improving several areas of your life, focus on each goal separately. This helps to keep you from feeling overwhelmed and prevents you from giving up before you get started. Take action and follow through on the steps necessary to achieve your task. Discipline yourself to not stop until the job is done
  1. See the projected results with clarity. Envision your goal as if you’ve already attained it. Imagine the feelings that are occurring as you achieve your goal. Remembering why you’re inspired in the first place will refresh your motivation towards attaining your goal. Think of how your life will be changed and improved once you achieve this goal.
  1. Start small. Develop the skill of sustaining motivation by starting small. A classic example is the direction to always make your bed every day which is almost universally taught in rehabs. The real purpose of making your bed every day is not just necessarily to have a neat looking room but it is an exercise in discipline focus follow-through and motivation. (I had made my bed on a daily basis for my entire 25 years of sobriety). It’s like bite-size chunks. When the chunks are small enough, you know you won’t be biting off more than you can chew at one time!Attaining many small goals on your way to the big goal keeps you happy and motivated with constant successes.
  1. Ask people how they stay motivated. Talk to friends, coworkers, and experts in the area you seek to master. Get them to share tips, advice and experiences they’ve had that can help you to reach your goal. Surrounding yourself with people who have the same goals – or have already attained them – will inspire you to act. You can find those people in 12 step meetings
  1. Tell people about your goals. By telling people about your goal, you are making a pact that you will follow-through. For me, this touched on my personal pride. Every time I I was tempted to slack off I would think of the fact that I would have to face all those people and let them know that I had given up. Pride often kept me from giving up Tell your friends, family and coworkers to energize your motivation.
  1. Dedicate daily time. Move forward toward your goal on a daily basis.it really doesn’t matter if you’re going fast or slow you accomplish a lot or a little the fact is you’ve accomplished more today than you have yesterday. Investing time in attaining your goal every day will keep it in your mind as positive action.Positive action propels success forward and diminishes doubts and regret.
  1. Research and find different ways of doing things.. I am insatiably curious. I have a yearning for learning. Research industry or topic books, blogs and forums. Anything you do to make yourself more knowledgeable about your goal can inspire you to act.
  1. Reward yourself for your accomplishments. When you accomplish a step or a positive outcome in your goal plan, reward yourself with a nice dinner or something that will make you feel special.Don’t go crazy now don’t go get high, but simple treats are tangible rewards can be something to look forward to.
  1. Acknowledge that you will become, unmotivated. At times your motivation will waiver. Now, while you’re psyched up is the time to develop a plan for those moments of weakness. When I was starting an online business the reward I had said was to trade in my old car and get a new car. At times when I did not feel like working on my business I felt like giving it up I went to the dealership to test drive the car that I wanted. That was my plan for restoring motivation and it worked, (I did however, where out my welcome at a couple car dealerships).lol
  1. Learn from your mistakes. First, recognize that you will make mistakes and accept this. Second, take the opportunity to learn what to do (or not to do) the next time.

Magic Johnson said:

Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

Analyzing how to fix the error will push you forward with greater confidence. Negativity is not reality unless you make it so. You create your own point of view it’s just disease to be positive as it is to be negative.

Highly Recommended:

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting YourYou Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting YourThe Motivation ManifestoThe Motivation ManifestoThe Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That MakeThe Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That MakeMotivation - Are You Giving It Your Best?Motivation – Are You Giving It Your Best?Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change YourMake Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change YourThe Motivation Switch: 77 Ways to Get Motivated,The Motivation Switch: 77 Ways to Get Motivated,

Tony Robbins On Motivation - The Power Of Believing In Yourself,

https://youtu.be/jyZjEhVaJcw

Summary:

Motivating yourself is all in your mind. That’s where it begins and ends. We hope you have found some useful tips and techniques for your own motivation. You now have the knowledge, use it. This post was on sustaining your motivation> Click here for a post on thr right type and strength of motivation to get sober.

You’ll gain a sense of pride and increase your self-worth in doing something positive to make your life better. Motivating yourself is a key in getting ready to get sober. There is no bigger or more worthwhile goal in getting clean and living sober.

Taking action to having the motivation to sustain it will serve you well into the future for achieving more and more of what you want out of your life.

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Some Really Good Resources

Free Resources:

  1. Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction (Drugabuse.gov) – In my opinion this is the best short read on addiction. I have used the content for many therapy groups and lectures…check it out.
  2. Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction Most patients need long-term or repeated care to stop using completely and recover their lives.

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Getting Clean

Getting Clean in Drug Addiction Recovery Just Isn’t Enough

getting clean in drug addiction revovery

Getting clean in addiction recovery is a necessary first step. By itself, however it is not enough.

There are actually two phases of recovery and lifelong sobriety.

  1. The first phase is getting clean.
  2. The second phase is living sober.

One of the strengths I been told I have is to take complicated issues and simplify them so they can be easily understood. I am going to try to do that for you.

In my personal and professional experience, when talking about how to live a lifetime free of drugs and alcohol and all the bad stuff that comes along with it, a simple concept was formed.

There two phases of recovery: are getting clean and living sober.

The interesting thing is that in order to achieve lifetime or long-term sobriety both phases must be mastered. Most people have success in one phase or the other for a period of time, but cannot combine the two.

Each phase of recovery has distinct educational pieces that must be learned. Both phases also have necessary skills that must be learned and practiced to the point of mastery.

Only when both pieces of the puzzle come together is there a reasonable chance a for long life abstinent of drugs and alcohol and the problems they create.

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What Does Getting Clean In Drug Addiction Recovery Mean?

Getting clean means you have stopped using drugs and started to change the addict mindset.

In order to get clean certain planets have to come into alignment. Ideas have to line up in a way that make sense to the individual at the exact right moment.

As soon as the idea of getting clean gels, action should be taken immediately. otherwise a person can just as easily talk themselves out of taking the initial steps to get clean.

Getting Clean – Getting Ready

Most of the ideas shared here are so important individual posts have been written on them. Just click on the titles for more details. Here are some things a person should take a look at when they are contemplating or thinking about getting clean:

Hitting Bottom-Bad Stuff Happening – “You’re ready when you’re ready”. Chances are the addict has heard 100 different times from 100 different people variations on the theme of you need to quit, what are you doing etc. unfortunately, often times, an addict can only hear the need for change when the pain becomes too intense.

Motivation: Getting Clean From Drugs

Motivation determines what you WILL do. Ability determines if it can be done.

Motivation is essentially the energy that strengthens and moves something from an idea or a genius thought to action. Without motivation nothing gets acted on.getting clean in drug addiction recovery

Any addict worth his salt has thought about getting clean hundreds or thousands of times. It is only when the motivation gets strong enough will someone make a move to take action on getting clean.

Common wisdom says that a person’s motivation must be internal. In other words the desire has to come from within you. It can’t be forced on you by outside events. You need to say inside your own head ’ enough is enough’ (and mean it). I believe in the long run the desire to sustain staying clean and living sober must come from inside.

However, in the early phase of getting clean and sober, or in the ’Getting Ready’ phase, it really doesn’t matter whether the motivation is internal or external. External motivation comes from the ouside. ‘They made me…’ It might be being forced into treatment rather than going to jail. A wife threatening divorce unless action is taken. In other words, it’s not the addict’s idea but someone else’s outside them.

In the beginning I believe that internal or external motivation is not too important. It doesn’t matter what gets a person to stop drinking or drugging. The important thing is they stop. If they stop for a little while the mind clears up and things a take on a new perspective.

A lot of times people will be “forced” into stopping using and then the motivation switches over to internal and they realize it’s a good thing and want to do it for themselves. You must practice and master the skill of maintaining motivation to get clean and live sober.

Attitude

Attitude: Your attitude determines how WELL you do anything in sobriety or life.

Think about it for a second. People who love their jobs and look forward to going to work every day will probably go the extra yard, put in the extra effort and excel. People who despise their jobs and hate showing up for work generally do the minimum to get by and be miserable..

In sobriety there is no minimum to get by.

Abstinence from mood altering drugs is an absolute. Either you will do drugs or you won’t It’s one way or another. If you choose to do drugs you’re going to do them whole hog, go off the rails. If you choose not to do drugs you’re giving yourself a chance at life and avoiding the bad stuff that goes with drug use.

An important attitude for getting clean is one of determination.

drug addiction recoveryIt must sound something like this this: “I will get clean, stop using drugs, no matter what”. It is impossible to get clean without full commitment. Saying you’ll try to get clean doesn’t mean a thing. You’ve probably said that 1000 times before. What needs to be said is I will get clean, not I’ll try. If you “try,” to do something you’re giving yourself an escape hatch for failure.

I have been able and privileged to observe thousands of clients in rehab treatment facilities. It is always fascinating to look at attitudes while somebody is in treatment. There are some who simply won’t participate unless it’s under threat. Their attitude is “this sucks and I’m getting out of here soon as I can”. Some people do the bare minimum to get by, never open up and have the mindset of “you don’t know me, (and you never will)”. Others have developed an attitude of “I’m here, I’m going to get everything I can out of it” these people are a demand for getting answers and help.

Based on attitude alone which group of people do you think has a reasonable success at sustained long-term recovery?

The fascinating thing about attitude is that it’s entirely in your control. You, not the event, control whether something is really good or really bad.

Ability

Ability: Can I Really Stop Using Drugs And Get Clean?

Ability is what you CAN do.

After so many failures many people question if they have the actual ability to get clean and sober. Here is the short answer: Yes you can. You have the ability to never drink or drug again for the rest of your life to change the direction of your life toward a happy rewarding and fulfilling life.

Does having the ability to do something mean that it will actually occur? Of course not.

The question of ability to stop using drugs comes into play more from an aspect of overcoming hopelessness and being stock. If a person believes that they do not have the ability to do something or that it is completely impossible, there is absolutely no reason for them to try to do it. Even if they do try to get clean for the sake of family, job, or the courts they have an easy out.  “See I told you I couldn’t do it, I’ve never been able to do it, but at least I tried.”

People act out of beliefs not facts. Sometimes the belief in lack of ability can be paralyzing. The deal is that it’s just not true every addict has the ability to get clean and live sober.

If you need some proof just go to a few open 12 step meetings and hear the stories, predicaments, and state of affairs of what other people have overcome to emerge successful. An AA meeting is basically proof of ability.

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Taking Correct Action To Actually Get Clean From Drugs

Get Help: Lone wolves do not do well in getting clean. Although you might’ve heard of hero X stories of heroic of people getting clean on their own, professional and conventional wisdom says that you need to get help. One of the fundamental concepts in the 12 step program is I can’t do it alone, but we can do it together.

getting clean living sober

We’re going to get a little advanced here; drug addiction is now recognized as a brain disease and brain disorder. The good news is that it responds well to correct treatment. The bad news is that in order to get correct treatment a person needs to get professional help.

Ad addict trying to get clean by himself is like a doctor trying to take out his own appendix by himself. It might happen, but it could be terminal and certainly will be a mess.

A person who has crossed the line into full-blown addiction will almost certainly need help with supervised detoxification. Addiction should be treated as quickly as humanly possible.

Drug addiction is a progressive disease and as long as it runs rampant it only gets worse never better. A lot of times the earlier treatment is initiated the better the outcomes. That being said, I rapidly backpedal and say it is never too late. If you’re alive you got a chance.

When is it necessary to get help? Now- Get.Help.Now.

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Get Detoxed As A Starting Point of Getting Clean

The purpose of detox is to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms of drug addiction. What does that mean exactly? Withdrawal is whatever happens when a person suddenly stops using a substance to which they’ve grown accustomed. These symptoms could include nausea, the shakes, sleeplessness, cramps, and intense cravings. T

The old-school method of stopping using drugs involved going cold turkey. This basically means suddenly stopping, toughing it out and suffering the consequences. This is where you might hear stories of people lying on the floor flopping around like a fish out of water, screaming, hallucinating etc. Suffering the sort of withdrawal symptoms is not necessary any longer.

What happens when employing medical detoxification is determined largely by what facility a person goes to.

If they go to the emergency room of a hospital, the goal for personnel there is to stabilize the patient so their life is no longer in jeopardy. They are not necessarily preparing them for treatment simply for stability and discharge.

Some less than reputable “rapid detox centers” promise a short stay miracle cure for drug addiction. Avoid these drug mills it all costs. There is no miracle cure for addiction.

what is addiction medical point of viewIn drug and alcohol treatment centers the goal of detoxification takes on a couple of other shades of meaning. While the purpose is still to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, often the patient is weaned off their drugs over a period of time.

One purpose of treatment centers is to make the patient comfortable enough so they can tolerate withdrew the withdrawal and stay in treatment. If a person’s withdrawal is too painful they can always walk out the door and go get high. Detoxification protocol is often a juggling act between winning somebody off the drugs and having having them be able tolerate the discovered that involves

Detoxification is simply the first phase in a regimen of drug and alcohol treatment. Some detoxification centers will get a person through the detox process so that they can enter in intensive outpatient treatment program. Many outpatient treatment programs cannot take somebody who is actively using or inactive withdrawal. Under some cases the withdrawal can last longer: see PAWS Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms.

Detox is not treatment! I saw a study (that I had been unable to relocate) that stated less than 1% of people who relied on a detox episode as their only treatment were sober one year later. So if you’re thinking that you’ll go to a detox get dried out and everything will be peachy keen you’re sadly mistaken.

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Getting Clean - Getting Drug Addiction Treatment

Getting treatment for your drug addiction is the best investment you can make in your life.

Will drug addiction treatment work for everyone? Of course not. But the way I look at things is that there are certain things you can do to shave the odds in your favor of getting clean and living sober. There are also certain things you can do that will stack the odds against you of ever being clean.

Getting drug addiction treatment is one of those things that can shape the odds in your favor. This is important – what you get out of treatment depends upon your attitude and your ability to listen and act.

The great secret of clinical treatment professionals, rehabs and treatment centers is this:

We know what works and we know what doesn’t work and we tell you.

Unfortunately, many people can’t get past their own misconceptions or get out of their own way and take action. It’s kind of harsh and goes the grain but if you do what the professionals tell you will get clean if you try to do it on your own chances are you will not get clean.

Individual treatment outcomes depend on the extent and nature of the patient’s problems, the appropriateness of treatment and related services used to address those problems, and the quality of interaction between the patient and his or her treatment providers. Will

There are different levels of intensity of drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment. These include outpatient programs, intensive outpatient programs, and residential rehabs. From a clinical and professional point of view, a person would go into a drug treatment professional complete an assessment and the appropriate level of care would be matched up.

Unfortunately, in this modern day the level of care a drug addict will receive is determined on either his ability to pay or what the insurance company will pay for. From the professional or clinical point of view the antics, prejudice and unfairness of insurance companies almost knows no bounds.

In addition to stopping drug abuse, the goal of treatment is to return people to productive functioning in the family, workplace, and community. According to research that tracks individuals in treatment over extended periods, most people who get into and remain in treatment stop using drugs, decrease their criminal activity, and improve their occupational, social, and psychological functioning.

Getting Clean Living Dirty

You can’t get clean and stay clean when you’re thinking dirty and living dirty.

I wouldn’t want to complete a post on getting clean without breaking up the concept of getting clean and living dirty. The idea of thinking dirty and living dirty is simply a modern take on what old-timer twelve-step people would call the ‘Dry Drunk Syndrome’ what are we talking about? It is simply the concept of not changing old ways of thinking and old ways of acting. In other words, not changing people places and things.

Let me give you some examples of this concept. An addict supported his drug habit by shoplifting tools converting them to cash and buying drugs. Under the concept of living dirty he would continue to shop with tools and convert them to cash and use the money to avoid work. A woman might have been prostituting herself for drugs in the past. She now engages in the same behavior but refuses to do drugs. Another person is emotionally all over the place in uses drugs to chill out. They now do not do drugs but has made no effort to address emotional problems.

In all these cases a person has stop using drugs but they have not addressed the other issues. Use of drugs easily becomes linked with certain actions. These linkages are extremely tough to break. People were in treatment that often they have to give up two things it wants in order to reasonably succeed at staying clean from drugs. For instance, you just might want to think about not shoplifting anymore because with that cash in hand is guaranteed the first thought coming into a person’s head will be to go by drugs.

It is better not to put yourself in a position where you have to say no to drugs in the first place.

Highly recommended 3 books

Highly Recommended:

  • The Recovery Book is the easiest to read reference book on 100’s of topics on addiction recovery. I know tons of couselors who have this on their book shelf and refer to it constantly.
  • The Happy Addict. The Happy Addict is the ultimate guide to achieving an amazing life after addiction. No more guilt. No more shame. No more feeling held back by the past or low self-esteem.
  • The Craving Mind. This ia an Amazon Best Seller. A leading neuroscientist and pioneer in the study of mindfulness explains why addictions are so tenacious and how we can learn to conquer them.

The Recovery Book: Answers to Questions About Addiction and AlcoholismThe Recovery Book: Answers to Questions About Addiction and AlcoholismThe Happy Addict: How to be Happy in Recovery from Alcoholism or Drug AddictionThe Happy Addict: How to be Happy in Recovery from Alcoholism or Drug AddictionThe Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get HookedThe Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked

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Video On Getting Ready - The Mirror Never Lies - Song

Summary.

In this blog we approach getting clean and living sober as two distinct elements are phases of living the good life free of drugs, alcohol and the negative consequences that they entail.

Elements of getting clean include:

  •  Getting ready to get clean, proper mindset.
  • The proper attitude for getting clean and sober.
  • The fact you have the ability to get clean and sober.
  • We addressed the need for proper motivation to get clean and sober.
  •  Taking action to get clean and sober;
  • Stop using drugs. This is the first action step in getting clean.
  • Getting help. Most people agree chances of success increase astronomically when you get help.
  • Detoxification. Medically supervised detoxification helps ease the physical and mental withdrawal symptoms.
  • Obtaining the appropriate treatment. Obtaining treatment for drug and alcohol addiction is definitely an action they can be taken that will significantly increase a person’s chances of success.

Get ready, Get Set, Do Something!

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Getting Clean in Drug Addiction Recovery Just Isn’t Enough was last modified: April 20th, 2017 by Bill_Urell
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Drug Addiction Treatment

Getting Help For Drug Addiction | The Best Drug Addiction Treatment Locator

Using the best drug addiction treatment locator is critical.

To locate an appropriate drug treatment center for your needs we advise against simply using a search engine and clicking on the first listed advertisement or 800 number. Most people who have decided they have hit bottom and need help  with the initial phase of treatment, getting through withdrawal or overcoming fear of dope sickness should seek professional help.

There is a high chance you will encounter high pressure and aggressive marketing or sales tactics. Most of these ads are referral services that treatment centers pay a fee to be listed on.

To find a legitimate drug or mental health rehab center near you start your search with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This is a government agency that lists all treatment centers that are legitimate, accredited, and may be received state or federal funding. They must meet regulatory criteria and credentialing.

Click here for the link:

Drug Addiction and Mental Health Treatment Locator

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Here Is A Video On How to Use Drug Addiction Treatment Locator

After locating the geographic area and type of treatment center you would like to research, click on the ‘More Information” button as shown. It is located in the lower right corner of each treatment center listing. A drop down listing of all program features will open up.

In this example we are using Hanley Center at Origins treatment center in West Palm Beach, FL to see what they offer.Best Drug Addiction Treatment Locator

Now we can see all the information about that treatment center, This will provide information on the types of program offered. You can determine if it is right for your needs. If the detailed information still appears appropriate for you, visit the website. Call for information and get all your questions answered

Best Drug Addiction Treatment Locator

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Getting Help For Drug Addiction | The Best Drug Addiction Treatment Locator was last modified: April 20th, 2017 by Bill_Urell
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