Drug addictions are one of the most challenging situations to leave. This fact is because drugs give a false illusion of happiness while significantly damaging your body and mind. Its highly damaging components make it very insidious to the human population, causing millions of deaths every year.
These reasons make it easy to understand why a lot of people go to rehabilitation centers to recover. However, the stages of recovery for drug addictions are never easy. Thus, here is a quick overview of the four stages of recovery and how to get through this process.
Acknowledgment of a Problem
The first step is to state that you have a problem. If you state that you have a problem, you can begin to change and take action. This part is quite essential in the overall process of recovery and a better life. Remember that the first part is about coming to terms with your present situation and then moving forward to doing something about it.
Initiation of Treatment
The second step in any treatment for drug addictions is initiation. For any rehabilitation concerning drug addictions, you first have to decide on it and be determined to get help. Not surprisingly, this is also one of the most challenging choices for a drug addict to make. If you're a drug addict, you probably think you can not give up your precious stash of drugs.
This stash probably means a lot to you because it positively disconnects you from the world. However, try and look at the proven potential health complications that can arise from constant drug abuse. Looking at it will help you make a more decisive decision to quit.
This part is where you will conduct research, choose a program, and start to begin recovery.
Measure Early Abstinence Progress with the Zencharts System
In this stage, you feel the full effects of your withdrawal symptoms. When someone stops using drugs, their bodies react negatively because it has already gotten used to this drug being present. As a result, you may feel undesirable side effects such as vomiting, fever, migraines, and so on.
Additionally, you will also mentally crave this drug. You may feel like you're going to die if you don't use it.
However, it is essential to understand that this is just your mind playing tricks on you, and it is part of the recovery process. The withdrawal symptoms usually clear up within a few days to a few weeks.
Remember to use a tool like the Zencharts system for best results in measuring progress.
Maintenance of Abstinence
This point of the recovery stage happens immediately after the withdrawal symptoms subside. When you're in this stage, you feel more in control of your body and emotions, making you feel less dependent on a drug for functionality. However, you are still relatively sensitive during this stage. Thus, try not to relent in your recovery process. Additionally, stay away from people that can potentially ruin this process. This includes all your favorite drug-using friends you have so much fun with regularly.
Advancement of Recovery
This is the final stage of the recovery process and also the trickiest to remain in for the long-term. Some people attain this stage within a few months, while some still struggle to reach it years after.
At this point of the recovery process, your body starts to function naturally again, free from all a drug's harmful toxins. You also take the teachings from the people you sought help from to begin to live a relatively normal life.
Trying to maintain sobriety can be very challenging. Thus, these four stages explain the recovery process in more detail, which provides a lot of hope for many people.