It is entirely possible for a person to be sober from drugs and alcohol but to not be recovered from their underlying addiction to these substances. This can be a tricky situation for any addict to be in because sobriety without true recovery can make a relapse more possible. If you have never addressed your physical addiction, then it is likely that you are sober but not in recovery.
There are many important physical characteristics of the disease of addiction that a person must understand and acknowledge in order to move forward with a healthy, happy, productive life. There are also many important mental, emotional, and spiritual topics that come up during recovery. By addressing these topics, addicts who go through recovery may be less likely to relapse. An addict who still suffers with trauma, secrets, internalized pain, and poor coping mechanisms is not experiencing the best quality of life or quality of sobriety possible.
A Dry Drunk
Sometimes in recovery programs, there is discussion about the concept of “a dry drunk.” In this state, an addict can be sober for days, weeks, months, or even years at a time, but they still have not experienced true recovery. This becomes evident through the appearance of poor coping mechanisms and overblown character defects. These may be the very same coping mechanisms and character defects that the addict wished to overcome by overcoming their physical addiction to the substance itself.
By using a reputable recovery program, you can help to ensure that you will have the best quality of life possible, no matter how far down the scale you have gone as far as drug and alcohol addiction go. Long gone is the idea of the recovered drug and alcohol addict weak, trembling and afraid, desperately addicted to sweet or fattening foods, caffeine, and nicotine. The recovery field has come a long way and science based recovery tactics have helped modern addicts all around the world to experience true recovery. Waking up and craving a substance and then saying no to that craving is something to be admired, but waking up craving free, happy, and productive is the real goal of recovery.
Taking Action
There are many different ways that you can take action to overcome your addiction and seek a new way of life. Rehabilitation programs offered on both the inpatient and outpatient levels can be extremely useful. These programs can provide a wide variety of services including detox, group therapy, individual counseling, arts, yoga, outdoors activities, service work, 12 step meetings, and religious activity. Rehab programs help addicts to address the underlying traumas and resentments that led them down a dark road in the first place.
They also provide healthy, sober social environments to make recovery a less isolating experience. A person who has experienced true recovery will be able to be helpful in the workplace, at home, in the community, and in social situations. They will be able to move forward from the past without regret or disdain and use their experience to help others. Once you experience true recovery, you will find yourself engaging in exciting hobbies new and old, meeting up with friends and family members, and feeling a sense of overwhelming inner peace and calm. While some people achieve sobriety on their own, it is difficult (if not impossible) to get that level of recovery independently.
Using Resources and Professional Help
Fortunately, there are a variety of professional help resources available for addicts. 24 hour help lines, group support meetings, inpatient rehabilitation programs, outpatient rehabilitation programs, counselors, and other resources can all be accessed nationwide whether you are in a large city or a small town.
If people in your life are encouraging you to seek recovery, or if you just feel like a new lifestyle is calling your name, this may be a sign. Remember that even after years of sobriety, relapse can happen without the right tools and resources in place. This is why it is important to achieve high quality sobriety as early as possible and maintain it for as long as possible. The good news is that you do not have to do this alone. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day. Call 833-285-1315.
