Addiction recovery can be even more difficult than dealing with addiction itself. It takes a toll on the person with an addiction and their family members and friends. However, when done through the proper channels, addiction recovery is possible and extremely beneficial to all parties involved. Anyone can recover from alcohol and drug addiction through the holistic treatment approaches in our San Diego drug detox centers.
Before the journey begins, here are five distinct stages of addiction recovery and what you need to know about each stage to successfully move to the next stage.
Precontemplation
The first stage of addiction recovery is the pre-contemplation stage. At this stage, a person suffering from addiction still believes they are getting a number of benefits from the substance they are addicted to. As such, they are neither ready nor willing to seek help.
There are several factors why many people remain in this stage for so long. First, they have not realized the damage that the addiction is causing to their bodies, careers, and families. Someone who has tried to recover and failed can also remain stuck in this stage, believing that there is no way out.
Contemplation
At this stage, a person suffering from addiction begins to change their point of view about the chronic disorder. They begin to realize the process is destructive but they are still too caught up in the euphoria to seek help. Instead, they keep procrastinating seeking help. Precontemplation and contemplation are closely related and a person can easily slip in and out of both stages.
Preparation
This stage is marked by more urgency, readiness, and willingness to seek help. At this stage, a person suffering from addiction begins to think about seeking counseling or reducing alcohol or drug intake. They also seem more ready to speak with others about what they are going through.
Action
Here, a person with an addiction is able to take bold steps to end their dependence on the substance they are addicted to. They seek professional help and try to completely cut off the substance. This stage can be very difficult as it is marked with chronic stages such as drug withdrawal. Also, changes that demand more than just quitting drugs or alcohol are required. During the action stage, a person with an addiction must also make other crucial lifestyle changes to hasten recovery.
Maintenance
This is probably the longest stage of addiction recovery and it can last for several years. The main focus of the maintenance stage is to avoid a relapse. So, a person recovering from addiction has to maintain all the lifestyle changes they made in the previous stage. Some of these changes include recreational activities, avoiding addictive substances, meditation, exercises, and other activities that promote self-care and self-understanding. These activities can help make recovery permanent.
San Diego drug treatment centers offer the best treatment approach for drug and alcohol addiction for all.
