The Five Stages of Recovery.docx

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The Five Stages of Recovery Stage 1: Withdrawal (Days 0 – 15) Withdrawal usually lasts from 1 to 2 weeks, but it can last upwards of 4 weeks—and, in some extreme cases, longer. Also known as the “sleep, eat, and drink” stage, your body and brain are in healing overdrive. There’s a lot of damage meth caused that needs to be repaired before you can move forward. Stage 2: The Honeymoon (Days 16 – 45) The crash has lifted, your body has made those immediately needed repairs, and you are feeling physically and emotionally much stronger. You might even feel great, better than you’ve felt in years. And it’s only the beginning of the third week! Unfortunately, this upswing can lead to overconfidence and you might find yourself minimizing your past meth problem. A lot of people will relapse here because of this overconfidence. But not you. You are prepared. You understand this Honeymoon won’t last. Still, there’s much to enjoy while it does. And much to do in the meantime, while you’re feeling stronger. Stage 3: The Wall (6 Weeks – 4 Months) You hit it hard. All the positive, forward momentum from the Honeymoon crashes around you. A seemingly insurmountable Wall of depression, boredom, and despair—it begins about 45 days into sobriety and it continues through month 4 or thereabouts. Rarely, however, does the Wall last longer than 3 months. So, keep in mind, it’s going to get better. The Wall is often where people will relapse. You so want the feelings of boredom and loneliness to pass, crystal meth seems like the solution again. Though the danger of picking up is highest here, you can get past it. Let’s look at what to expect and what you can do to get through this stage of your recovery. The Wall is not impossible to overcome, just tricky. Stage 4: Adjustment (Months 4 – 6) You’ve gotten over the Wall safely and it is now mostly behind you. The next stage is called “Adjustment” because that’s what characterizes this time period—adjusting, physically, socially, and emotionally, to life without crystal. You get relief from the overwhelming cravings and begin to find life interesting again. Stage 5: Ongoing Recovery (Months 6 – 12) Toward the end of the first year clean, crystal meth addiction can seem distant and almost tangential to your life. Or, it can be something you continue to think about, fleetingly, almost every day. Like all things on this timeline, it depends. I like to call this part of the quitting journey “Ongoing Recovery” (also known as the “Resolution” stage) because, despite how foreign your crystal dependence may seem, it’s important to remember that meth addiction is a “chronic disease” and you are never cured. Recovery is always ongoing.

Transcript of The Five Stages of Recovery.docx

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The Five Stages of Recovery Stage 1: Withdrawal (Days 0 – 15)Withdrawal usually  lasts from 1 to 2 weeks,  but  it  can  last  upwards of 4 weeks—and, in some extreme cases, longer. Also known as the “sleep, eat, and drink” stage, your body and brain are in healing overdrive. There’s a lot of  damage meth caused that needs to be repaired before you can move forward. Stage 2: The Honeymoon (Days 16 – 45)The crash has lifted, your body has made those immediately needed repairs, and you are  feeling physically  and emotionally  much stronger.  You might even feel great, better than you’ve felt in years. And it’s only the beginning of the third week! Unfortunately, this upswing can lead to overconfidence and you might find yourself minimizing your past meth problem. A lot of people will   relapse   here   because   of   this   overconfidence.   But   not   you.   You   are prepared. You understand this Honeymoon won’t last. Still, there’s much to enjoy while it does. And much to do in the meantime, while you’re feeling stronger. Stage 3: The Wall (6 Weeks – 4 Months)You hit it hard. All the positive, forward momentum from the Honeymoon crashes   around   you.   A   seemingly   insurmountable   Wall   of   depression, boredom, and despair—it begins about 45 days into sobriety and it continues through month 4 or thereabouts. Rarely, however, does the Wall last longer than 3 months. So, keep in mind, it’s going to get better. The Wall is often where   people   will   relapse.   You   so   want   the   feelings   of   boredom   and loneliness to pass, crystal meth seems like the solution again. Though the danger of picking up is highest here, you can get past it. Let’s look at what to expect and what you can do to get through this stage of your recovery. The Wall is not impossible to overcome, just tricky. Stage 4: Adjustment (Months 4 – 6)You’ve gotten over the Wall safely and it is now mostly behind you. The next stage   is   called   “Adjustment”  because   that’s  what   characterizes   this  time period—adjusting,   physically,   socially,   and   emotionally,   to   life   without crystal. You get relief from the overwhelming cravings and begin to find life interesting again. Stage 5: Ongoing Recovery (Months 6 – 12)Toward  the  end  of   the  first  year  clean,   crystal  meth  addiction can seem distant   and   almost   tangential   to   your   life.  Or,   it   can   be   something   you continue to think about, fleetingly, almost every day. Like all things on this timeline, it depends. I like to call this part of the quitting journey “Ongoing Recovery”   (also   known   as   the   “Resolution”   stage)  because,   despite   how foreign your crystal dependence may seem, it’s important to remember that meth addiction is a “chronic disease” and you are never cured. Recovery is always ongoing.