Recovery Matters - 2

Recovery Matters

By Gary Blanchard, MA, LADC1

 

            I had several people send questions that were quite similar. Some came from people who are fighting addiction and others came from friends or family of people with addiction problems. The basic question seemed to be, why is it so difficult for people to overcome addiction? This is a question that deserves attention.

            As anyone who has tried to keep a New Year’s resolution knows, it is hard to break an old habit or to incorporate new ways to do things. The physical aspect of substance addiction makes it harder. The body and the brain adjust to the presence of the drug; when the drug is withheld, the body reacts. Some drugs cause acute symptoms of withdrawal when the drug is not used; all drugs have a slower-acting and less severe effect known as Post-Acute Withdrawal (PAW). For a period of weeks or even months after the last use of the drug the person feels odd. Those who were using stimulants may feel sluggish and depressed while people who used depressants may feel anxious and edgy. Since the person knows that these feelings can be eliminated by taking the drug there is a tendency to return to drug use to feel “normal.” This can be a leading cause of relapse.

            Another problem can be a lack of coping skills. Often times, alcohol and other drug use is a way to escape the pressures of daily life. While this may be effective at first, as addiction progresses the effects of drug use tend to add to the problems and increase stress. Once the person decides to stop using the drug, they are left to face the stresses of daily life without their usual manner of coping. Since they lack other coping mechanisms, they are more likely to return to drug use.

            Lack of a sober social support network can also make recovery difficult. Most people with addiction problems tend to form a network of others who use the same drug or drugs. Once they decide to stop using drugs, they find it difficult to be around those who still use. At the same time, the person may not know that many people who do not use drugs. The person may then feel isolated and alone, thus increasing the risk of returning to the network of drug users and drug use.

            There are obviously other issues as well. At this point, however, I’d rather spend some time looking at ways people can improve their chance of success in recovery. One of the best things is to gain as much information as possible. The more a person knows about the process of recovery, the more prepared he or she is to meet and overcome the obstacles. Remember the adage, Knowledge is Power.

            Finding support is also important. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) offer a place where a person can meet others involved in the same process of recovery. These groups provide the knowledge, caring, support, and encouragement that can lead to a successful recovery.

            Self awareness is also important. The person in recovery needs to become aware of his or her weaknesses that could lead to relapse as well as the strengths that can lead to success. They need to recognize beliefs and thought patterns that block recovery and to develop ways to overcome these thoughts and beliefs.

            Perhaps the most important element is to find new coping strategies for the stresses and problems of everyday life. Stress Management techniques can help to keep the person sober and moving forward in recovery.

            Recovery from addiction is difficult. The good news, however, is that many people are successful in building and maintaining recovery. To all those who have been in touch, do not give up hope and keep working toward success.

 If you have a question relating to addiction and recovery, please send it to me at recoverymatters@hughes.net, or mail it to me at Recovery Matters, c/o Gary Blanchard, 33 East Main Street, Ware, MA, 01082. All information will be kept confidential and no identifying information will be printed. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

 

Gary Blanchard of West Brookfield is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor practicing in Ware. He is an on-line adjunct faculty member at Anne Arundel Community College and is the author of several books relating to recovery from addiction. 

Recovery Matters - First Column

Recovery Matters

By Gary Blanchard, MA, LADC1

 

            Welcome to Recovery Matters, a new monthly column that will explore issues that relate to the process of addiction and recovery from addiction. In the coming months I hope to answer questions from our readers and to provide helpful information and news relating to the subject.

            Addiction is a major problem in our country. It is estimated that twenty-three million Americans suffer from substance abuse. When you realize that each addicted person touches the lives of many others, family friends, employers, coworkers, etc., the extent of the problem becomes evident. While it is easy to think that addiction is an urban problem, it also affects small towns like ours. Luckily, addiction is treatable, and people can and do recover from it.

            There are several ways that people recover from addiction. There are some people who make a decision to stop using alcohol or other drugs and are able to stop with no problem; the number who can this is, however, very small. Many more attend self-help meetings, like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA). A large number of these people find success in recovery through the fellowship and by working the Twelve-Step program. Other people need to get professional treatment in order to be successful in recovering from addiction. This can come in many forms. Some may attend treatment groups while others have individual counseling. Some people need medical help along with counseling in order to be successful. The important thing is for the person to find the level and type of treatment that suits his or her needs.

            There are some barriers to treatment, especially in this area. There is limited availability of treatment options in the small towns and rural areas. While we have some excellent mental health programs here, not all mental health therapists specialize in treating addiction. The need for help is far greater than the availability.

            One thing that adds to the problem is that many insurance companies do not pay for services of licensed alcohol and drug counselors. Even though the state’s Bureau of Substance Abuse Services grants a license to Master’s level addictions counselors (the LADC1), the Mass Health program that insures many low-income people does not cover treatment by clinicians at that level. Some private insurers do cover this level, but many do not. The State Legislature is considering a bill to require coverage, but it has not yet passed this bill. If this treatment can be covered by insurance, more people will be able to access it. This increased need will bring more treatment options.

            Another problem is the lack of understanding of addiction and recovery. When I started my career as an addictions counselor more than ten years ago, I had many preconceptions about addiction and recovery. It didn’t take too long for me to learn that many of those preconceptions were actually misconceptions. As time progressed, I learned that I was not alone in misunderstanding addiction and recovery. These misconceptions are quite common. This problem is easily overcome if we all learn more about the process of addiction and process of recovery. I hope that this column will be a resource to improve understanding and to increase knowledge of these issues. If you have a question relating to addiction and recovery, please send it to me at recoverymatters@hughes.net, or mail it to me at Recovery Matters, c/o Gary Blanchard, 33 East Main Street, Ware, MA, 01082. All information will be kept confidential and no identifying information will be printed. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

 

Gary Blanchard is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. He is an on-line adjunct faculty member at Anne Arundel Community College and  is the author of several books relating to recovery from addiction.