When you are struggling to overcome a substance use disorder, it might seem like everyone you encounter has some advice they feel compelled to share. Your family members will have thoughts. Your friends will have opinions. Your coworkers may have something to say. Clergy members may take you aside for a chat. Before too long, it gets overwhelming.
As a rule, these folks are just trying to help, but many people—especially those with no experience with treatment and recovery for substance use disorders—are carrying around bad information. And so your job, hard though it may be, is to ignore them.
Misinformation can put your recovery at risk. Here are some things to remember when you find yourself in conversation with someone who wants to talk about addiction, treatment, and recovery.
Move on from the Moralizers
It’s likely you’ll encounter someone who is absolutely convinced your substance use disorder is a moral failing that reveals a lack of faith. If you went to church (or temple or the mosque or wherever) with more frequency, this person might argue, you wouldn’t be struggling with addiction. And if you’d just avoid that bad crowd you’ve been seeing, they might continue, you could find better friends who will lead you to better behavior.
It is certainly the case that many 12-Step programs include a faith component, but none of them encourage you to think of a substance use disorder as a moral failing for which you should be judged by others—or by God. And while a faith community can offer you support for your recovery journey, any judgmental attitudes from the community members can undermine your recovery efforts. Don’t let the moralizers look down their noses at you. Find people who look at you with the respect every person—including you—deserves.
Walk Away from the Willpower Argument
There are lots of ways willpower figures into our day-to-day lives. We might turn down a second helping to avoid the added calories. We might take a walk instead of lounging on the couch. We might drive the speed limit even though we are running late. It might seem only natural to conclude that we should be able to call on our willpower to avoid drugs and alcohol.
While it’s true that we can resist experimentation with or excessive use of drugs or alcohol in the early stages of use, once dependence develops (and it can develop quickly, depending on the substance), the power of our will is no longer sufficient.
That’s because drugs and alcohol cause actual changes in our brains—changes that can make it impossible for a person to simply stop using. When you factor in the range of co-occurring disorders, genetic predispositions, and/or history of trauma that may be in play, a person’s ability to will themselves out of an addiction is further undermined. Relying on willpower is not a viable option.
Reject the Rehab Naysayers
Have you ever talked with someone who is just convinced—without any evidence at all—that rehab facilities don’t actually help people? We want to be clear about this: that person and others who share their attitude are simply wrong.
Recovery centers—like Great Oaks Recovery Center—offer those with substance use disorders compassion, safety, and expertise. When those qualities are blended with personalized treatment plans developed in collaboration with the person undergoing rehabilitation, a firm foundation is created upon which lasting sobriety can be built. Recovery centers are also equipped to address the co-occurring disorders we mentioned earlier so that those problems don’t upend your efforts to stay sober.
Avoid the Relapse Alarmists
It is an unfortunate reality that many people relapse after they’ve left treatment. But that doesn’t mean that rehab doesn’t work or provide real benefits. Don’t let anyone convince you that a relapse is a permanent failure and an indication that rehab was a waste of time. Relapse is a setback, not the end of your efforts to live a sober life.
After a relapse, adjustments and modifications can be made in a person’s treatment plan. This fine-tuning can strengthen the chances of long-term recovery. This is true even for those who relapse more than once. Setbacks happen. But if you shift your perspective just a bit, you can see those setbacks as milestones on a long journey. Anyone who tells you a relapse ends the journey for good is simply incorrect.
Steer Clear of ‘Solo or No-Go’ Arguments
If you think about it, the collection of myths above depends on another falsehood—that recovery is a solo endeavor. If recovery is about morals or willpower, if rehab is worthless, or if relapse is permanent, then it follows that each person with a substance use disorder is alone, cut off from others and the support they might offer.
That’s just silly. Support from family and friends is an essential part of recovery and contributes to the likelihood of sustained sobriety. Make no mistake, however: we’re talking about compassionate encouragement—not judgment or fear-mongering.
Trade Myths for Reality in Recovery
At Great Oaks Recovery Center, we offer personalized treatment plans that are both realistic and hopeful. You won’t find misinformation or stigma here—and we’ll provide you with the tools to deal with myths and those who espouse them once you leave rehab and begin your recovery journey. Here’s something that definitely is not a myth: long-term sobriety is achievable. We can help you get there.
