Learning To Live Again
Recovery Guide Information
All information contained in this booklet is taken from
LEARNING TO LIVE AGAIN
A Guide for Recovery from Chemical Dependency
By Marlene Miller, Terence T. Gorski and David K. Miller
Contents
Chemical Dependency Is a Disease1
Chemical Dependency is a Primary Disease4
Effects Of Chemical Dependency On The Body5
Psychological Effects Of Chemical Dependency6
Behavioral Effects Of Chemical Dependency7
Social Effects Of Chemical Dependency8
Seven Attempted Steps To Control Drinking/Drug Use9
Recovery From Chemical Dependency11
Symptoms Of Recovery13
Recovery and Creating A New Life16
Sobriety-based Symptoms Of Recovery18
Factors Which Complicate Recovery25
Stress and Recovery From Chemical Dependency27
Developmental Phases Of Recovery30
Physical Recovery33
Psychological Recovery34
Behavioral Recovery36
Social Recovery40
Relapse Prevention Planning44
The Disease Of Alcoholism49
Work The Twelve Steps59
The Twelve Steps Of Alcoholics Anonymous63
Chemical Dependency Is A Disease
The term chemical dependency or addictive disease is confusing and often misunderstood. Throughout the following information sheets we'll be using terms like addictive disease, addict, chemical dependency and chemically dependent person interchangeably. Terms like alcohol dependency, alcoholism and alcoholic refer to chemical dependency to a specific substance. Essentially these terms all mean the same thing. They are used to describe an illness which is progressive, incurable and often fatal. Hopefully these information sheets will help to dispel the many untruths and half truths that have developed about chemical dependency. If you have addictive disease, it will help you recover if you learn as much about it as possible.
Chemical dependency is a disease. Like other diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, chemical dependency has specific symptoms which keep the body from functioning properly. Acceptance of chemical dependency as a disease acknowledges certain things it is not.
Chemical dependency is not a moral weakness. Alcoholics are not persons of weak character. They do not drink because they lack will power. They drink because of their disease. People are not considered weak because they cannot control their sneezing if they are allergic to dust. They may be expected to separate themselves from the problem, but they are not considered weak because they have the problem. Addicts cannot control certain factors in their bodies that determine their responses to drugs, but that is not a sign of weakness.
Chemical dependency is not a mental illness. The number of addicted people who have psychiatric problems is no higher than the number of people in general who have psychiatric problems. It is true that as the disease progresses it causes problems that appear to be mental problems. But these problems are a result of the disease, not a cause of the disease nor the disease itself. It is also true that from time to time a person may have both chemical dependency and mental disorders, but they are separate problems, probably resulting from different causes. Addictive disease is not a mental illness.
Chemical dependency is not just a disease of the homeless or unemployed male. Only 3 to 5% of all alcoholics are on skid row. Most addicts are employed and have families. Addictive disease is no respecter of persons. It can affect men, women, young, old, rich, poor, executives, housewives, factory workers, employed, unemployed. Station, status, sex, race, and age have little to do with chemical dependency.
Chemical dependency is not a hopeless condition. Like most other chronic diseases, it is treatable. It is not curable. An addict will always be an addict. But it can be controlled, just as diabetes can be controlled. Many chemically dependent people never get treatment because they don't believe there is any way out, and because the important people in their lives do not believe there is any hope. There are thousands of addicts alive and well, free from the pain of their disease because they found the hope that they could recover. There are no hopeless addicts; just addicts without hope.
Chemical dependency is not just a physical disease. There are also psychological, behavioral, and social symptoms of the disease. This means that the disease not only affects the body (physical), but it also affects how you think and feel (psychological), how you act (behavior), and how you relate to other people (social).
It may help to understand the psychological, behavioral, and social effects of chemical dependency by thinking of the common cold. You feel bad physically; you have a sore throat, headache, and congestion. This affects your thinking and your emotions. You feel irritable and maybe somewhat depressed or angry. Your attitude affects your behavior. You may slam the door or kick the cat. This affects the people around you, and you interact with them in a negative way (maybe an argument results).
There are psychological consequences to the disease of chemical dependency. As the need for alcohol or drug use increases and as impairments to body organs and the nervous system occur, addicts alter the way they view themselves, others, and the rest of the world. They begin to see things as they must to live with their addictive disease.
This in turn affects behavior as they begin to react to altered perceptions and beliefs. Behavior triggers a response from family, employer, friends, and acquaintances so that social interaction is altered. So a continuing sick cycle is created with each of these areas reinforcing the other and keeping the process going.
Recovery from chemical dependency means recovery in all areas – physical, psychological, behavioral, and social. Part of the recovery is understanding the disease and how it affects all areas of your life as well as understanding what is necessary to restore health to all areas.
In order to better understand this disease, we need a definition.
Chemical dependency is a primary physical disease that is activated by a progressively pathological reaction to the ingestion of alcohol and/or mood-altering substances. Physical, psychological, behavioral, and social symptoms develop as a direct consequence of and as a compensatory, adaptive mechanism to the primary physical pathology.
What does that mean? First let's just look at the dictionary definition of some of those words:
- primary: first or original
- physical: pertaining to the body
- activated: set in motion, made active
- progressively: ongoing, moving forward
- pathological: having to do with disease
- reaction: response
- ingestion: consuming, taking in (smoking, injecting, snorting or sniffing), eating or drinking
- psychological: thinking or feeling
- behavior: actions or functions
- social: relationships with people
- symptoms: conditions or signs indicating disorder or disease
- consequence: result
- compensatory: a way to make up for
- adaptive: adjusting or changing
In the following material we will look at this definition of chemical dependency and help you to understand what it means in your life and to your recovery.
Points to Remember:
1. Chemical dependency is a disease.
2. Chemical dependency is not a moral weakness.
3. Chemical dependency is not a mental illness.
4. Chemical dependency affects persons of all ages, race, sex, station, and status.
5. Chemical dependency is not curable, but it is treatable.
6. There are physical, psychological, behavioral, and social symptoms of chemical dependency.
7. Recovery from chemical dependency means physical, psychological, behavioral, and social recovery.
Chemical Dependency Is A Primary Disease
Points to Remember:
1. Chemical dependency is a primary disease.
2. A primary disease is the original disease; not the result of another disease.
3. Treating the diseases resulting from addiction (the secondary diseases) will not bring about recovery.
4. Recovery from chemical dependency must begin with removal of alcohol and other drugs from the body.
5. The body of an addict does not react to alcohol or drugs in the same way that the body of a nonchemically dependent person does.
6. When a nonalcoholic drinks there is usually a sedative reaction, a feeling of relaxation.
7. When a person who is in high risk of becoming alcoholic drinks there is an initial feeling of relaxation followed by a period of control-level drinking during which the person feels good and functions well. Overdrinking can result in an episode of rapid onset intoxication.
8. Even a small use of a drug by an addict results in a feeling of urgency and a compulsion to use more.
9. When the feeling of agitation is relieved by more alcohol or drugs, there is a period of control-level use when the addict feels good and functions well in spite of a high concentration of the chemical in the blood stream. This is tolerance.
10. Dependence or a physical need for the personal drug of choice develops as the body cells change to tolerate higher levels of the substance.
11. Loss of control occurs when the addict uses beyond the level of control. As addiction progresses the episodes of loss of control become more frequent.
12. The chemically dependent person is powerless to control his or her body's response to their drug use.
13. Any person who uses drugs regularly and heavily should have his or her use evaluated by an addictions counselor to determine the risk of chemical dependency.
PROFILE OF THE ADDICTED PERSON
There are three stages or phases through which the disease of addiction progresses. These are referred to as the EARLY, MIDDLE, and LATE stages. Each phase has a number of indicators, which make up the symptoms of this disease. Read through each phase and place a check mark next to any of the indicators that you have experienced. Then write a few sentences about how this symptom has affected you. (check off the ones that apply to your drinking and/or using).
1.)EARLY PHASE
Symptomatic Drinking/Drug Using
A person begins to use alcohol or drugs for personal reasons rather than social reasons. A social setting becomes an excuse to use.
Increased Tolerance
Tolerance is the progressive loss of sensitivity to the effects of a drug. Tolerance develops to different effects at different rates. Tolerance develops to euphoric effects first. The increase in tolerance is gradual and the drinker or drug user seems to handle larger quantities of alcohol or drug effectively. The person is proud of their ability to drink or use a lot.
Blackouts
Alcoholicamnesia. Blackouts can last from a few minutes to several hours or days. The drinker may not appear to be intoxicated. They may be able to drive a car, talk lucidly, etc. The drug user may experience periods of memory loss. Blackouts are usually seen as an early sign of addiction but some addicts never have a blackout and some who have blackouts do not become addicted.
Sneaking Drinks or Concealing Drug Use
Because of rising tolerance the person finds a need to drink and/or drug more to achieve desired effects, but does not want to reveal this to others. They may have a few primers or volunteer to act as bartender. They may begin keeping a “Stash” of drugs for personal use.
Preoccupation
Psychological dependence. Life centers around the using and every possible opportunity to use is taken. The person begins to give up social and leisure activities in favor of drinking and/or drugging, or begins to see alcohol and/or drug related activities as more desirable than non-using activities.
Gulping Drinks/Excitement Anticipating Using
The person is more concerned with getting effects of alcohol than drinking to socialize. Drink a few as quickly as possible. The drug user feels a growing sense of excitement as they prepare to use their drug of choice.
Avoid Reference
The person senses a change in their drinking and/or drugging pattern, perhaps some guilt. He/she will avoid talking about their using behaviors to minimize there is a problem.
Frequent Blackouts
An individual will have blackouts on many drinking and/or drugging occasions
2.)ACUTE OR MIDDLE STAGE
Loss of Control
Addiction is firmly established with the inability to control the amount consumed and an inability to stop once the using has begun. This phase is not total at first. With the “Bender” type there is an inability to stop once using has started. There may be an ability to abstain for periods of time, but once even a small amount of alcohol and/or drugs are ingested, loss of control once again happens. The “daily maintenance” type, who has carefully maintained his/her intake, suddenly finds that they cannot control the balance. The appearance of sobriety can no longer be maintained. They get drunk or really stoned in inappropriate times.
Alibis
The individual makes excuses for absenteeism, or drinking/drugging behavior.
Reproof by Family
Addiction has an impact on the family. Wives try to get the user to stop by pleading with, threatening, or rejecting. Children may be mistrustful or afraid of their addicted parent. Non-using spouse will often flip between berating the addict and “mothering” during sober spells. Males often have a more difficult time accepting their spouse as addicted.
Extravagance/Grandiosity
Extravagance in the form of paying for rounds at the bar, buying expensive gifts for wife and children, abuse of credit, writing bad cheques, etc., creates as much guilt as it tries to eliminate.
Aggression
As the disease progresses, addicts may reveal deep seated, repressed hostility. May become violent or obnoxious, usually towards family and friends. Aggression may be used as a way of seeking rejection. To confirm feelings of inadequacy and to provide excuses for continued alcohol and/or drug use. Aggressiveness can take the form of physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse of other.
Persistent Remorse
Following drinking and/or drug using bouts, the addict experiences deep feelings of guilt and remorse concerning their using behavior. Sincere promises to modify drinking and drug use are often made.
Rationalization
Drinking and/or drug using is seen as a result of problems rather than a cause of problems. An individual tries to rationalize and justify their addictive behavior to themselves.
Attempts to Quit/Water Wagon
To keep promises made to stop drinking and/or drugging the addict will “go on the wagon” or “kick the habit”. This is a clear awareness that he/she realizes that drinking and drugging is out of control. Professional help is needed, to stay sober, as the addict is unwilling to go for help.
Changing Drinking and/or Drug Using Pattern
After repeated attempts to go on the water wagon or kick the habit the addict will try different ways to control their using. They may switch from hard liquor to beer only. They may decide to only drink at home or never drink alone. They may quit using “hard” drugs and just smoke pot. These attempts may or not be successful for short periods of time.
Loss of Friends
Embarrassed by the addict’s behavior, friends will drift away, or the addict drifts away from their friends because he/she fears judgement. They replace former friends with people who use similarly to them or they use more.
Loss of Jobs
The addict may be fired for using on the job, or for absenteeism. The addict’s nerves are on edge especially if he/she has a hangover and may have personality conflicts with employers and fellow workers. Often they will quit jobs to avoid being fired. This represents a serious problem because without a job the supply is cut off.
Family Changes
An unpredictable lifestyle causes the family to withdraw from normal social activities. Children may experience problems in school and not want to bring friends home. The family is strained to the breaking point yet most often the problem is concealed and denied.
First Hospitalization
Physical illness is generally due to poor nutrition, also a variety of gastrointestinal, circulatory and heart problems, liver damage, and nervous conditions are common.
Resentments
The addict resents isolation from community, friends and family. Feels no one understands. They rationalize that their drinking and/or drug using could be controlled if others would give him/her a chance.
Geographic Escape
Attempts to change or modify alcohol and/or drug usage by moving to a new area are tried. They are convinced that a fresh start will improve conditions. The problem is that the addict takes the disease with him/her.
Protecting Supply
Alcohol and/or drug use is seen as the only means for coping with life. The thought of being caught without a drink and/or drug is frightening. They will stash bottles. They will sacrifice everything in order to maintain their supply.
Morning Drink or Drug Use
The addict drinks or uses to ward off the withdrawal effects of hangover or “crash”. The hangovers or “crashes” become more severe and may include shakes and tremors, sleeplessness, irritability, nausea, headaches, sweating, crawling skin, D.T.’s, depression, anxiety or paranoid thinking.
- CHRONIC PHASE
First Bender/Onset of Daily Drug Use
A complete loss of control, frequently blind drunk or stoned (more that just high). The addict feels alone in the world, with alcohol and/or drugs as their only consolance. The fear of sobering up or getting straight is very great and they may use anything just to escape withdrawal.