Woman in recovery are learning to do everything all over again, experiencing life from a new perspective. Changing many years of addictive behavior can be uncomfortable. It is important to recognize that from the very beginning. Often times just acknowledging this simple fact helps make the transition into recovery a little more comfortable.
The early weeks of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction can be some of the most important. Not every woman entering into recovery from addiction is going to have supportive people surrounding her. Sometimes the woman is the first to seek treatment and her husband, boyfriend or other family members may still be in the grip of addiction.
Having support from other sources is beneficial if that is the case. Friends or outside family members can offer support but if the woman is still struggling, a network of people in recovery can often provide good advice as how to handle getting clean and sober, even if you are the only one choosing to do so. Twelve step programs have been beneficial in lending support for all recovering people.
If on the other hand you are a woman who is receiving support from loved ones, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Having a living environment free from drugs and alcohol can make abstinence much easier. Elicit the support of those living in your home to help keep anything that may be tempting out of the house. They are often happy to help once they see you are firm in your commitment to recovery.
The enemies of newly recovering people are; hungry, angry, lonely, and tired, otherwise know as H.A.L.T. By keeping a close eye on yourself as you move through the day to make sure none of these elements are getting out of hand you will make those early weeks and indeed your whole recovery a lot easier. When you see any one of these creeping to the forefront take immediate action.
Eating regularly helps you from getting overly hungry which can cause a drop in blood sugar and increases the cravings for drugs and/or alcohol. By planning ahead to address the problem of getting too hungry or by always carrying a small snack you help to protect yourself. Once overwhelming hunger hits you may already be at risk of wanting to use.
Angry and lonely can both be alleviated by having a network of supportive people and using it. Addiction is often a secret that the addicted woman has been carrying around for a long, long time. Talking about feelings as they come up with people who understand wipes out a lot of loneliness and helps diffuse anger. In early recovery from addiction these two feelings are often magnified and can cause the newly recovering woman to want to use again, if only to gain some relief from the feelings of discomfort.
Woman in early recovery from addiction often try to make up for everything they think they have cheated their loved ones out of. They try to be the best wife, mother, partner and employee. It is very easy to fall into the trap of burning the candle at both ends which quickly leads to exhaustion and a feeling of wanting to escape. If drugs and alcohol have been the usual means of escape it can be very tempting to want to try “just a little” to take the edge off. This can be a deadly mistake.
One of the best early recovery tools is balance, in all things.
A whole new way of life is being attempted and while it doesn’t come easily it definitely does come to many women who doggedly pursue it. It takes a lot of courage for a woman to attempt recovery from addiction. It’s important that she exercise self-care so she may have the best possible opportunity for success.
Maureen Staiano is a Life Coach specializing in working with women and the unique challenges, opportunities and transitions we face in our lives. Maureen has worked with people recovering from addiction for over six years. Please visit Maureen at: http://www.achieveyourdreamcoaching.com
