A substance use disorder is difficult to come to terms with oneself. Noticing that you might be struggling is a hurdle; doing something about it feels like it takes all the strength in the world. While many people assume that the only trouble with drugs comes from the recreational variety, sometimes the medicine a doctor prescribes is what ends up as a challenge, according to Impact Recovery Center. As you navigate your entry into recovery, here are a few tips to guide you along your journey.
Emotional Preparation
For whatever program you may choose to join, understand that people are all a part of the process. Address the emotional aspects of your recovery that would make you seek to isolate yourself. Being able to communicate what support is helpful and what forms of support might not be as effective for you is an asset in the journey of recovery. Knowing who you are, how recovery is altering your personality, and the difference in requirements which is brought about by this change allows you to inform close friends and loved ones about the best ways to show up for you. This can improve your relationships, resulting in a beneficial environment for your full recovery.
Mental Preparation
The journey of recovery requires fortitude. Society has led people to believe that fortitude is found when a person can experience and overcome obstacles without asking for help, never wavering in their self-belief. However, the kind of fortitude you require for recovery is the continuous ability to ask for help. Coming from a place where you’re already feeling the effects of a substance use disorder, you will need to provide your body and your mind with support structures. For the independent spirit, and even for the person struggling with shame about their recovery process, this kind of fortitude can be difficult to foster. However, once you start reaching out for the assistance you require, be they psychological or physical helpers, you will notice a new sense of strength in your recovery process.
Physical Preparation
The recovery process for prescription drug use disorder usually includes medical aspects to it. For this reason, it is important to understand the physical demands this process will have on your body. Beyond the season of withdrawal, the misuse of prescription medicine has far-reaching side effects that could impact your physical body. While entering into recovery, seek medical counsel or look for a recovery center that is experienced in supporting individuals in recovery from prescription drug use disorders. This foundational preparation will ensure a level of calmness as you experience the physical changes that happen during recovery. This information is also supportive in the case you begin to experience physical symptoms that were not previously anticipated.
Entering recovery could be one of the most challenging steps for a person to take. But the difficulty of engaging in these steps pales in comparison to the spectacular gains from this process. As you prepare to take these steps, you can rest assured that you will make it back to a normal life after recovery.