The road to recovery : A timeline and overview of what to expect in addiction recovery

Introduction

As we trudge the road of happy destiny, we can never be sure of where life’s roads will guide us to. Being on the road of recovery is a never-ending story, but there are certain stages along the journey that many within the community find themselves in. Sometimes there are hiccups, sometimes it’s smooth sailing. Everyone has their own unique story to share, but there are some phases that many of us go through during the recovery process.

At the time of writing this, I have about half a decade free from most “hard” drugs, a bit over a year maintaining sobriety from alcohol and marijuana, and am still in the beginning stages of healing my nicotine addiction. So, different usage patterns can be in different stages of the journey — all at the same time. If you think that you may be in more than one stage at once, that’s certainly a possibility. It’s probably better to consider these as generalizations, more than strict rules. Once you’re on the road of recovery, though, the Lord promises He will be faithful to finish the good work He started.

Stage 1: Awareness, Acceptance, and Seeking Help

Anyone who’s familiar with the 12 steps should know that the first step is accepting we were powerless over our addiction. For this step to usher forth, we must be aware that we are addicted to our drug(s) of choice. If we convince ourself that it’s just a bad habit, that we could quit if we really wanted to, or that it’s something that all our friends are doing so it’s acceptable, we’re still a ways away from finding the road to recovery.

Once we’ve accepted that we have a problem, we can start to seek help. Reading this article is an example of that. Googling around for solutions, joining Facebook groups, looking for detox/inpatient, and finding local recovery meetings are all ways we can seek help early along in our recovery journey. It will look unique based on your circumstances, so do what you think is best for you.

Stage 2: Detoxification and Withdrawal

Detoxing and withdrawal is a process that varies depending upon the substance(s) you’ve been partaking in. Some substances, such as nicotine or marijuana, can realistically be detoxed safely from home. Other substances, such as alcohol, are quite dangerous to detox from on your own depending on your level of usage. If you’re uncertain, ask your primary care physician whether they think you should go to an in-person detox or if you can detox at home.

The withdrawal process is different for everyone. Some people barely experience withdrawals at all, while others continue to go back to their drug of choice because they can’t handle their withdrawals. One tip for dealing with withdrawals is to reframe your mindset around them: withdrawals are a good thing. It means your body is healing from the wiring of using the drug. “No pain, no gain”.

Stage 3: Early recovery

The first few weeks after you’ve detoxed are the toughest but also the most formative on your recovery journey. If you pick up a few good habits to replace your bad ones during this time, it can change the entire trajectory of your life.

Reach out to the recovery community, become more mindful, start praying, express gratitude for another day clean and/or sober, and make amends for all the things you did when you were using. Of course, these are just suggestions — but they have all been part of why I now have a level of peace that I never knew was possible during my heavy using days.

There are other good habits you can pick up as well, and you should definitely ask around your mentors about what they think you should do given your situation. Just realize your laying the groundwork for years to come. So, cherish this time. You’ll likely look back on it fondly.

Stage 4: Mid-recovery

This is the stage where a lot of people revert back to their habit. They’ve got some time, they think they’re good, and they lose the sense of urgency by starting to forget about all the suffering their drug(s) of choice caused.

I don’t want to put too much pressure on you, because it’s possible you can flow through this stage without a second thought, but in a sense this is the “make or break” stage. Your recovery is still early enough that it can be jeopardized, but it’s long enough that you can make it stick if your last usage really was your “rock bottom”.

Some tips during this stage are to develop coping strategies when you think about using, and to remind yourself of all the turmoil you were going through right before you stopped. Compare and contrast how much better you feel, and be thankful to be free from it in the current moment.

This can also be the stage that you start to overcome certain fears you had related to your wellbeing. You realize the worst of it is behind you, and you can start focus on how you want to better serve others and build an honorable future. You have your whole life ahead of you, and things will change, but it never hurts to have a plan about what you want out of life when it’s all said and done.

Stage 5: Long-term addiction recovery maintenance and growth

Once the days turn into years, you know you’re on your recovery journey for the long-haul. The turmoil of active addiction and early recovery have faded away, life is returning to normal, and you may have even been granted a sense of inner peace.

At this stage, it’s a good idea to do an inventory about where you are in life and how you want to live the rest of your time here in this realm. Is there a place you’ve always been called to visit? A career or creative project you always wanted to get involved in? A milestone you always dreamed of accomplishing?

Prioritize your Higher Power, serving others, and your recovery. But don’t let the whispers of the heart die. You have a new lease on life now that you have some solid clean time under your belt.

Along with the positive bucket-list items you can add to your long-term inventory, you should also think about what’s still holding you back. Are your relationships not as healthy as they could be?(Guilty) Do you still have other addictions that, although they aren’t as major as the ones you’ve overcome, are still a drain on you?(Also guilty). Any of your bad habits should also have light shined on them in your inventory.

My grand sponsor suggested I wait 2-3 years after being alcohol free before quitting nicotine. His reasoning was that it takes time to heal the underlying root causes of an addiction, so during that time don’t just sit idle but rather work on inner self and serving others. Of course, everyone’s circumstances are different. And, the bible tells us not to put our trust in mankind, but in God (Jeremiah 17:5)

So, follow your guidance from the Most High! He loves you and wants what’s best for you. When you fall, He will be there to pick you up. He’s promised to never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6). Love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and he will work out everything for your good.

Conclusion

The road to recovery is long, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be overly arduous if you’re prepared and steward your energy and resources wisely. I hope after reading this article you have a better idea about next steps to take for yourself, or at least more confidence in your ability to achieve and/or maintain sobriety.

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Until next time. May the Force be with you!