The First Stage of Recovery Is Treatment Initiation

The First Stage of Recovery Is Treatment Initiation Addiction Coping and Recovery Overcoming Addiction Print Treatment Initiation - Seeking Help The First Stage of Alcohol or Drug Abuse Recovery By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Updated on June 24, 2019 Morsa Images/Getty Images   More in Addiction Coping and Recovery Overcoming Addiction Methods and Support Personal Stories Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use If you have decided that you need to get help for your drinking or drug abuse problem, you have already entered the first stage of recovery by admitting that you have a problem and seeking outside help. This process -- reaching out for help and seeking some kind treatment or rehabilitation -- is known as treatment initiation. It is the first of four stages of recovery or rehab as described by the National Institute on Drug Abuse: Treatment initiationEarly abstinenceMaintenance of abstinenceAdvanced recovery Denial and Ambivalence If you are like most people who seek help for substance abuse problems, in the very early stages you probably still harbor some feelings of ambivalence about giving up your drug of choice, and you may still be in denial about the full extent of your problem. This is common for people in the early days. If you enter a professional rehab or treatment program, the first goal of the counselor or addiction treatment specialist will be to determine if you have any denial issues or ambivalent feelings. Denial Denial simply means refusing to believe the reality of your circumstances. Many people new to recovery usually have some level of denial about their addiction. Denial can take many forms, from thinking that you can still control your substance use to denying that you are really addicted. The following erroneous beliefs are typical forms of denial: Forms of Denial Believing that you are different from those real alcoholics and addicts.Thinking that you can solve your problem by cutting down rather than eliminating it completely. You may think that you can get your substance abuse back under control.Refusing to believe that a secondary drug is also a problem. For example, an alcoholic thinking that continuing to smoke pot is okay or a cocaine addict refusing to think their drinking is a problem.Believing that Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous will not be helpful, because you are not like those people, because their problems are so severe.Insisting on continuing to spend time with friends who enable you by agreeing that drugs are not a problem or by using with you. Confront and Challenge Any of the above forms of denial can interfere with your recovery. The goal of professional treatment programs is to break through that denial and help you see the truth about your situation. Your counselor or caseworker may challenge and confront you in an effort to motivate you to change your mind. Your counselor may remind you of all of the negative consequences that your substance abuse has had in your life or challenge you to abstain from drinking or drugging temporarily if you believe you are not really addicted. Either way, the goal is to get you to see the truth. Ambivalence If you are in the early stages of seeking help for a substance abuse problem, you probably have some ambivalent feelings about giving up your drug of choice permanently. If you are like most alcoholics or addicts, you just cant image life without ever drinking or drugging again. Chances are you decided to seek help in the first place because you experienced some negative consequences to your drug or alcohol use. You realized you needed help, but quitting completely for the rest of your life was not what you had in mind. The following are reasons that many newcomers to recovery have feelings of ambivalence: Reasons for Ambivalence You associate your drinking or drug use with a positive emotional change.You may turn to your drug of choice as a coping strategy and you do not yet know a better coping mechanism.You may feel too weak or helpless to break the cycle of addiction.You may have entered rehab because of pressure from othersâ€"such as a spouse, boss or judgeâ€"and you are just trying to keep them happy. Getting Motivated If you decided to seek help because you experienced some negative consequences, that may have been enough motivation to get you to admit you have a problem. But it may not be enough motivation for you to solve the problem. If you have always turned to your drug of choice in times of stress, when you want to relax or when you are upset or angry, chances are you have ambivalent feelings about giving it up, unless you learn new coping skills. Encouragement and Support Your counselor, in this early stage of treatment, will try to identify your ambivalent feelings and their underlying reasons. You will probably be asked to list your goals in life and shown how much easier it will be to meet those goals if you are living clean and sober. Again, in the early stage of recovery and throughout your treatment process, the goal is to get you motivated to make positive changes in your life. Your treatment program is there to encourage and support your efforts to make those changes. Return to The Four Stages of Recovery