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What is it about aftercare?
Okay...so many of us by now know the importance of aftercare....but what is it about aftercare that makes it so helpful? Is it talking to other addicts? Is it talking out loud about your addiction that makes aftercare so important for people?
The only "aftercare" I have been to was a court ordered 8 hour "drug awareness" class that I had to go to after I got pulled over while holding weed. That class was a joke! But I know aftercare is important, so I was just curious about some of your ideas and stories about it. What is it about the actual aftercare that is so helpful to your success?
The only "aftercare" I have been to was a court ordered 8 hour "drug awareness" class that I had to go to after I got pulled over while holding weed. That class was a joke! But I know aftercare is important, so I was just curious about some of your ideas and stories about it. What is it about the actual aftercare that is so helpful to your success?
Thank you so much everyone. You guys make perfect since. You answered my question very well- better than expected. I really appreciate your opening up with me about this. Aftercare sounds so beautiful. lol Not only to stay off of the drugs, but to learn more about myself and life. And most importantly- addiction. I could benifit from aftercare in more ways then one.
God bless all of you for your strength and dedication to changing your life. I admire all of you.
God bless all of you for your strength and dedication to changing your life. I admire all of you.
Addict63, you convinced me :) I've been on the fence about going back to NA meetings, I only went to a few didn't really give it a real chance but I'm going to give it another try. Everything you wrote makes so much sense and I have to admit, I did feel comfort and a sense of belonging there but I let my too busy life be an excuse to stop going. I also thought geez can't I just move on and leave it behind me but I've come to realize this is a flaw I'll have for life and I've heard people talk about protecting their sobriety with their lives. I see why they say that because it is your life that depends on staying off drugs.
WHY MEETINGS? Soothing is my answer in a nutshell. I come out of the meetings (AA and NA both) feeling good, usually. The combination of sharing, listening, true friendships, people we love, who have been in our lives ever since day one, being in the crowd of folks with the same situation; all coming together inside of an hour, usually. We're a group of people, a fellowship if you will, who understand each other because we share the same situation in life. Addiction.
MedHelp is also a true fellowship. You're actually participating in a fellowship by posting and reading other's thoughts.
When I listen to others share, and then I share my experience strengths and hopes, I have sharing going in and sharing going out. That flow sort of blows the cobwebs out of my brain every day lol. If I don't get with other addicts then I'm left with my own stagnant stinking-thinking. My own thinking got me in this mess in the first place, and my own thinking will reactivate my addictions if given half a chance.
We change by going to the meetings. We end up not being the same person who drank and drugged. First willingness, and then working the steps changes us. And then the important step of helping others.
It's a mentally healthy trade off; My life of mind and mood altering chemistry, or, fellowship with others. People just like me, trying and willing to keep clean and sober by taking positive steps and action.
MedHelp is also a true fellowship. You're actually participating in a fellowship by posting and reading other's thoughts.
When I listen to others share, and then I share my experience strengths and hopes, I have sharing going in and sharing going out. That flow sort of blows the cobwebs out of my brain every day lol. If I don't get with other addicts then I'm left with my own stagnant stinking-thinking. My own thinking got me in this mess in the first place, and my own thinking will reactivate my addictions if given half a chance.
We change by going to the meetings. We end up not being the same person who drank and drugged. First willingness, and then working the steps changes us. And then the important step of helping others.
It's a mentally healthy trade off; My life of mind and mood altering chemistry, or, fellowship with others. People just like me, trying and willing to keep clean and sober by taking positive steps and action.
After my first rehab I met with a doc who was in charge of the out-patient program I was supposed to go to. I remember thinking that she was just wrong and a bit dingy when she told me "you must have a program of recovery - if you don't, you WILL relapse." I knew (for a fact, thank you) that I was NOT going to relapse -- there was no way. I had learned my lesson, I was clean with over 30 days under my belt, and I was smart enough not to ruin my life, which I had come so close to doing.
I blew off her "program" without even trying it. I also blew off the idea of daily meetings --
I was way too busy for that. I just needed to get caught up on work and not screw up anymore. I'd go to SOME meetings, but a meeting-a-day was a bit overboard (don't you think?).
I pretty quickly decided that it would be ok to use, as long as I only used ONCE IN A WHILE. You see, my problem wasn't so much that I used, but that I use too much. I had let things get WAY out of hand, and I wouldn't let that happen again.
You know what happened: pretty soon it was zero meetings and using every day, then using all day, and things got WAY out of hand (again) almost immediately, and I was soon worse than ever, blowing through all those things that hadn't quite happened to me before.
After my second rehab I had a different attitude. I made my recovery program the center point of my life instead of something that interfered with my life. It made all the difference and got me into sustained recovery.
CATUF
I blew off her "program" without even trying it. I also blew off the idea of daily meetings --
I was way too busy for that. I just needed to get caught up on work and not screw up anymore. I'd go to SOME meetings, but a meeting-a-day was a bit overboard (don't you think?).
I pretty quickly decided that it would be ok to use, as long as I only used ONCE IN A WHILE. You see, my problem wasn't so much that I used, but that I use too much. I had let things get WAY out of hand, and I wouldn't let that happen again.
You know what happened: pretty soon it was zero meetings and using every day, then using all day, and things got WAY out of hand (again) almost immediately, and I was soon worse than ever, blowing through all those things that hadn't quite happened to me before.
After my second rehab I had a different attitude. I made my recovery program the center point of my life instead of something that interfered with my life. It made all the difference and got me into sustained recovery.
CATUF
Hi~~ Jacky pretty much summed it up in her usual eloquent fashion...
I'll only add that there's something about saying things "out in to the air" that make them so much more real. I think we have to HEAR ourselves say the words: "I am an addict." "I need help". "Here's my story" etc... It drives the point home and registers in our brain. Talking is intensely theraputic when your talking with people "in the know".
When(not if) you go to NA,you'll understand. The 12 steps work and you work them!
The comraderie is healing.
Plus,it's just so important to get some kind of recovery care. The addiction always has to be "on the front burner". Relapse is always looming...aftercare can help prevent that.
Vicki xo
I'll only add that there's something about saying things "out in to the air" that make them so much more real. I think we have to HEAR ourselves say the words: "I am an addict." "I need help". "Here's my story" etc... It drives the point home and registers in our brain. Talking is intensely theraputic when your talking with people "in the know".
When(not if) you go to NA,you'll understand. The 12 steps work and you work them!
The comraderie is healing.
Plus,it's just so important to get some kind of recovery care. The addiction always has to be "on the front burner". Relapse is always looming...aftercare can help prevent that.
Vicki xo
Oh, i also wanted to add MedHelp to my list. If it wasnt for everyone here on MH stressing the importance of aftercare to me i probably wouldn't have tried this way this time around either.
So thank you to all of you here who in my first few days of withdrawal made this clear to me right away and helped me to jump right on it!!
You all will always hold a special place in my heart!
Luv, Jacky
So thank you to all of you here who in my first few days of withdrawal made this clear to me right away and helped me to jump right on it!!
You all will always hold a special place in my heart!
Luv, Jacky
The comfort, support and fellowship that i receive at my groups as well as working the 12 steps which for me is a process of regaining my spirituality as well as helping me learn about myself and what i need to change.
In therapy we work on my issues that caused me to use in the first place and learn new skills to be able to deal with my life sober. We also help me to identify and change behavior patterns that are damaging and/or self-sabotaging.
I hope through our responses you can gain a better understanding of the importance of recovery care. I have been an addict for nearly ten years and had gone through detox many times. Until i had reached out and sought help for myself like i did this time around i had never seen any significant amount of clean time.
68 days for me for the first time ever!! Thank you aftercare!!
Jacky
In therapy we work on my issues that caused me to use in the first place and learn new skills to be able to deal with my life sober. We also help me to identify and change behavior patterns that are damaging and/or self-sabotaging.
I hope through our responses you can gain a better understanding of the importance of recovery care. I have been an addict for nearly ten years and had gone through detox many times. Until i had reached out and sought help for myself like i did this time around i had never seen any significant amount of clean time.
68 days for me for the first time ever!! Thank you aftercare!!
Jacky
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