5 Recovery Myths That Will Shock You
- Tough Love Works
Maybe for some… but not for most. When an individual finally decides that the pain has become so unbearable that recovery or death are the only remaining options, it is likely that he or she will be in somewhat of a vulnerable state. While coddling or babying is never really good for anyone in any situation, tough love can further damage an already mangled perception of self-worth. There is usually a happy medium between licking wounds and driving home devastation, and the concept of “tough love” frequently ends up doing more harm than good.
- You Have To Hit Your Bottom
I personally never hit what many may refer to as a “bottom” – I went to drug rehab and left behind a loving family, a car, two wonderful jobs, and a beautiful home in Los Angeles. However, I was such a miserable emotional disaster that I knew if I continued to live the way I was living I would end up successfully killing myself during one of my blacked-out attempts. Not everyone has been to jail or gotten 7 DUI’s or wound up homeless panhandling on the side of the freeway. As I heard once in a 12-step meeting, your bottom comes when you decide to stop digging.
- Relapse is a Part of Recovery
Relapse is actually the exact opposite of recovery. Recovery is what an alcoholic or addict seeks in order to prevent relapse, seeing as returning back to old ways after any extended period of sobriety can result in fatality (and frequently does). While relapse is by no means unforgivable and tends to be exceedingly common based on the true difficulty of staying sober, it should never be expected. Many successful individuals commit to sobriety and never suffer through relapse, proving that although it happens, it is never ever necessary.
- The Steps Are The Answer
For some, this may be true. In many cases it is. Seemingly ‘hopeless cases’ completely turn their lives around in what may be nothing short of an AA-induced miracle. Yet it is commonly conceded that AA is the only way to successfully overcome addiction. I am personally a major advocate – the program undeniably has a majorly significant success rate and has made an incomparable impact in my own life. However, there have been accounts of addicts and alcoholics who have managed to maintain fulfilled sobriety after a short stint in the rooms – or no stint at all. For some, the program is the answer. For others, it is not. What is important is that whatever you are doing works, and that you aren’t merely sober… you are also genuinely happy.
- You Will Never Fully Recover
Here’s the real kicker – sometimes, people do. The scientific reasoning behind why some can kick heroin and pick up drinking successfully years later and others must remain abstinent in order to remain living is still unclear. But the truth of the matter is, some people who manage to pin down nasty meth habits in adolescence don’t necessarily turn out to be lifelong addicts and may be able to sip wine somewhere down the line. Of course, this is rare, and it is important to remember that no one wanders into the rooms completely by accident.