What Are The Steps To Recovery From Alcohol

t takes time, commitment, motivation, and assistance to recover from alcohol addiction. When you opt to enter a comprehensive alcohol treatment program, you will embark on a four-stage rehab recovery journey in which you will learn to live a healthy and sober lifestyle.

The following are the 4 stages of treatment:

• Initiation of Treatment
• Early abstinence
• Adherence to abstinence
• Advanced recovery

The National Institute on Drug Abuse created these stages as a reference for healthcare providers on individual drug therapy, but they can also be used to help people recover from alcohol addiction. Recovery is a lifelong process in this concept.

Stage 1: The Initiation of Treatment

You begin the first step of your recovery, treatment initiation when you seek help from a competent alcohol rehab program.

Your rehabilitation will begin with a specialist treatment program, whether you seek assistance willingly or are compelled to do so due to circumstances.

You may have conflicting views about permanently giving up your drug of choice in the early hours and days of your recovery, and you may believe that your substance abuse problem is not as terrible as others’. This mentality should be avoided. In the early stages of recovery, ambivalence and denial might be your toughest enemies.

The goal at this stage of treatment is to assist the individual in making the decision to participate actively in treatment and understand that abstinence is the ultimate goal.

An alcohol abuse counselor may be able to assist the individual in completing the following tasks:

• Take a look at the negative consequences of addiction.
• Examine your thoughts of denial about your addiction problems.
• Encourage the individual to be motivated to recover.

A person’s alcohol use history will be taken during this stage of therapy, the treatment program will be explained, and the counselor will work with the individual to establish an individualized treatment plan.

Stage 2: Early Abstinence

You will begin the 2nd stage of rehab, known as early abstinence, once you have committed to undergo treatment for your substance abuse disorder. Early abstinence from alcohol for a long period of time is linked to better treatment outcomes.  This can be the most difficult stage to deal with due to a variety of issues, including:

• Persistent Withdrawal symptoms
• Physical compulsions or cravings for alcohol
• Physiological and psychological dependence
• Triggers that could lead to a relapse

Cravings, group pressure to drink, and high-risk circumstances that can induce alcohol use are all challenges at this point of therapy. Your skilled addiction therapist will teach, motivate and inspire you to adopt effective coping skills you’ll need to live a sober lifestyle throughout this early abstinence stage. You will benefit from the techniques you learn today throughout your rehabilitation.

Knowing about the psychological and physical components of withdrawal, identifying alcohol usage triggers, and dealing with alcohol urges without drinking are all early abstinence concerns that are addressed at this phase of therapy.

Among the techniques that can be beneficial are:

• Encouraging people to engage in healthy activities
• Instead of turning to drink, find other ways to engage yourself.
• Participating in support and educational self-help groups
• Recognizing craving-inducing environmental cues, such as people, things, and places

Stage 3: Adherence To Abstinence

You will progress from the early abstinence stage of recovery to the 3rd stage, sustaining abstinence, after nearly 90 days of consistent abstinence. If you began your recovery program in a residential setting, you will now transition to an outpatient ongoing treatment or follow-up counseling stage.

One of the key goals of this stage of recovery is to keep abstinence by preventing relapse. You’ll learn the warning signals of relapse as well as the steps that can lead to one.

You will also learn to apply the techniques you were taught in early abstinence to other aspects of your life during this stage of your recovery so that you can maintain a sober lifestyle. You’ll find that your prospective quality of life is determined by more than just avoiding alcohol consumption.

You’ll discover new coping strategies and tools to assist you, including:

• Substitutes for addictions should be avoided.
• Build strong bonds with others.
• Adopt a drug-free way of living.
• Learn how to find work and manage your money.
• Control your rage.
• Make use of fitness exercises and a nutritious diet.

The continuing abstinence stage of recovery will begin around 3 months into your program and will last until you have been clean and sober for around 5 years, at which point the follow-up counseling will normally end.

Stage 4: Advanced Recovery

After about 5 years of sobriety, you’ll be ready to go on to the 4th and last stage of your rehabilitation: advanced recovery. It’s at this stage that you put all of the skills and tools you’ve learned during rehab therapy to work in order to live a happy, rewarding life.

At this time, the following strategies may be useful:

• Setting long-term objectives
• Constantly setting up a daily timetable
• Developing social interactions with those who do not drink
• Participating in non-alcohol-related recreational activities

Whether through religion, spirituality, community service, or social engagement, finding ways to go beyond oneself in order to find happiness and fulfillment.

These tactics will not only help you stay sober, but they will also teach you how to be a healthy person, an improved parent and spouse, an useful member of society, and a decent neighbor and citizen. Staying sober is only one aspect of recovery. It’s about figuring out how to live a better, healthier life.