Addiction, is Addiction, is Addiction.
It is not the "what", it is the "why". Pick your poison--Alcohol, opiates, cocaine, Meth, inhalants, gambling, or sex. It doesn't matter. It is the "why" that matters. Understanding the triggers to your addiction and understanding the dual diagnosis driving toward your addiction that is what really matters. the agent that you are addicted to is meaningless.
You can go to AA or NA or GA and the process is the same. the key to any addiction recovery program is to help the addict understand the "why". The groups listed above only allow you to feel comfortable in a group that shares your "drug" of choice but they don't offer unique insights to unique characteristics shared by alcoholics or drug addicts or gambling addicts. It is the process of recovery that matters rather than where you started. And it is therefore the end result that matters--recovery and sobriety. Sobriety is not unique to drug addicts or alcoholics. Sobriety can apply to sex addicts and gambling addicts. sobriety means getting away from your addiction of choice and getting clean.
In reality it may be best to blend people with different "drugs" of choice is a common program. It has been my opinion in the past that the best treatment programs mirror real life and don't isolate addicts in an unreal world. It may better help every addict in their recovery process to see addiction from various angles and points of view. When looking for a treatment program don't isolate yourself with people with like addictions. It is not the addiction that matters, in terms of the drug or agent, it is the disease that matters and what it is going to take to recover. Every addict faces the same hurdles and obstacles. Look at the quality of the program and it's therapists, that's what really matters.
You can go to AA or NA or GA and the process is the same. the key to any addiction recovery program is to help the addict understand the "why". The groups listed above only allow you to feel comfortable in a group that shares your "drug" of choice but they don't offer unique insights to unique characteristics shared by alcoholics or drug addicts or gambling addicts. It is the process of recovery that matters rather than where you started. And it is therefore the end result that matters--recovery and sobriety. Sobriety is not unique to drug addicts or alcoholics. Sobriety can apply to sex addicts and gambling addicts. sobriety means getting away from your addiction of choice and getting clean.
In reality it may be best to blend people with different "drugs" of choice is a common program. It has been my opinion in the past that the best treatment programs mirror real life and don't isolate addicts in an unreal world. It may better help every addict in their recovery process to see addiction from various angles and points of view. When looking for a treatment program don't isolate yourself with people with like addictions. It is not the addiction that matters, in terms of the drug or agent, it is the disease that matters and what it is going to take to recover. Every addict faces the same hurdles and obstacles. Look at the quality of the program and it's therapists, that's what really matters.
Labels: addiction behavior
2 Comments:
I want to comment on this article... suggesting that programs such as NA, AA, or other various 12-step programs only make people comfortable who "share" that drug of choice is FAR... VERY FAR from reality. I am not in recovery, however, I have many friends and family members who are and who attend these various programs of recovery. All which by the way, offer insights to the "why".... that's actually EXACTLY what those programs are for. They even say "it doesn't matter what drugs you used", these programs are to bring people who suffer from the disease of addiction... any addiction, together to support one another in getting back on their feet and living productively with the rest of society. Given the astounding rate of recovery that these programs create and the amount of lives saved, I am surprised that any program would offer such false information about the reality of addiction and addiction services. You even say "every addict faces the same hurdles and obstacles"; so why encourage people to "isolate" themselves from other addicts, when they are the very people that create that sense of unity that many addicts have gone without for so long.
as a response to the above comment I could not agree with you more. Your comment actually cements what I am trying to say about addiction. that is is not the what that matters but the why. My point about AA and NA, and Ga is that we don't need to isolate people with various addictions into separate groups. There are commonalities that all addicts share and by blending various addicts with various drugs of choice we are actually enhancing their recovery experience.
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