The whole life of an addict is consumed by their addiction. Life dramatically changes once drugs are involved. The life of an addict will never be as it once was again.
Even once the addict enters recovery their life will still be radically different.
Associates
The individuals who an addict hangs out with and spends the majority of their time with are other addicts who are using. These individuals encourage and help each other in their using habits.
They become like a little drug induced family. When an addict becomes a recovering addict, however, they must lose those associates and instead replace them with others who are in recovery, who are not using and are following a new, sober lifestyle.
These people can be met at treatment facilities or in 12-step meetings. Recovering addicts also tend to spend more time with their family while in recovery because they discover a new found value for their family.
The Way In Which An Addict Speaks
While in addiction, addicts tend to “glamorize” their using. They often talk about the times they are in trouble with the police or how they came upon their last score.
They talk themselves up to raise their self-esteem, and they hold to the highest esteem their stories about the high itself. They talk down people who do not use making them sound like boring individuals who just do not understand them.
In recovery, the “war stories” that were once used to make the addict’s life sound interesting are discouraged, and instead stories of recovery are told. The words used in conversation are learned from treatment centers and 12-step vocabulary.
What an Addict Eats
An addict is most likely not going to consider nutrition a priority. The priority of an addict in active addiction is, of course, their drugs. They may frequently skip meals or eat fast food that is high in fat and carbohydrates. A diet consisting of this leads to malnourishment.
When an addict enters recovery, they usually become more health conscious. Fruits and vegetables become a priority in each meal and they begin to make healthy choices such as being more aware of their sugar and caffeine intake.
Often times, recovering addicts can control their cravings for drugs by instead focusing on their nutrition and getting a substantial amount of exercise.
Spiritual Beliefs
In addiction, many addicts may believe in a God; however they may not have a strong relationship with God. They may feel that they are going to pay in the afterlife for all wrongs they have done.
When an addict enters recovery, they believe just the opposite. They believe in a higher power, or a God of their own understanding, and become spiritual beings.
They experience spiritual awakenings and, instead of believing in a punishing God, believe in a higher power that they can surrender their will to. Their higher power has endearing characteristics that are positive, not vengeful.
There are many differences between life before addiction, life in active addiction, and life in recovery. The primary difference is actually found within. The spirit will change, which is what will make the most monumental transformations. In recovery, addicts become brand new individuals with healthy, safe and productive lifestyles.
Distributed by Client Initiatives
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