The road to recovery can be rocky, but with the right support, treatment plan, and mindset, recovery is possible.
Wellness begins with the choice to become sober, and it’s a choice you must continue to make every day. It’s never easy, but with the right toolkit, coping mechanisms, and support system, it is possible to get clean and sober – and stay that way.
Unfortunately, the biggest battle you have to fight to maintain your sobriety is the fight with yourself. Even after you attend a detox center, your habits, choices, and mindset can significantly impact on your journey to recovery. Some of these decisions might be hindering your path to wellness without you even realizing it.
It is possible to suffer from high functioning alcoholism. These types of alcoholics can still navigate through their daily life easily.
We, as a society, have a certain perception of what an alcoholic looks like. We don’t like to admit it, but we tend to envision alcoholics as reckless partiers, people who have nothing going on or lack the willpower to curb their inhibitions. These are stereotypes, which stigmatize everyone and serve no one.
The thing is, alcohol consumption is incredibly ingrained in our social consciousness. Our weekend social life is about going out for drinks with friends or having a glass—or two, or three—of wine in the evening. We celebrate with drinks. We mourn with drinks.
Sometimes, there can be a very fine line between what we think ‘normal’ alcohol consumption looks like and what is just unchecked alcoholism.
And unfortunately, alcohol addiction comes in all shapes and sizes. Alcohol addiction can look like unemployment, isolation, and drinking away your depression. But alcohol addiction can also be the super-mom who packs fancy lunches for her kids, does Pilates, and cleans the entire house before settling in for an entire bottle of wine (or two) in the evening.
To the untrained eye, the former example may be perceived as a “low-functioning” alcoholic, while the latter might seem like a “high-functioning” alcoholic. But the reality is, there is no such thing. Addiction to alcohol is dangerous and devastating, no matter how it appears on the outside.
A high functioning alcoholic is an individual who regulary abuses alcohol, but also lives a fairly normal life. Learn how to identify these traits here.
High-functioning alcoholic sounds like a classic contradiction in terms. How can someone who is an alcoholic meaningfully function?A high-functioning alcoholic, also known as a functional alcoholic, is someone who can hold down a steady job, dresses well, and can socialize effortlessly without drawing attention to their drinking problem.To everyone on the outside, a high-functioning alcoholic can appear to be fully in control. However, beneath the façade, these people are struggling with alcohol use disorder.High-functioning alcoholics are difficult to spot and deal with. The way they see it, if the world doesn’t see they have a problem, the problem doesn’t exist. If they are seen by others to be financially independent, happy and successful, they’re fine. People who are high-functioning alcoholics often have difficulty admitting that they have a drinking problem.WHAT TO DO NEXTThe dangers of regular drinking are the same as for alcoholics who are not high-functioning. The risk of liver disease and other complaints are roughly comparable.
There are many methods you can use during your recovery journey. One of those methods is the SMART Recovery program.
Everyone has a different path to recovery. SMART could be yours.
SMART Recovery is a global non-profit organization that has helped countless individuals achieve wellness and sobriety. SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training. It is a four-point program that supports its members in maintaining continued and long-term sobriety.
AA VS. SMART RECOVERY
Unlike Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and other 12-step programs, SMART Recovery does not ascribe to the notion of a higher power. It is a scientific and secular recovery program with a basis in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and self-empowerment.
AA, on the other hand, utilizes a model of powerlessness in the face of addiction and encourages its participants to give their lives over to God, who can return them to sanity and wellness. While many individuals in recovery find peace and healing through their faith, this path does not make sense to everyone.
SMART allows you to take back your power through self-reliance and a variety of effective coping mechanisms. Participants in this program learn how to shift their urges and destructive thought patterns towards a healthier mind frame.
THE SMART WAY
So what does it mean to be SMART about your wellness journey?
1. Building and Maintaining Motivation
Getting sober is one thing. Staying sober is another. We know that the motivation to live sober waxes and wanes. SMART allows you to genuinely realize what addiction is taking away from you so you can rediscover the joy in life. SMART also helps you set and achieve attainable goals that motivate you to stay on the path of wellness.
2. Coping with Urges
One of the most challenging aspects of sobriety is getting your impulses under control. SMART teaches an array of tools and techniques for combating unhealthy urges when they arise. Participants are encouraged to use mindfulness to identify these tendencies, and distraction strategies to redirect from them. You can learn how to ride out urges, and, in time, even know how to avoid them.
3. Managing Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors
Utilizing CBT methodology, the SMART program helps you unpack the mindset and thought patterns that underscore your addiction. Distorted thinking can cause addicted individuals to relapse. SMART enables you to recognize the scenarios and feelings that trigger your addiction so you can avoid and overcome them.
4. Living a Balanced Life
As addiction takes hold, the urge to use substances can become all-consuming. Your addiction becomes a central part of your life, so much so that it throws every other aspect of your identity off-balance. The last step of SMART Recovery is learning how to re-balance your life and find the things that offer meaning and fulfillment. You’ll learn how to set both long and short-term goals and be provided with personal and community resources to aid in your continued recovery.
Landmark Recovery’s SMART Recovery program is available for individuals in the American Midwest. From Indiana to Ohio, our SMART Recovery programs help you take back control of your life.
If you or a loved one struggles with addiction, you don’t have to face it on your own. Reach out today to learn more about our rehab and recovery programs.
Are you looking for drug detox in indianapolis? Are you still trying to learn more about the whole process? We can answer all of your questions.
The Lazy Drug Detox And Alcohol Addicts 's Way to Treatment For most people, the first step in Drug Detox is reaching out for help. The current surge in demand for opioid addiction treatment has seen addiction treatment centers pop up across Indianapolis and the state of Indiana.
It’s now easier than ever before to find high quality treatment for opioid addiction in Indianapolis. The Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) provides a comprehensive list of treatment providers and their contact details. They also created the Indiana Addiction Hotline manned by highly qualified and often bilingual staff. They can transfer you to the relevant support group whether that’s Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous.
Indiana 211 and OpenBeds have formed a partnership and have been working together since 2018 to provide immediate beds for treatment of drug addiction. Those seeking treatment for substance abuse can get help at any time of the day as 24-hour support is available.
The Landmark Recovery website is a comprehensive resource which has centralized all the information on substance abuse treatment programs in Indianapolis and Indiana.
Landmark Recovery is a rehab in Indianapolis that can help you through medical detox, inpatient treatment, the 12 steps and recovery from addiction.
Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers in Indianapolis is on the forefront of the battle against addiction. Prescription opioid, heroin, and methamphetamine abuse have destroyed lives and leveled communities across Indiana, making it one of the leading state in the nation for fatalities from drug overdose. Landmark Recovery of Indianapolis was founded in order to fight addiction and restore hope, function, and purpose to the lives and families of those held hostage by addiction.
Before starting treatment, one will go through medical detox. The detoxification process is essential before enduring treatment.
Medical Detoxification, often simply called “detox,” involves carefully tapering the body from the harmful side effects of substance withdrawal. The medical detoxification process may be uncomfortable, but it is crucial in achieving improved health and wellness and is an important step in rehabilitation and recovery.
At Landmark Recovery of Indianapolis, patients will find comprehensive treatment programs for substance use disorders. Our fully accredited residential facility is staffed 24/7 by certified addiction specialists and counselors to Withdrawal From Alcohol. Our 30-day residential treatment program is designed around each patient’s individual needs, goals, and diagnoses. From medical detoxification to ongoing treatment through individual and group therapy plus extensive family counseling, our programs are built to address addiction from all angles, improving chances of sustained health and wellness. To help them stay healthy and relapse-free.
