Others do well on their own making use of available community resources. Participants’ explanations of why they chose abstinence from drugs and alcohol largely fell into two categories that also emphasized RC needs. First, participants reported a need to avoid a return to chaotic, problematic drug use. Like somebody with OCD cannot do meth because it makes them — they will pick the skin off their bones.” For these participants, abstinence was not a goal of recovery in and of itself.
- The alcohol and drug addiction recovery process can look different for each person and is based on the level of care determined for a person, so treatment is often tailored to the individual.4 Program lengths vary.
- These guidelines help evaluate a patient’s clinical needs and situation to match them with the right level of care, in the most appropriate available setting.
- Such treatment was typically siloed professionally and physically from other types of care and services,227,228 such as primary care, mental health services, and assistance with applying for public benefits and finding adequate housing.
- It is estimated that up to 89% of mental health professionals agree that clinicians should receive training in religious/spiritual competencies (Vieten et al., 2023).
Chapter 1—Introduction to Recovery From Problematic Substance Use
First, the sample was primarily recruited from people involved in the criminal legal system (CLS) with high levels of polysubstance use in one southern state. Also, although part of the sample was also drawn from a rural SSP, 94% of the sample were recruited from the CLS. Second, despite the inclusion of open-ended questions which shed light onto participant’s experiences, there is still a need for in-depth interviews to probe deeper on this topic. Although this pilot served as an important starting point, more intensive qualitative research will center the lived experiences of PWUM and provide additional context. Additionally, to support the development of non-abstinent interventions, larger scale quantitative research is needed. Our sample is relatively small, and our descriptive cross-sectional data are somewhat limited in scope.
Shortly after substance use is stopped, people may experience withdrawal, the onset of unpleasant physical and psychological symptoms —from irritability to shakiness to nausea; delirium and seizures in severe cases. SAMHSA envisions that people with, affected by, or at risk for mental health and substance use conditions receive care, achieve well-being, and thrive. Like prisons and jails, recovery spaces house trans people according to their gender assigned at birth, with no regard for their safety. Trans women frequently receive the worst treatment, at the hands of people who view us as men. Any behavioral health facility that denies someone’s gender identity is incapable of providing them the equitable treatment they need to recover.
Integrating Primary Care With Behavioral Health Services
Item centrality status, participant endorsement, and item rank (by endorsement level) by sociodemographic subgroups for 10 top-ranked items overall in recovery definition measure. Potential participants accessed a study website, which included a link to the anonymous, confidential online survey. Surveys were collected from July to October of 2012, and took about sober house 15 minutes; participants were not incentivized.
Goals
- These elements were among the 3 most highly endorsed elements overall and for most subgroups, but are not identified in any known, formal recovery definition.
- First, people in recovery are core stakeholders in recovery definitions, constituting SUD service providers, SUD service consumers, and members of the broader community.
- Further, 12-step fellowships such as AA and NA have a long history of supporting meeting spaces that are specific to women; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) populations; young people; and other groups, including meetings that are conducted in other languages.
- People experiencing SUDs have trouble controlling their drug use even though they know drugs are harmful.
- However, although SAMHSA’s definition of recovery is not abstinence-based, in treatment and recovery spaces in the U.S, it is frequently interpreted this way.
As background, this chapter looks briefly at the origins and treatment of problematic substance use and introduces recovery concepts and supports. Recurrence of substance use after a period of resolved problematic use does not mean that recovery has failed. It may mean that treatment or recovery approaches, or both, need adjusting.
KEY TERMS
- Connecting the client to various recovery support services and other forms of assistance and activities that can strengthen their recovery and improve their well-being and quality of life for the long term.
- In fact, there is growing support for what is called harm reduction, which values any moves toward reducing the destructive consequences of substance abuse.
- There are companies large and small that have recovery-friendly hiring practices.
- Gaining the skills to avoid relapse is a necessary part of the recovery process.
- First, the sample was primarily recruited from people involved in the criminal legal system (CLS) with high levels of polysubstance use in one southern state.
Writing a letter to one’s younger self can be a powerful way to foster compassion and forgiveness. Members write words of support, advice, and encouragement to their past selves, helping them process regret and build self-compassion. Spending time in nature can have calming effects and improve mental clarity. Organize a group nature walk where members can reconnect with the outdoors, reduce stress, and find peace in a natural setting. Gratitude discussions foster a positive outlook by focusing on what members appreciate.
Researchers find that taking incremental steps to change behavior often motivates people to eventually choose abstinence. Nevertheless, many treatment programs, including Alcoholics Anonymous, require a commitment to complete abstinence as a condition of admission. Research and clinical experience have identified a number of factors that promote recovery. Because people’s surroundings silently but strongly shape thinking and behaving, it is essential to arrange the environment one inhabits to support the shifting of habits of thought and behavior—avoiding high-risk situations, developing new sets of friends. Another is reorienting the brain circuitry of desire—finding or rediscovering a passion or pursuit that gives meaning to life and furnishes personal goals that are capable of supplanting the desire for drugs.
The current study undertook a secondary analysis of the What is Recovery? Data to identify those recovery elements that are highly endorsed by most recovering people across 30 theoretically relevant subgroups. By developing a single, shared definition of recovery as those in recovery see it, we aimed to provide an empirical basis for informing institutional definitions of recovery and SUD services and research. Due to the current study’s exploratory nature, we did not formulate hypotheses. Mutual aid groups focused on substance use differ from other RSS in important respects.
Mental Illness and Vulnerability to Problematic Substance Use
Behavioral therapies can also enhance the effectiveness of medications and help people remain in treatment longer. Like many other chronic conditions, treatment is available for substance use disorders. While no single treatment method is right for everyone, recovery is possible, and help is available for patients with SUDs. If you or a loved one is starting the recovery journey, or you are curious about what it means, this article will help you understand what the stages of change in the recovery process https://northiowatoday.com/2025/01/27/sober-house-rules-what-you-should-know-before-moving-in/ are, different types of programs and treatment options you may encounter. • Developing a detailed relapse prevention plan and keeping it in a convenient place for quick access when cravings hit, which helps guard against relapse in the future.