Starting Your recovery Journey
Recovery from addiction can begin if and when there is some acknowledgment from the individual of a problem with their substance use. Beyond this, it is important that the person expresses some genuine motivation to change their substance using behaviour. This can be a challenging step for the person to achieve, especially given that substance use commonly serves a purpose for the individual as a maladaptive way of coping with underlying issues. The way forward in building motivation for change can often be achieved through weighing up the pros and cons of use, and through pitting the behaviour of substance use against core values of the unique individual and raising ambivalence about their use.
Once the individual begins to contemplate change and is expressing some genuine motivation for recovery, the process for change can begin. Depending on the substance of choice for the person, and their level of use, the first step in recovery may be a form of detox. Detox is often a necessary first step in treatment so as to support the person in safe withdrawal from the substance. To determine if their is a need for detox, and to consider whether of not this should occur as an inpatient or outpatient, it is strongly recommended that the person be assessed by a medical professional with knowledge of addiction and recovery.
Once the person has detoxed (if applicable) and is ready to begin change, recovery from addiction often requires meeting with a health professional and engaging in some addiction focussed psychosocial intervention ongoing. This process in its early stages should at least provide education to the individual about the nature of addiction, substance types effects and harms, and the relationship of their substance use to underlying issues. It is imperative that the person has insight and understanding as to the nature of the problem they face before they begin to make inroads into it.
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