The addiction cycle is used to describe the stages a person experiences when caught in the grip of addiction.
Internal Frustration:
Life can be complicated and we all experience periods of difficulty and hardship that we would like to put behind us as soon as possible. The best way to deal with frustration is to change your mindset and use these difficult periods as an opportunity to learn and grow for the better.
Fantasizing:
This is a normal reaction when we feel like something is lacking in our lives. When you are at work you dream of being on vacation, when you are hungry you think about that delicious meal. There is nothing wrong with fantasizing but too much can waste time and lead to obsession.
Obsession:
Becoming obsessed with something is not healthy. It’s an extreme behavior that puts your life out of balance. Obsession preoccupies your thoughts and leaves no space for other things, and the only way to satisfy an obsession is to act on it.
Substance Abuse:
The first three stages are something we all experience to some degree, but how you deal with it is what leads you down the path of success, or the path of addiction. When you are at work and fantasize about being on vacation, normally you power through the work day and accomplish your tasks and goals and use the dream of relaxing in paradise to motivate you. However some people want instant gratification which is why they get tempted by drugs and alcohol. It makes them feel good right away and allows them to escape their problems with out having to do the work.
Loss of Control:
Substance abuse starts out with using only once in a while but quickly can become something you do everyday multiple times a day. Before you know it your day revolves around getting high and everything else like work, relationships, and your health become unimportant.
Guilt:
Addicts are not blind to the fact that their actions are ruining their lives and eventually feelings of guilt begin to manifest. They try to repress these feelings by using more drugs but there comes a point where they hit rock bottom, or the feeling of guilt is so strong that they cant escape it even when they are high.
Cessation of use:
Addicts will stop using willingly or not, either through their on choice or they are put into rehab. Here is where they regain control of their lives and learn what led them to go down that path and how to avoid making the same mistakes. They learn about triggers and how to cope with them as well as healthy ways of managing stress and the pressures of life.
Passage of time:
This is a critical moment because this is when addicts are essentially left unsupervised and free to do what they want. Ideally their time at rehab should have “cured” them of their addiction, but addiction is often a life long battle. With out the proper support, given enough time addicts fall back into old habits, and the cycle repeats itself.
Here at Milestone Health and Wellness we offer a comprehensive “Re-entry program” so that once a client graduates from the main rehab treatment, they are not left alone to fend for themselves. We offer the support they need after they have left our facility so that there is less chance of a relapse. Here at Milestone we are like a family and we check in on our graduates on a regular basis to help keep them on the right path, and we encourage them to attend our free support groups to keep them grounded and focused on maintaining sobriety.
If you would like to know more about Milestone feel free to contact us here.