The recovery of an addiction is a long and hard process, which involves not only ceasing to use a particular substance, but also a striking path of personal development in which the person delves into himself, becomes better acquainted, learns new skills and faces problems or the painful experiences that can come from far back in time. Recovery usually takes place over several consecutive phases an here we will talk about the two initial phases as pre-contemplation and contemplation.
1 – Pre-Contemplation Phase
In this phase, the addict is not considering leaving because he does not believe that it is necessary to change anything, he denies being an addict and considers that he has no problem and that he controls his behavior in relation to the substance he takes. As time goes by and the consequences of addiction begin to become more evident and greater, they begin to consider leaving it, but they are still able to resort to justification, to blame circumstances or to rationalizations that allow them to continue without taking any measures. At the insistence of others to leave, they often react by persisting even more in their addiction.
2 – Contemplation Phase
In the contemplation phase, the addict is already beginning to accept that the alcohol or drugs he consumes may be creating problems for him, although he still does not think he should quit altogether. He also begins to realize that he does not control the situation as much as he originally believed, and that alcohol or drugs no longer make him feel good or give him the relief he was given at the beginning. Although a part of him poses to start making changes, another part wants to continue as before.
At this stage, it is more likely that the insistence of the patient’s family may exert an influence that leads him to leave it, or it may happen to the contrary, causing him to return to the pre-contemplation phase again. For example, if a family member reacts aggressively and critically, the addict could use alcohol or drugs to alleviate the produced discomfort.
Therefore, the attitude of the family members can both help and hurt the recovery process, so they should strive to offer their support but not to react in an aggressive or controlling way, or try to force the addict out of the situation because this makes it more likely to continue the addiction.
For the reliable solution, you must contact the best inpatient rehab center to start the recovery process of an addiction or else it will surely destroy your whole life.