Addiction Recovery Southwest Florida: Addiction Community Needs to Think Outside the Box

As a result of Cory Monteith death of drug overdose just last week, I feel that the addiction treatment community need to begin to think outside of the box to save lives. The old traditional methods are excellent and have saved so many lives. But there are still over 100 people dying from drug overdoses every day in the US only.

What does a recovering addict do after leaving the safety of a treatment center when they are alone?

They THINK!!!!!

The worst time for an addict in recovery from my experiences of coaching individual’s seeking to remain sober after initial treatment is when they are with themselves. It is the times when they are alone with their own thoughts. I am convinced had anyone had a clear view of Cory's core beliefs (def: formed messages that he had about himself due to his life experiences) there would have been a clue of what was about to happen.

What Kind of Thoughts?

Unfortunately, a recovering addict generally in time returns to old negative thinking that got him or her to use in the first place. “I don’t fit in if I don’t use”, “No one likes me if I am not high, including me”, “I am no good without using”, “I don’t deserve to be sober because of what I have done”, “I need it, or I will be nothing all over again”, “I was so much better when I was using”. When these thoughts get stuck in a person's head, and he or she can't stop focusing on them is turns into an addiction to those thoughts known as a Thought Addiction. Every addiction starts with a thought, and after becoming sober, if not shift, the original thought is still there.

This type of negative thinking, looping or distorted self-beliefs can throw a successful recovery into a relapse and lead to a mindless overdose. His or her now the clean body is more sensitive, reduced threshold and is not used to the level the person had been taking. But his or her mind says “Go ahead.” The body’s organs then get overwhelmed and shut down for good.

Addiction Professionals Need To Think Differently

As an addiction professional, we need to start thinking about the box. Addiction recovery needs to be more than just in-house programs and then leaving the post care to only to NA and once in a while sponsors. There needs to be recognition and support of the growing network of addiction recovery coaches and sober coaches. These coaches can teach new skills, development of new healthy patterns and daily support.

Let us all get to join together as a cohesive professional addiction community rather than separated and isolated. Dedicate this new total addiction community toward saving lives and helping people become healthier individuals together.

                                  Coach Bill