Recovered/Recovering
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 689
Recovered/Recovering
I recently read an article about a man who had a alcohol and drug problem YEARS ago. He hasn't used for 15-20 yrs and he thinks he is "recovered" from this disease.
I disagree with that statement.
Aren't we always RECOVERING from this disease? I thought recovery is a lifelong process...??
???
I disagree with that statement.
Aren't we always RECOVERING from this disease? I thought recovery is a lifelong process...??
???
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
I made the mistake off thinking I was recovered...I commented as such to a blog yesterday. Here's a snippet of what I posted:
"I quit drugs in 1986-87. Went on to have a successful life w/ a college degree, a Masters degree and a great career. I wore my "recovered addict" status on my sleeve and would have been offended if someone thought I didn't have my drug addiction beat. Fast forward to 2007, my mom is in hospice for cancer. I find OxyContin in her medicine cabinet and start snorting them.
Moral of this story...I should have never considered myself as "recovered" but a recovering addict. I trusted myself and let myself down."
Now I understand and accept that I am a recovering drug addict and trying to recover from alcohol addiction...and will be in recovery for life.
"I quit drugs in 1986-87. Went on to have a successful life w/ a college degree, a Masters degree and a great career. I wore my "recovered addict" status on my sleeve and would have been offended if someone thought I didn't have my drug addiction beat. Fast forward to 2007, my mom is in hospice for cancer. I find OxyContin in her medicine cabinet and start snorting them.
Moral of this story...I should have never considered myself as "recovered" but a recovering addict. I trusted myself and let myself down."
Now I understand and accept that I am a recovering drug addict and trying to recover from alcohol addiction...and will be in recovery for life.
Not again
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Central NY
Posts: 1,139
Now there's an interesting arguement and it certainly seems semantics are involved. By which I am refering to we must "say what we mean, if we are to mean what we say".
Certainly if you are a participant in the 12 step program as described in the Big Book of AA, you stand a better chance of being RECOVERED. Or at least the book tells us of many thousands of people who have. This is not to be confused with being CURED of our addictions. Just because we have put down the drink or drug and made the necessary repairs to our lives, ie; ammends and character defects, this does not indicate that we will be able to pick up the drink or drug and use in a responsible manner.
I personally believe if you are stuck "recovering" for the rest of your life you are doing something wrong and more effort needs to be applied. And more meetings is probably not the answer. But if sympathy and excuses for lack of motivation, self-disipline and progress are your goals, then by all means continue to be a recovering addict. I personally intended on making up for lost time and shall strive to become a better person than I was before I used.
Larry
Certainly if you are a participant in the 12 step program as described in the Big Book of AA, you stand a better chance of being RECOVERED. Or at least the book tells us of many thousands of people who have. This is not to be confused with being CURED of our addictions. Just because we have put down the drink or drug and made the necessary repairs to our lives, ie; ammends and character defects, this does not indicate that we will be able to pick up the drink or drug and use in a responsible manner.
I personally believe if you are stuck "recovering" for the rest of your life you are doing something wrong and more effort needs to be applied. And more meetings is probably not the answer. But if sympathy and excuses for lack of motivation, self-disipline and progress are your goals, then by all means continue to be a recovering addict. I personally intended on making up for lost time and shall strive to become a better person than I was before I used.
Larry
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 689
This is a hard question, can be debateable (sp)..
I don't go to meetings.. But I know in meetings people say "I am (their name) and I am an alcoholic/ addict..
Everyone is going to have their own opinion on this I think..
Being recovered or in recovery; means that you have to keep your guard up all the time.
In rehab they taught us we should never think that we are recovered; recovery is a life long process...
???
I don't go to meetings.. But I know in meetings people say "I am (their name) and I am an alcoholic/ addict..
Everyone is going to have their own opinion on this I think..
Being recovered or in recovery; means that you have to keep your guard up all the time.
In rehab they taught us we should never think that we are recovered; recovery is a life long process...
???
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,889
Recovered means for me not showing any symptoms of addiction. Aside from some of the obvious symptoms of addiction like slurred speech, nodding and stuff like that. There are symptoms like faulty thinking, lying, risk taking, aggressiveness, etc, that are also associated with addiction. These can persist long after the drug use stops. So for me, recovered means I'm symptom free and clean of active addictions influence on my thinking and acting.
I say I'm in addiction treatment. Meaning I need take certain precautions (treatments) so that my addiction doesn't go active. I think recovering means to a lot of people that there in treatment too. But it can also mean that the people recovering still have some addiction symptoms even tho they are drug free.
So it goes, with all sorts of ways to be drug free, there are just as many ways to describe the process with a wide variety of recovery lingo.
I say I'm in addiction treatment. Meaning I need take certain precautions (treatments) so that my addiction doesn't go active. I think recovering means to a lot of people that there in treatment too. But it can also mean that the people recovering still have some addiction symptoms even tho they are drug free.
So it goes, with all sorts of ways to be drug free, there are just as many ways to describe the process with a wide variety of recovery lingo.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 336
I have a chronic condition called addiction. I think the term I will use instead of recovered is "in remission." I am currently in early recovery (>7 months). I believe there will always be the danger that my condition could be reactivated if I deny it's a chronic, lifelong condition and do everything I'm supposed to do to prevent that from happening.
I don't know if my belief about this will change over time. Here and now, this is what I believe.
Hmmmm. Good question.
I don't know if my belief about this will change over time. Here and now, this is what I believe.
Hmmmm. Good question.
Evolving Addict
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New York State
Posts: 3,067
There's been at least two threads here that have comments made on this same topic, and people are going to refer to themselves however they please. Yet, I would like to add my two cents for consideration:
Most 12 step programs (lets say AA & NA) talk about a "seemingly hopeless state of mind and body" ...this being the situation that results from active addiction. IMO, it's that same state of desperation that brings most of us to rehab, treatment, or any sort of program for help.
If I'm not mistaken, in AA, the term "recovered" signifies that one is no longer in that state of hopelessness or enslaved to a liquid drug. In NA, the term "recovering" applies to the same thing, but also indicates that the healing and growth required to recover goes much further than that. I'm not an AA member, so I can't elaborate much more (with experience) on what being "recovered" in AA means...but I can tell you what recovering means in NA.
Contrary to the opinions of some, "recovering" (in NA) doesn't mean that we must constantly fear relapse or 'people, places & things' that bring about using thoughts. With decades clean, addicts will tell you that they still remember using or have thoughts of using. IMO, no amount of meetings, step work or praying can remove that. In NA we understand that our disease involved much more than our use of drugs so our recovery must involve much more than being abstinent. For many of us, we didn't become addicts in a short time (i.e., weeks, months, or 5 - 10 yrs), so it may take that much longer (possibly a lifetime) to get better in EVERY area of our lives that our disease touched.
I conclude that although many of us who are in 12 step programs have long since been "reprieved" from the seemingly hopeless state of mind and body each fellowship refers to, if we are continuing to PRACTICE what we have learned and have been given...we are all still healing, growing and recovering in different ways. It is truly about progress and not perfection. We don't get cured...we get better.
G
Most 12 step programs (lets say AA & NA) talk about a "seemingly hopeless state of mind and body" ...this being the situation that results from active addiction. IMO, it's that same state of desperation that brings most of us to rehab, treatment, or any sort of program for help.
If I'm not mistaken, in AA, the term "recovered" signifies that one is no longer in that state of hopelessness or enslaved to a liquid drug. In NA, the term "recovering" applies to the same thing, but also indicates that the healing and growth required to recover goes much further than that. I'm not an AA member, so I can't elaborate much more (with experience) on what being "recovered" in AA means...but I can tell you what recovering means in NA.
Contrary to the opinions of some, "recovering" (in NA) doesn't mean that we must constantly fear relapse or 'people, places & things' that bring about using thoughts. With decades clean, addicts will tell you that they still remember using or have thoughts of using. IMO, no amount of meetings, step work or praying can remove that. In NA we understand that our disease involved much more than our use of drugs so our recovery must involve much more than being abstinent. For many of us, we didn't become addicts in a short time (i.e., weeks, months, or 5 - 10 yrs), so it may take that much longer (possibly a lifetime) to get better in EVERY area of our lives that our disease touched.
I conclude that although many of us who are in 12 step programs have long since been "reprieved" from the seemingly hopeless state of mind and body each fellowship refers to, if we are continuing to PRACTICE what we have learned and have been given...we are all still healing, growing and recovering in different ways. It is truly about progress and not perfection. We don't get cured...we get better.
G
Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Macomb/ Detroit, MI
Posts: 126
Note - I have not read all the other Replys so forgive me if this has already been said.
What is the point of this program if there is no victory. Read our text it uses the word(s) "Recovered", past, present etc. 78 times (+/-). If you get shoot, you have a wound, that wound heals right, lol. This program has givien me a choice today. Ask yourself, is it possible that you may go out and drink/drug today, yes of course, God gave us freewill, but is it probable, no! This program was designed to remove our obsession to use, throught the work of the 12' steps and the deapth that only you will decide you take this program will give you this.
Perception is everything for me, but my facts come from the Book. Can I go back, of course, will I probably not today
. Look at it however you need to to keep you sober today. I choose today to be a "Recovered" member of this Fellowship. I'll leave you with this, Look in your books and see if the first 100 memebers of this program "Recovered" from this obsession.
What is the point of this program if there is no victory. Read our text it uses the word(s) "Recovered", past, present etc. 78 times (+/-). If you get shoot, you have a wound, that wound heals right, lol. This program has givien me a choice today. Ask yourself, is it possible that you may go out and drink/drug today, yes of course, God gave us freewill, but is it probable, no! This program was designed to remove our obsession to use, throught the work of the 12' steps and the deapth that only you will decide you take this program will give you this.
Perception is everything for me, but my facts come from the Book. Can I go back, of course, will I probably not today
. Look at it however you need to to keep you sober today. I choose today to be a "Recovered" member of this Fellowship. I'll leave you with this, Look in your books and see if the first 100 memebers of this program "Recovered" from this obsession.
Member of SMART Recovery
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,722
Originally Posted by Lizrox 
I recently read an article about a man who had a alcohol and drug problem YEARS ago. He hasn't used for 15-20 yrs and he thinks he is "recovered" from this disease.
I disagree with that statement.
Aren't we always RECOVERING from this disease? I thought recovery is a lifelong process...??
???
I disagree with that statement.
Aren't we always RECOVERING from this disease? I thought recovery is a lifelong process...??
???
I quit smoking a long time ago, too, and don't still call myself a smoker; I don't see why drinking should be any different because it's a different form of addiction. For me, there's nothing useful about continual identification with a problem I left behind in the previous century.
My opinion and preference of course. But it works great for me.
OTT
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Dayton, OH.
Posts: 879
Logically speaking, to say one is recovered is to suggest that one could go and do the same thing again and get different results. Which is the definition of insanity. So to think one is recovered is to have insane thinking.
If I were recovered from my crack addiction then that would mean I could go out and smoke crack and be just fine and dandy. But I know I cannot do that. Addiction IS a lifelong process and we will always being recoverING addicts.
I am sure there are many people who would look at it differently, but the fact is that we can never use again. Ever. That places us firmly in recovery.
But don't let wording on simple things get to you. A lot of people can hurt their own recovery by focusing on certain words or phrases that, in the grande scheme of things, do not make that big of a difference. I am not saying you are doing that, but just in case, just keep it simple.
Either way, you can decide what you want to call it. I remember admonishing a certain LarryLive for calling it "recovered crackhead" but that was me getting my perverbial panties in a bunch over simple stuff.. LOL. He and I can both call it what we want. Right Larry (if you're reading this)? As long as we're clean and living life, making a new path without the use of drugs, it's all good.
If I were recovered from my crack addiction then that would mean I could go out and smoke crack and be just fine and dandy. But I know I cannot do that. Addiction IS a lifelong process and we will always being recoverING addicts.
I am sure there are many people who would look at it differently, but the fact is that we can never use again. Ever. That places us firmly in recovery.
But don't let wording on simple things get to you. A lot of people can hurt their own recovery by focusing on certain words or phrases that, in the grande scheme of things, do not make that big of a difference. I am not saying you are doing that, but just in case, just keep it simple.
Either way, you can decide what you want to call it. I remember admonishing a certain LarryLive for calling it "recovered crackhead" but that was me getting my perverbial panties in a bunch over simple stuff.. LOL. He and I can both call it what we want.
Right Larry (if you're reading this)? As long as we're clean and living life, making a new path without the use of drugs, it's all good. Stopping the Train...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Sevierville, TN - in the valley of the Great Smoky Mountains
Posts: 978
I'm an addict. Always will be. The difference today is in choosing to be a "recovering" addict. Not one in active addiction. I am clean. Gm said everything I believe it to be. I will always be recovering in the act of what kept me using for so many years - attending to my feelings, behaviors, and lack of spiritual strength. The core of what my problems are and how I chose to deal with them.
I'll more than likely be dead before I reach the same amount of time clean as I did using. I will be working on me as those long before me still do in the 12-step programs. I'm still sick, but getting better - recovering from my disease. I hope I never recover. If I think that than I lose the ability to remain teachable. If I lose that then I lose the ability to learn and continue the path of a recovering addict.
I'll more than likely be dead before I reach the same amount of time clean as I did using. I will be working on me as those long before me still do in the 12-step programs. I'm still sick, but getting better - recovering from my disease. I hope I never recover. If I think that than I lose the ability to remain teachable. If I lose that then I lose the ability to learn and continue the path of a recovering addict.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 689
Wow, when I first posted this I never though I would get so many responses.
People are going to have there own opinions on this.
I think the most important thing is that we are clean; and doing everything in our power to stay clean...
I did learn something interesting in rehab. People are probably going to have their own opinions on this.
They say addiction/alcoholism is a DISEASE. To be considered a disease it has to meet certain criteria. I think there were 5. I remember one (sorry).. It was something about being incurable.. Addiction can't be cured but can be put into remission... If I remember more I'll add..
People are going to have there own opinions on this.
I think the most important thing is that we are clean; and doing everything in our power to stay clean...
I did learn something interesting in rehab. People are probably going to have their own opinions on this.
They say addiction/alcoholism is a DISEASE. To be considered a disease it has to meet certain criteria. I think there were 5. I remember one (sorry).. It was something about being incurable.. Addiction can't be cured but can be put into remission... If I remember more I'll add..
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