Addiction is at its most insidious in how it seems to destroy any concept of the future for the addict. Someone in the throes of substance abuse does not look to the future, does not set goals or create visions for improvement or advancement. They live in an endless now, a doldrums that exists between hits of their substance of choice, unable to see any future beyond attaining their next supply of drugs or alcohol. Recovery, in some ways, is a refutation of that in its opening up the future to the recovering addict once more, allowing them to dream and craft the future to their own personal vision.Recovery is about creating a way forward.
By putting the recovering addict’s feet on the road ahead, they can set about crafting a vision for a brighter future in recovery.
Addiction can feel like a refutation of the future, stealing away the promises of tomorrow in exchange for a tainted pleasure in the here and now. The addict is trapped within the cycle of addiction, constantly repeating the same patterns over and over, as if the future does not exist and change is an illusion.
When the addict manages to break out of this cycle and seek help it is their first attempt to reclaim the future, for the promise of rehab is a change from the status quo of substance abuse. By entering addiction treatment, the addict is once more setting forth into the future and leaving stasis behind.
Once the recovering addict enters recovery, however, they must work on continuing on that path to the future. It can be all too easy to fall into old patterns of stasis, enduring recovery as they endured addiction, seeing it as endless drudgery dedicated to avoiding relapse and not looking beyond taking things one day at a time.
And while there is a need to focus on the here and now and let the present dictate actions to maintain sobriety, it cannot be only that. Recovery is about reclaiming your life, and planning for the future is part of that.
Recovery is a time to think about what you want to be, not only now, but a year from now, five years, ten years down the line, more. Having broken the shackles of addiction, you can think about where you want to go and how you want to get there.
At Good Landing Recovery, planning for the future is an important part of moving past the past of substance abuse and addiction struggles and into a lasting recovery that holds promise for tomorrow, and tomorrows after that.
Addiction treatment and recovery aren’t just about detox and coping strategies. On a broader scale, it’s about reclaiming your life and, as part of that, the promise of the future within that life.
The road ahead can be long, but in recovery you can be certain there is a road ahead, rather than an endless cycle of stasis. Creating a brighter future in recovery is possible with help from Good Landing. Give them a call to get started today.