The Guardian conducted a survey in which nearly 300 people described their recovery from heroin addiction. Here are a few responses from the study:
“For the past 20 years, I’ve thought of heroin every day.”
“When I first gave up heroin, I could never tell myself it was forever.”
“No one sets out to be a heroin addict. It’s not a lifestyle choice.”
Each person’s experience with addiction is different, but it’s safe to say that addiction can affect every single aspect of a person’s life, and recovery can be challenging. For many people, recovery is considered a lifelong process because each day brings about new thoughts, feelings, behaviors, challenges, successes – each day is different, and we must learn and conquer each day as we go.
As the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states, addiction does not need to be a lifelong sentence – recovery is possible. It’s hard – but it’s possible, and nothing worthwhile is easy. A 2015 study titled “Heroin Addiction Recovery” sought to explore the many components that make up recovery for those recovering from heroin addiction. The following are some of the researchers’ findings:
- Individuals sought out recovery either from getting into a “rock-bottom” experience or by feeling sick and tired of the addiction cycle altogether.
- Participants were able to maintain their recovery by changing their location and social circle, being open with others about their need for help, finding a program that really served as a foundation for their recovery.
- Many people explained that what keeps them going in recovery today is giving back and helping others, living a lifestyle of recovery, and ultimately having a completely different outlook on life.
As you can see, recovery is absolutely possible. There are so many people out there who went through painful moments and legal implications, people who lost friends, family members, and finances, individuals who were on the brink of their own self-destruction who came back and made it through recovery. If they can do it, so can you.
Transform your life, inside and out as you find freedom from addiction. At Tree House Recovery in Orange County, California, we’re helping men create the sustainable changes necessary to build a sustainable recovery. Call us today for information: (855) 202-2138