There are five stages of recovery when it comes to addiction, they are:
 
– Precontemplation Stage
If you or someone you know is in the first stage of recovery from addiction, they are not yet ready for an addiction treatment program. This particular phase is characterized by behaviors including defensiveness and justification. There is clearly a lack of insight into the negative impacts that their addiction to excessive drug or alcohol use has on them, and a strong focus on the positive effects they believe they are experiencing from their addiction.
 
Many will remain in this particular stage due to a lack of information about their addictive behaviors.
 
– Contemplation Stage
The second phase of addiction recovery is contemplative readiness. This means the patient is ready to change for the future, but not necessarily immediately. They are aware of the positives of becoming drug-free, but they still see the benefits of their addiction. This is a critical stage for their loved ones, like family members and friends, as well as treatment centers because the patient will be more likely to listen to reason at this stage.
 
– Preparation Stage
The third stage is preparation, where the individual is building a better sense of urgency in regard to their desire to become sober. They have made steps towards taking this action, including seeing a counselor, intending to join a gym, or attempting to quit an addiction themselves without any need for treatment centers.
 
It is quite normal for this phase to last a day or more without them turning to their addiction, but it is also usual to see them go back to contemplation or even precontemplation if a trigger or difficult emotion arises.
 
– Action Stage
The fourth stage is the action stage. These individuals have made significant changes in their lives and have committed to change. This stage is made up of periods of abstinence and the ability to turn to professionals for help before or even after they relapse.
 
Change is quite apparent in their lifestyle, and character, and more like self-understanding, self-care, and more during this stage.
 
– Maintenance Stage
During the maintenance stage, this specific individual is working hard to prevent their addiction recovery relapse from occurring. They continue to keep up with the lifestyle changes they have made, including getting regular exercise, staying sober, doing recreational activities, paying attention to their hygiene, sleeping, and attending support groups. There is no sensation of relapse as frequently as others in previous stages, their confidence has grown, and they believe their ability to maintain sobriety will be long-term.
 
This stage can last anywhere from six months to five years. It will depend on the severity of the addiction, as well as their experience and genes. It only takes a small minority of people to reach the six-month mark where they feel they won’t go back to their addictive behaviors.

While we understand how difficult it can be to recover from addiction and to even think about recovery, your first step is to set a quit date. This can be a meaningful date, including a birthday, special event, or anniversary. You can work on changing your environment by removing any reminders of your addiction from where you live or other people, by letting them know not to bring reminders into your home.
 
Distracting yourself from the addiction and urges to use it by choosing alternative activities like calling a friend, going for a walk, or seeing a family member keep you busy. Review your previous attempts at quitting, what worked and what didn’t, and try to apply any work to contribute to your recovery progress this time.
 
Finally, create support by speaking to your family and friends, asking for their encouragement, and letting them know you are quitting. You let everyone that may have been a bad influence that would have gotten you things that may trigger or helped with the addiction that you are quitting, and to not do certain things like they previously did, and if they object, ensure you do not keep in contact with them, so you can successfully move fully into recovery.

There has been much research that has gone on, with many showcasing that it takes an average of 90 days for the “brain to reset itself and shake off the instant influence of a substance like drugs or alcohol.”

The most important part of recovering from addiction is learning to be aware of your emotions, accepting your emotions, feeling your emotions, and learning to cope properly with your emotions.

Visit our specialists for addiction recovery. We have convenient locations to serve you. For more information, call us or request an appointment online. We serve patients from Los Angeles CA, Glendale CA, Beverly Hills CA, Santa Monica CA, Hollywood CA, Burbank CA, and Pasadena CA.