Drug addiction takes a toll on people’s lives, jobs, and relationships. It also takes a toll on the family who love them. Getting sober is a journey that takes a great deal of time and energy but is worthwhile to stop drinking or using drugs and reclaim your life. There are key differences between sobriety and recovery. Learn more about the differences and why it matters.

Sobriety is Different

Someone who struggles with addiction may try to become sober without using medication or assistance. They may not understand the layers of issues they face that contribute to addiction. Without confronting root causes, they are not going to achieve the full sobriety they desire. Relapse is a very real fear for many people. An individual who is trying to overcome drug or alcohol addiction must address the underlying issues if they want to make a full recovery. Through rehab, they can confront underlying issues in therapy and work to stop the cycle of addiction. Sobriety is a process of learning to not use drugs or alcohol. Recovery is the process used to maintain sobriety. Without recovery, a person can become sober but never address the underlying causes of addiction.

Recovery Defined

When a person enters recovery, they can become sober and start the process of seeking renewal in their life from addiction. Those who enter sobriety without recovery may become irritable, unable to cope with reality, or angry. People who are sober are typically clean and cease drug and alcohol use. Recovery is a set of complex processes that include:

Behavioral shifts and changes that contribute to addiction and relapse
Understanding why they need to be in recovery rather than using drugs or alcohol
Working through issues that led to the development of addiction and developing healthy coping mechanisms to deal with the issues.

People in recovery can develop healthy mechanisms to fill the void alcohol and drugs left in their life. They can develop the ability to handle their feelings and urges in therapy. People in recovery develop strong support groups and a network of people who get what they are dealing with. People who are in recovery work to make changes and develop a sense of peace in their lives. Recovery programs teach people to get sober, then support them with medical, physical, and spiritual resources to live life without substance use. This can include therapy, group work, music or creative arts therapy, meditation and mindfulness, trauma therapy, or other ways of supporting a person so they can heal from addiction. The key is to find the right place, commit to treatment, and focus on getting sober (off substances), then work to get on the road to recovery with a plan and goals in place.

Oceanfront is here to support your journey to sobriety and recovery with our therapeutic programs and services. We help you navigate the experience of healing you need to find hope for a new day, clean and sober. We are located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Call us to find out how we can help you navigate addiction recovery: 888-981-4295