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    Addiction recovery

    The fourth stage of alcohol and drug rehab is reaching advanced recovery in which you have achieved long-lasting abstinence and have made a commitment to continue to lead a lifelong sober lifestyle. Advanced recovery, sometimes called stable recovery, usually begins after five years of sustained abstinence.
    Throughout your continuing care phase of your professional rehab program, you have not only learned to maintain abstinence, you have also learned to make more healthy and productive choices in all areas of your life. Advanced recovery is living that healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life.

    Advanced recovery is the fourth of four stages of recovery or rehab defined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

    1.Treatment initiation
    2.Early abstinence
    3.Maintenance of abstinence
    4.Advanced recovery
    What Is Advanced Recovery?
    As you have learned during your journey through rehab, recovery is much more than merely remaining abstinence. Of course, maintaining abstinence is a necessary part of recovery and the core of your recovery program. But if you do not make healthy choices in all areas of your life, you will find it difficult to lead a satisfying, fulfilling life.
    One group of recovery experts published a definition of recovery as "a voluntarily maintained lifestyle characterized by sobriety, personal health, and citizenship." Personal health involves not only to physical and mental health, but also social health -- participation in family and social roles. Citizenship refers to "giving back" to the community and society.


    Independence and Self-Accountability
    When you have entered the advanced recovery stage, it is usually the point at which your individual follow-up or continuing care counseling will end. After five years of sustained abstinence and recovery you are ready for greater independence and self-accountability for your own recovery, without the regular sessions with your addictions counselor.
    As your counselor prepares to terminate your active treatment sessions, you will probably be asked to specify steps that you will take to establish your own continued recovery process. The goals that you have achieved will be highlighted and any areas where you may still need work will be identified.


    Treatment Booster Sessions
    Even after your active treatment ends, many professional rehab programs offer treatment "booster" sessions - follow-up sessions with your counselors on a much less frequent basis. These sessions offer support and feedback on your recovery program, remind you of your commitment to your recovery and are available should a crisis arise.
    Even if you have been clean and sober continually for more than five years, you are still one slip away from a relapse. In spite of your success, you will still be encouraged to utilize your booster sessions and continue your participation in your mutual support groups.

    After five years of sobriety you are much less likely to have a relapse and you may not have to spend as much conscious effort to maintain your sober lifestyle, but your continued recovery can be a lifelong process.


    :congratulatory: Clean & Sober since 13/01/2009 :congratulatory:

    Until one is committed there is always hesitant thoughts.
    I know enough to know that I don't know enough.

    This signature has been typed in front of a live studio audience.

    #2
    Addiction recovery

    How true this is Mario!
    I am about 18 months sober, and i am just starting to deal with some of the stuff that fed my addiction or my need to bail out of the life I had been given. It takes time and work and it really isnt a quick process at all.
    I am really only a newbie at this sobriety game :-)
    Living now and not just existing since 9th July 2008
    Nicotine Free since 6th February 2009

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      #3
      Addiction recovery

      I'm with you Starty. I took my time about trashing up my life and it takes time to build a new one! I hope that lots of us will still be here and sober several years into the future as I think it will really add something to this community to have true long term sober people active in the forum. (i.e. 5 years, 10 years, etc. etc.) It was a real eye opener for me to interact with people "in real life" who have more years sober then they did drunk. They show me that sober living is possible for the long haul, and that life can keep getting better if we keep working at it!

      Good post as always Mario!

      DG
      Sobriety Date = 5/22/08
      Nicotine Free Date = 2/27/07


      One day at a time.

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        #4
        Addiction recovery

        Yep! Excellent information! Mario, do you mind sharing where this information is taken from? I would like to read further!

        I was given a real KEY about a year ago. I was talking to a women with 12 years of sobriety, after 30 years of trashing her life. She said.....Do NOT live your life as an "Alcoholic who is Dry", live your life to the fullest as somone who Chooses Not To Drink. What I took from this is to focus on Living Life and Not on Not Drinking. I choose to no longer have any part of my life focused on alcohol and for me it really seems to work!
        A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes~Cinderella

        AF 12/6/2007

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          #5
          Addiction recovery

          Greeting's all,
          I'm like a kid in a candy store, and loving it. So much to learn and experience!
          Be well!

          'I am part of all that I have met, yet all experience is an arch wherethro', gleams that untravelled world whose margins fade, forever and forever when I move'

          Zen soul Warrior. Freedom today-

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            #6
            Addiction recovery

            The Fourth Stage of Rehab is Advanced Recovery
            Leading a Lifelong Sober Lifestyle
            By Buddy T, About.com Guide
            Updated June 12, 2009

            This is where i got it kateh1 :-)


            :congratulatory: Clean & Sober since 13/01/2009 :congratulatory:

            Until one is committed there is always hesitant thoughts.
            I know enough to know that I don't know enough.

            This signature has been typed in front of a live studio audience.

            Comment


              #7
              Addiction recovery

              I am only 4 months and have not yet been tempted. I was warned I would be but I think alcohol finally freaked me out so much I am too scared of going back to how it was. It is probably way to soon to say that. 4 years seems so far away but I am sure I will have a better 4 years sober.
              I am blessed with love joy and sobriety.

              Comment


                #8
                Addiction recovery

                KateH1;801631 wrote: She said.....Do NOT live your life as an "Alcoholic who is Dry", live your life to the fullest as somone who Chooses Not To Drink. What I took from this is to focus on Living Life and Not on Not Drinking. I choose to no longer have any part of my life focused on alcohol and for me it really seems to work!
                So true so true Kate. There's a difference between putting in the time (i.e., the quantity of time AF) and learning how to live in a new and better way (i.e., quality of AF life). I learned early on, thanks to some wise advice on this forum, that if I were going to stay AF, I would have to make some significant changes in my life.

                M3
                AF Since April 20, 2008
                4 Years!!!
                :lilheart:

                Comment


                  #9
                  Addiction recovery

                  To live life alcohol free is just one of the many things that we have to do.even though i havent gone total alcohol free i have cut down dramiticaly since i started lurking and reading all the posts here,for me this thread is the best one as it shows what has to be and can be done.and there is no bullshit talked here.

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