Ending the Heroin Epidemic
With heroin abuse and fatal overdoses on the rise throughout the country, various public service and health agencies repeatedly make the call for more detox/rehab "bed space" and the availability of NARCAN.
Though effective and absolutely necessary to stop the immediate "hemorrhaging", they are not the answer to the problem.
Though significant players in this tragedy, detoxes and NARCAN only offer stabilization from the "needle and the damage done".
What now? What about the future? The children? Your Child?
I believe their is an answer. It may seem counter-intuitive so please, read on.
Do not focus on staying away from opiates to stay away from opiates! The "stay away" approach results in a short-term, marginal recovery which is usually characterized by individuals attending endless meetings or utilizing long-term maintenance medications which often still stimulate.
Rather than living a 'stay away' lifestyle, embrace a 'go to' lifestyle. That is, going to people, places and activities which offer positive, satisfying experiences which become precious, valued aspects of your life.
What I'm not advocating is just staying busy to keep from using. What I am suggesting is that what deactivates cravings and urges to use is a preoccupation with new passions - nurturing relationships, developing talents, pursuing business opportunities, parenting your children, etc.
These new values become your source of satisfaction and fulfillment. They give you meaning, peace and happiness. Instinctively, you live or 'orbit' around these values in such a manner as to not to hurt or lose them.
The key to life-long sobriety is not substance management but life-style management. "Orbital" recovery, if you will.
Recovery efforts should not focus on what not to do but only focus on what to do.
If you don't know how to do what you should do, find a Life-Coach and recover your reality! - Ed
ed@recoverreality.com