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Does outpatient treatment help?
Today was day 19 in my recovery from Crystal Meth and I threw it all away. I'm so disappointed and ashamed of myself! I have been trying to quit since October and this past 19 days was the longest I've made it. I have been going to NA meetings and that's made a huge difference but today I just quit on myself. I'm wondering about outpatient treatment. Has anyone else gone that route and found it to be successful? I really want to stick with what I'm already doing because it has been working but my therapist has basically given me one last chance and I blew it. I agreed that I would go into treatment if I messed up again and here I am. Any help is greatly appreciated! I'm not ready to give up this fight.
Best Answer
Just wanted to jump in and show you some support. Forgive yourself the relapse, there is no need to beat yourself up for it. Start anew. You know that NA is helping you. You can never get too much support. Outpatient, counseling, church, NA. I have not tried outpatient but many have and have found great success, Sarah's response was so insightful. You have already proven you are ready to fight for your sobriety. Keep pushing forward. You are definitely a fighter!
I can't say thanks enough for taking the time to post this response! I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the 92% statistic. This is a difficult battle and I'm under no illusion that it's ever going to be easy but at least I have a fighting chance! I will do some research like you suggested. I am currently reading a book that's aimed at helping one quit crystal meth successfully and I believe I CAN do this. I was most curious when I posted today about the success of outpatient care. I guess I need to look into that more on my own. I do appreciate greatly all the encouragement and support I've received on MH! Thanks again.
Lisa Ling sited the statistic in her documentary "Hooked: America"s Meth Epidemic". I wasn't being negative was trying to say don't beat yourself up as all that does is make you want to use. Discouragement can be a huge cause of relapse. I will tell Lisa she was wrong.
I know your original question was about outpatient treatment, and hopefully someone can answer that one for you. I personally don't have any experience with one. Regarding the comments you've gotten so far, I don't think jpun meant any harm, and I do think the texan is basically right. That said, I'd throw percentages and studies out the window, they really don't matter to an individual.
Every addiction to a substance has a physically addictive component and a mentally addictive component. Lots of people get on here having taken painkillers per doctor's orders at the amounts prescribed and have horrible withdrawal from them. But they don't relapse once they get past that short-term (30 days or so) withdrawal (unless their pain drives them to, but that's another story). This is because they were physically dependent, but not mentally addicted. Another option is a chronic weed smoker. Cannibis is minimally physically addictive (I think everyone would agree a bit less than coffee or chocolate). But it is powerfully mentally addictive to some. So you can smoke ten times a day for years and quit one day and you're aren't vomiting, you aren't sick with the flu, you don't have the shakes, etc. But for those chronic users, their entire personality, their entire sense of self, is wrapped up in using that substance. So it's very hard to stop using.
Then, of course, you have the majority of people on here, who have both. We took opioids, or stimulants, or alcohol. These are all BOTH physically and mentally addictive, and as an addict, we have to deal with both. A lot of people relapse inside that 30-40 day window, because they actually beat most of thy physical addiction, but they haven't dealt properly with the mental part. And let's give credit where credit is due: Beating that physical part is huge! It means you're serious. You're ready to go through withdrawal in order to get your life back. But you have to address that mental part too, which most long-term recovering addicts (or former addicts, depending on what you want to call yourself) will tell you is the hardest part.
For the long-term user, your personality, your life, your being, is tied up in using your drug of choice. It takes a long time to gradually rebuild a clean "you". Aftercare of some kind is really critical for doing that. That can be AA/NA, or a therapist, or any other kind of dedicated support group. The key is that you're bought-in to the form of aftercare you choose. There is no drug on earth that it's not possible to quit from. Even if 50% of the users of any given drug relapse, every one of those people can make the choice after they do so to get back on the horse and continue their journey towards being clean. Most experts agree that nicotine is one of the hardest drugs to quit. And in the USA, we've seen massive numbers of people who successfully do just that. And look, there are great support systems for doing so, a ton of positive feedback from society in general, and plenty of tools available for people (sadly, for drug users, there aren't nearly as many options). But if you work hard on your plan, and give it your best effort, there's no reason why you won't find something that works for you. Every person who posts on here who is over a year clean was in your shoes. I'd bet every one of us doubted we'd ever be able to quit. But it IS possible, and you can do it!
Every addiction to a substance has a physically addictive component and a mentally addictive component. Lots of people get on here having taken painkillers per doctor's orders at the amounts prescribed and have horrible withdrawal from them. But they don't relapse once they get past that short-term (30 days or so) withdrawal (unless their pain drives them to, but that's another story). This is because they were physically dependent, but not mentally addicted. Another option is a chronic weed smoker. Cannibis is minimally physically addictive (I think everyone would agree a bit less than coffee or chocolate). But it is powerfully mentally addictive to some. So you can smoke ten times a day for years and quit one day and you're aren't vomiting, you aren't sick with the flu, you don't have the shakes, etc. But for those chronic users, their entire personality, their entire sense of self, is wrapped up in using that substance. So it's very hard to stop using.
Then, of course, you have the majority of people on here, who have both. We took opioids, or stimulants, or alcohol. These are all BOTH physically and mentally addictive, and as an addict, we have to deal with both. A lot of people relapse inside that 30-40 day window, because they actually beat most of thy physical addiction, but they haven't dealt properly with the mental part. And let's give credit where credit is due: Beating that physical part is huge! It means you're serious. You're ready to go through withdrawal in order to get your life back. But you have to address that mental part too, which most long-term recovering addicts (or former addicts, depending on what you want to call yourself) will tell you is the hardest part.
For the long-term user, your personality, your life, your being, is tied up in using your drug of choice. It takes a long time to gradually rebuild a clean "you". Aftercare of some kind is really critical for doing that. That can be AA/NA, or a therapist, or any other kind of dedicated support group. The key is that you're bought-in to the form of aftercare you choose. There is no drug on earth that it's not possible to quit from. Even if 50% of the users of any given drug relapse, every one of those people can make the choice after they do so to get back on the horse and continue their journey towards being clean. Most experts agree that nicotine is one of the hardest drugs to quit. And in the USA, we've seen massive numbers of people who successfully do just that. And look, there are great support systems for doing so, a ton of positive feedback from society in general, and plenty of tools available for people (sadly, for drug users, there aren't nearly as many options). But if you work hard on your plan, and give it your best effort, there's no reason why you won't find something that works for you. Every person who posts on here who is over a year clean was in your shoes. I'd bet every one of us doubted we'd ever be able to quit. But it IS possible, and you can do it!
COMMUNITY LEADER
I think outpatient treatment is something you should look into. We bury so many demons while we are using and we need to deal with them to allow ourselves to move on. We learn to start loving ourselves and that brings us freedom. You would be given valuable tools to take out in to the world and with this addiction knowledge is power~
I think I will look into outpatient treatment and try to be as open minded as possible. The way I look at it is what do I have to lose? I'm bipolar and the depression and fatigue I feel as a natural part of that disorder is part of the reason I continue to relapse. I need someone to be monitoring my meds on a regular basis and not just once month. I guess this is part of how outpatient treatment could be a good option for me. I just really want one more chance with NA to get a sponsor and start working the steps. I think that would make a huge difference. Someone at my meeting last night said we are all going to surrender it is just a matter of doing it standing up or lying down. That was a powerful statement to me. I'm not going to let this pull me down and I will do whatever it takes. Even if that means going into treatment. Thanks again everyone for supporting me through this difficult time. You all are the best!
Hi Clm,
As they say, treatment IS a gift. It means you have access to a wealth of information, counselling, meetings, resources, doctors to supervise your meds, etc., and it keeps you busy and on-track. You also meet other people to walk the path with.
Don't underestimate the added difficulty of having mental health issues and an addiction. You are not at all alone in that -- it is very common.
All the best to you.
As they say, treatment IS a gift. It means you have access to a wealth of information, counselling, meetings, resources, doctors to supervise your meds, etc., and it keeps you busy and on-track. You also meet other people to walk the path with.
Don't underestimate the added difficulty of having mental health issues and an addiction. You are not at all alone in that -- it is very common.
All the best to you.
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