Am I Ready for Recovery?
“Am I ready for drug addiction recovery” is a vital question to ask yourself the moment you feel dependence and addiction with substance use.
Even thinking about the idea of recovery causes many people to start assessing their chances of cleaning up without rehab.
Does rehab work, then? The short answer is “Yes, absolutely.”
We’re not here to overload you with statistics about recovery rates, though. However, true value of treatment programs can be viewed through many lenses. It doesn’t hinge purely on the achievement of complete sobriety for all participants. Even incremental improvement in family and work life mean rehab works for many.
For example, inpatient and outpatient rehab can strengthen your chances of quitting by managing withdrawal symptoms. Rehab will equip you with the tools to commit to long-term drug addiction recovery.
Are You Ready for Recovery Quiz
Have you asked yourself, “Am I an addict?” If so, this mini-quiz might shed further light on that issue.
Spend some time writing down honest answers. Don’t hold back as you’ll only be shortchanging yourself.
- Do You Prioritize Drinking or Using Drugs At The Expense of Your Responsibilities?
- Is Your Life Becoming Chaotic and Unmanageable?
- Have You Noticed Your Appetite, Sleep, and Health Have Been Affected By Drink or Drugs?
- To What Extent Are You Hiding Your Habit?
- Are Your Finances In Meltdown?
- Do you Use Alcohol Or Drugs as a Coping Mechanism?
- How Do You Feel About Quitting Drink or Drugs?
1) Do You Prioritize Drinking or Using Drugs At The Expense of Your Responsibilities?
Neglecting your responsibilities in favor of drinking or using drugs is a marker indicating that dependence is building.
The substance here is unimportant. Whether you’re drinking excessively, abusing recreational drugs, or taking too many prescription pills, ask yourself another question: how much time are you devoting to this?
Consider that and ask yourself if that time is being wisely spent. If your daily routine is being impacted, it could be time to reassess your priorities.
2) Is Your Life Becoming Chaotic and Unmanageable?
Addiction is chaotic.
The first step of AA’s 12-step program asserts that, “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.”
For Narcotics Anonymous, the statement is the same except the word “alcohol” is replaced by “addiction”.
If you already have a busy and hectic lifestyle, throwing alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder into the mix and you’re inviting meltdown. You can only juggle so many balls. Focus on those that count.
3) Have You Noticed Your Appetite, Sleep, and Health Have Been Affected By Drink or Drugs?
Drink and drugs play havoc with your regular sleeping habits. While a lack of sleep in the short-term might make you irritable, sustained sleep deprivation can have serious health consequences.
Are you noticing any changes in your weight? Piling on the pounds when drinking heavily or losing weight because of stimulants like cocaine or meth could be a sign things are getting out of hand.
When these issues are compounded by wider-ranging health issues brought about by substance abuse, you should heed these warning signs.
4) To What Extent are You Hiding Your Habit?
Denial is a regular by-product of addiction.
If someone asks how much you drink, do you give an honest answer? Or do you underestimate?
Would you be happy to admit that you’ve started buying larger quantities of drugs, or would you keep that information to yourself?
Any time you find yourself lying about consumption or concealing evidence of your drinking or drug use, a problem is building by definition. If it wasn’t, why would you be hiding it?
5) Are your Finances in Meltdown?
How much of your income goes on drink or drugs?
When you have money coming in, do you immediately calculate how much you can spend on alcohol or drugs before other budgeting?
Perhaps you’re solvent but eating into your cash reserves.
If your financial situation is being impaired by this kind of expenditure, you could be in the early throes of addiction.
6) Do you use alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism?
If you have a super-stressful job and work long hours, it’s easy to justify those bottles of wine or bedtime joints. Indeed, many functioning addicts have outwardly successful lives, and give no indication of being reliant on drink or drugs to cope with life’s stressors.
It’s tough to know how to tell when you’re starting to rely on a substance as a coping mechanism so ask yourself this: could you just as easily not have that drink or not take drugs? If you find that idea difficult to accept, you could already be dependent and in need of help.
7) How Do You Feel About the Prospect of Quitting Using Drink or Drugs?
What are your thoughts on abstaining completely and cleaning up your act?
If you recoil from this idea, chances are you’re already in murky waters. After all, when was the last time you felt negatively about adding a healthy habit to your life?
What Comes Next
This quiz might make you realize that you would benefit from quitting drink or drugs and that you could use some help. Here at Landmark Recovery, our goal is to help one million people just like you to embrace a fruitful life of sobriety.
The good news? If you’re ready to quit, now is the best time, so call our admissions team at 888-448-0302 and a friendly member of our team will discuss your many options.
Choose Recovery Over Addiction
We're here 24/7 to help you get the care you need to live life on your terms, without drugs or alcohol. Talk to our recovery specialists today and learn about our integrated treatment programs.
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