The Day One Recovery Series

By February 1, 2023

Welcome to the Day One recovery series, a recovery blog promoting addiction recovery and well-being. This series aims to help anyone seeking intervention for dependency and addiction to start recovery and take those important next steps to beat addiction, change their lives and improve well-being.

Many healthcare professionals dedicate their careers to addiction and recovery treatment, supporting people like you to break free from addiction and live a fulfilling life beyond addiction. The special guest addiction experts who contribute to this series will share their expertise and insights with you, broadening your awareness of what recovery well-being can mean to you.

Recovery is about a return to physical, mental and psychological health and well-being – not just sobriety. Each article explores recovery from a holistic and integrative perspective. You will learn about the stages of change model for addiction recovery and how to move from the contemplation phase, which is possibly where you are right now, towards taking action and into establishing and maintaining recovery.

‘Whatever your needs and goals are right now, there are addiction recovery professionals, organisations, rehabilitation centres and small steps that can help you make big life changes.‘

Something you may not be aware of yet is that there are a number of paths to take to start addressing worries and concerns relating to substance and alcohol misuse and process addictions. Or, maybe you are sober curious and ready to embrace a life without alcohol (sobriety), substance abuse or problematic behaviours and want to understand the best way to support this change. Great, this series is also for you!

One of the big challenges of starting recovery is knowing the progressive steps to take through recovery. Let go of the expectation of knowing the answers and lean into the support of others. Whatever your needs and goals are right now, there are addiction professionals, organisations, rehabilitation centres and small steps that can help you make big life changes.

‘Addiction is giving up everything for one thing – recovery is giving up one thing for everything.’

In Ireland, we have several recovery self-help support groups that meet online, face-to-face, and by telephone daily around the county. These groups can be peer lead support groups or facilitated by an addiction professional. You can find out more about these in…[ Your Guide to Addiction Recovery Self-help Support Groups in Ireland ]

‘The trauma of addiction is far greater than the challenges of recovery. Make today your day one’.

‘One day at a time‘ is a famous recovery affirmation. It takes time to learn how to live by this motto, work through the trauma of addiction, and establish sobriety and well-being. With the help of addiction recovery therapists, other health professionals, and group self-help support, you can turn your life around one day at a time for good. It might feel scary, even impossible, but the trauma of addiction is far greater than the challenges of recovery. The fact that you are reading this right now, suggests you are already in the contemplation phase of change! Make today your day one.

I want you to know and start to believe that recovery is possible with the support of others, family, friends, recovery peers, group support, your therapist and other health professionals. You can even use recovery apps, audiobooks, workbooks, online journals and diaries in your spare time, making life more manageable. Commit as much time to your recovery process as your addiction has taken from you.

I hope this recovery series through a holistic lens will help put you on the right path forward. You alone can do it, but you can not do it alone, another popular recovery mantra. If you are ready to start understanding recovery and your own addiction counselling process with an experienced psychotherapist, book a session online with me using the link below or contact the special guest addiction specialists in this series.

You might like to read the following articles in this series;

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Orlagh Reid

Orlagh Reid is an IACP accredited Counsellor & Psychotherapist, Addiction Counsellor, Gottman Couples Therapist and Fertility Counsellor in private practice based in Co. Kildare, Ireland and worldwide online via DOXY. She specialises in addiction, recovery, well-being and clinical sexology. To find out more or to book an online consultation visit www.orlaghreid.ie