Addiction: Coping with recovery during lockdown

Denton Rubahinda, a recovered addict and activist against substance abuse says he struggled with addiction for almost 20 years. “There are times I tried to stop but the disease was stronger than me. You can see that you are killing yourself and ruining the lives of those around you but you are helpless,” he explains.
Professional help
Just like any other disease, substance addiction recovery can be successful when the individual gets professional help. Patients in recovery are sometimes allowed to go back to their communities and visit a rehabilitation facility a few times a week for therapy, assessment and pills.

But with lockdown, a number of people are unable to access these services, which might affect their progress. Added to this is the general global feeling of anxiety and helplessness which might trigger someone’s decision to start using again as a way of coping.

Support system
Dr David Agaba, a psychiatrist, describes the road to recovery from any substance use as a long and slippery one. “Studies have reported that about 80 per cent of people who receive treatment for alcohol use disorder will relapse within the first year,” he reveals.

In order to win this battle against alcohol and other substance use disorders, people on the road to recovery depend greatly on regular meetings with their healthcare provider, medications taken to fight off cravings and the social support they receive from support groups.

Telemedicine
Most of these resources are not easily accessible in the Covid-19 era where social distancing is a prerequisite.

“For one to recover from an alcohol use problem, the major goal of treatment and therapy is to unlearn behaviours that lead to recurrent use,” says Dr Agaba. To do this, behaviours that promote non-use are reinforced during various group and individual therapy sessions.

“Luckily, these can continue during the era of social distancing by taking advantage of the online space to continue with the peer help meetings,” he advises.

Medication
It is crucial that one has adequate supply of the medications prescribed by the healthcare providers. Again, there are now mechanisms through which these medications can be delivered to one’s doorstep such as Mfeyti-meds (meds.mfeyti.com).

Regular schedule
Social distancing can give rise to worry, anxiety and stress which all have shown to have the potential to lead to relapse. It is, therefore, important to keep a regular schedule of activities, including a fixed time for sleep, exercise, proper meal times as well as time for study and work.

The extra time created can be channeled into learning a new skill, listening to music and taking part in other fun-filled activities.

How can addicts get help?
Jimmy Odoki Acellam
Recovering addicts can call resourceful people and peer support workers for help when experiencing episodes. Those with private transport means can access help from a psychologist or a psychiatrist.

Derrick Mbuga Kizza
With the Covid-19 pandemic, we are paying a heavy cost for absence of community health services. However, one can seek psychosocial support and counselling from the family and community.

Dr Benedict Akimana
It is important for family members to encourage these people, such as looking out for triggers and helping them, say by keeping them busy that they have no time to indulge in habits that rekindle the addiction.

Rules of recovery
Practice self-care
People use drugs and alcohol as a form of self-care and self-medication. Recovery does not mean denying yourself ways to escape, relax, or reward yourself.

It means finding better ways to do those things. If you do not find better ways to take care of yourself, you will eventually feel irritable, exhausted, and discontent. If you have those feelings for too long, you will begin to think about using just to escape.

Self-care is essential for mental well-being. If you do not consciously make time for self-care, you will unconsciously make time for it by using.

Self-care begins with healthy eating and sleeping habits. Develop better sleep habits so that you are less tired. Eat a healthier lunch so you are not as hungry at the end of the day.

Learn how to relax so that you are not filled with fears and resentment.

Mind-body relaxation
When you are tense, you tend to do what is familiar and wrong instead of what is new and right. When you are tense, you are not open to change.

Mind-body relaxation has also been shown to prevent relapse.

The first rule of recovery is that you must change your life. But what do you need to change?
If people use drugs and alcohol to relieve tension, then learning to relax is one of the most important skills if you want to change your life.

If you manage to stop using, but do not learn how to relax, your tension will build until you will have to relapse just to escape. Tension is the most common cause of relapse.

Relaxation is not an optional part of recovery. It is essential to recovery. There are many ways to relax. They range from simple techniques such as going for a walk to more structured techniques such as mindfulness and meditation.

Don’t try to negotiate
Your addiction has given you an opportunity, and if you use this opportunity correctly, you will look back on your addiction as one of the best things that ever happened to you. People in recovery often describe themselves as grateful addicts. Why would someone be grateful to have an addiction? Because their addiction helped them find an inner peace and tranquility that most people crave. Recovery can help you change your life.

Use this opportunity. Do not resent your addiction. Do not try to negotiate your recovery. Embrace your recovery, and you will be happier in life.

Source: addictionsandrecovery.org