5 Stages of Alcohol Recovery

Reaching the decision to get help for your alcohol abuse is not an easy decision to make and you may have a long road ahead of you, but you are ready to move forward to a new life that does not include alcohol. While there are many programs out there than can help you detoxify from your alcohol addiction and then provide counseling and support as you continue a life of sobriety, it is important that you are aware of the 5 stages of alcohol recovery and know what to expect along the way.

Stage 1: Initial Acceptance

This is the moment that you accept that you have an addiction to alcohol and you need to seek help to resolve the problem. You are ready to give up denying that you have a problem.

Stage 2: Understand Addiction Recovery

In this stage you want to understand your addiction and the recovery process. It is natural to give thought to how your actions as an alcoholic impacted the lives of those around you and to want to make amends with relationships that were damaged. You may feel that a deeper understanding will help you avoid returning to alcohol abuse.

Stage 3: Considering taking Action for Recovery

At this stage it is not uncommon for the alcoholic to promise not to drink anymore. They may go to some 12 steps meetings and alter their drinking by trying to moderate or change what they drink. As they discover that they cannot be successful on their own, the alcoholic may realize that without help, they will not stop drinking.

Stage 4: Treatment

In this stage the alcoholic will detoxify either as an outpatient or enter an inpatient program. They may also go into rehab in a 30 day to six week program, or do both. Once detox is complete and they finish their rehab treatment program, the long road to abstinence and long term recover begins. This is the time when individuals work through the stress and issues that may prevent them from being successful in their sobriety. In this moment, the individual looks forward to a healthier life, acceptance of their abstinence and belief that they can change.

Stage 5: Relapse Prevention

This is the most important stage and it lasts for the rest of their life. In the 5th stage, the alcoholic will concentrate on maintaining their recovery and continue their sobriety. This is an important stage because they will need continually use the tools they learned through alcohol rehab and treatment and implement them as needed. It is important to remember that alcohol recovery is a lifelong journey and will require resilience to stay firm.

An important aspect of relapse prevention is to keep people in your life that will be supportive of your decision to abstain and to involve yourself in activities that will not hinder your commitment to abstinence.