How to Deal with Illness During Addiction Recovery

Avoid narcotics –

Oct. 19, 2020 – No Time to Self-Medicate Most individuals who were actively abusing drugs or alcohol will have turned to these potentially harmful substances as a means of self-medication, regardless of the circumstances, whatever they might be. As we know, this kind of self-medication will only make the actual symptoms and their underlying condition worse.

It seems appropriate that COVID-19 gets a mention here (as it’s pretty much mentioned in every other “health” article on the planet). Active drug addicts and alcoholics are highly unlikely to be concerned about a global pandemic when their daily priority is just getting enough of their fix to keep going until tomorrow. Social distancing, observing lockdowns, and wearing a protective mask are not going to feature very highly on their list of daily objectives – it’s just the way it is.

Taking into account the prior behavior of recovering addicts and alcoholics, you can see why feeling ill during recovery can present a possibly dangerous relapse trigger to these people. All of this means that having the right coping skills and strategies in place are vital to ensuring that the recovery can actually survive the illness, let alone, of course, the person involved.

It also seems a good idea to let you all know that I do have personal experience of this. A long-term cocaine addict and alcoholic, I finally found my own recovery around 8 years ago, and, thanks to the excellent drug rehab that cared for me, and then educated me, I have been clean and sober (and occasionally ill, but not through substance abuse) ever since. Getting ill in early recovery is a definite relapse trigger that you should be fully prepared for. So, here is “How to Deal with Illness During Addiction Recovery.”