Courage Recovery
Roger L'Hereault, Addiction Educator
E8: Co-occurring Obstacles
E8: Co-occurring Obstacles
E8: Co-occurring Obstacles
Wednesday 12th December 2018
Roger L'Hereault explores how to manage addiction recovery while dealing with mental and physical health issues. Gain insights on overcoming these dual challenges.
10 minutes
Informative
Empowering
Hopeful
Supportive
Educational
About this podcast
Overview:
Categories:
Sobriety Toolkit
Navigating Challenges in Recovery
Family Recovery from Addiction
Recovery from Trauma
Creative Recovery Journeys
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Episodes:
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Get the buttons here!Tackling Dual Challenges: Mental and Physical Health in Addiction Recovery
If we can alleviate some of that confusion, we are in a much better space.
Imagine trying to climb a mountain with a heavy backpack, and then realizing halfway up that you've also got a sprained ankle. This is what it can feel like to manage addiction recovery while dealing with other mental or physical health issues. In this eye-opening episode of 'Courage Recovery', Roger L'Hereault dives into the complex world of co-occurring obstacles that often accompany addiction.
These aren't just minor inconveniences; they can be anything from anxiety and bipolar disorder to diabetes and chronic pain. Left unaddressed, these issues can not only make recovery harder but can also trigger relapses when you least expect them. Roger breaks down why these co-occurring conditions are so tricky to manage. One major hurdle is confusion—it's tough to figure out if your feelings are coming from your addiction or another health issue.
This confusion can lead to scapegoating, where you might blame your behaviors on a mental health condition while ignoring the role of addiction. Another challenge is the 'ticking time bomb' effect, where these issues flare up unexpectedly, jeopardizing your recovery efforts. And then there's self-medication, where using substances to manage symptoms of other conditions only makes things worse. But it's not all doom and gloom.
Roger emphasizes the importance of acknowledging these co-occurring issues and working on them in a healthy way. The goal isn't to eliminate these conditions entirely but to manage them effectively so they don't derail your recovery journey. This process takes effort, but the rewards—both mental and physical—are well worth it. People who put in the work often experience transformative changes that make the struggle worthwhile.
So if you're dealing with more than just addiction, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice on how to navigate these dual challenges. It's not an easy path, but understanding and addressing these co-occurring obstacles can make all the difference in achieving lasting recovery.