Maximizing The Blessing of Distractions

Capitalizing on the brain’s ability to be distracted can help maintain and extend recovery. This benefit can be found in the art and continued practice of deferring, if only for a few precious, yet vital minutes, the action of reaching out for that bottle, joint or pill.
As human beings, we get distracted constantly. In fact, the brain’s perception of distractions or changes in our surrounding area is what saved the species in primitive times from predators. Whatever the brain was focused on prior to identifying a threat in the environment was relegated to the back burner the instant that a hazard was recognized. In this modern era, our Number One Enemy has become addictive substances and behaviors.
The distinction that the individual in recovery, or seeking recovery, must make is that the habit of inserting a meaningful distraction into consciousness the moment a risk to continued sobriety is detected is an absolute must. Thus, the practice of frequent, regular calls to sponsors and other members of a recovery support network have become time honored responses which thousands in recovery have used successfully over time. The willingness to form this healthy, recovery-preserving habit is a testimony to ones intent to become, and remain, abstinent from mood-altering substances and behaviors. Such conversations can secure a healthy footing that leads to lifelong recovery and can serve as an antidote for relapse.
Some people have developed specific lists they carry in their wallet which specifically outline a plan of actions to take if temptations surface. As individuals explore triggers with sponsors, therapists and other members of their support group, they can begin to discern the earliest circumstances and behaviors that have led them to drink or use in the past. As the saying goes, “He who forgets the past is destined to repeat it.”
While some will find that reaching for the earplugs and listening to a soothing tape is advantageous, others will prefer opting for strenuous activity, such as jogging or weight training to tame the beast of intrusive thoughts of using. Finding healthy distractions which work for you in a variety of situations and forming the regular practice of inserting those practices into your everyday life is something that can be developed to secure an uninterrupted recovery journey.
Paula