Dr. Alberto Sola is one of the world’s leading experts in medically-based ibogaine treatment; he has more clinical experience with safe and effective ibogaine administration than any other M.D. in the world today.
In order to be successful in recovery you must persevere! But what is perseverance, and how does one cultivate it? This character trait is not strongly inherent in all humans, but it is certainly something you can nurture and build. Without it, you will probably give up before you’ve achieved much on any task, but with it, you can do almost anything!
In simple terms, perseverance can be defined as “steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” In other words, we may call perseverance persistence. It is the quality of sticking to something, until we reach our goals. It is the development of the ability to continue doing something in spite of obstacles.
Truly – that’s what recovery is all about.
Recovery is not easy. It is a constant challenge, every single day. In the beginning, you will be fighting your addiction minute by minute. It does get easier over time, but even years into your recovery, you will still have days where you will struggle. But if you stay focused, stay dedicated to your sobriety, and stay the course, you will find long term success. You CAN stay free of drugs and alcohol, and live a happy and healthy and clean and sober life.
That’s perseverance.
Perseverance and Treatment
Addiction is a disease. However, it can be treated, and it is manageable. As a former heavy substance abuser, you will be an addict for the rest of your life. However, you do not have to be a substance abuser for the rest of your life! In order to manage your addiction and stay clean and sober, you simply need to develop a comprehensive plan of care and stick to it. Certainly, the planning of the plan is extremely important and is multi-faceted. But the sticking to itis even more vital.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that treatment programs that are ninety days or longer are much more effective than shorter ones, and have better outcomes. Although that may sound like a long time to be away from your everyday life and your family, this is your life we are talking about! It is important to stick to it, and stay the course. After lengthy research, NIDA would even go as far as to say that treatment programs shorter than ninety days in length only have “limited effectiveness.”
It happens time and time again. An individual is checked into a residential treatment program of twenty-eight days or so, and soon feels strong. After not long enough, the individual checks him or herself out, and soon, the vicious cycle of addiction rears its ugly head once again. Lesson learned: even if you feel strong in a recovery program, fight the urge to leave before completing the full length of it. The outside world will wait for you. Everyone who loves you wants you to succeed. If a long term residential program is what you seek, find one you like, and stay the entire time. The program is the length it is for a reason – because it works.
Time Heals All
Once you have gone to treatment and come out clean on the other side, you will be working on your recovery every day. It will be extremely challenging at first, but it will get easier. The longer you stay clean and sober, the easier it gets. Although many people slip and relapse a few times before reaching stability, the longer you stick with your recovery, the better off you will be. According to a 2007 study published in Evaluation Review, just one year of sobriety significantly reduces relapse risks, and individuals who make it to five years of being clean and sober have only a fifteen percent chance of relapse. Persevering will reward you and will strengthen your resolve; alternately, giving up and quitting will instead just make you feel like a failure, and in time, will lead to more failure down the road. Success and failure are self-fulfilling prophecies, so follow the right path to reach the goals you seek!
However, on the other hand, don’t beat yourself up too much when you slip or relapse. Instead, understand that this is something that happens and someone who is persistent will just stand right back up and start over. Many rehabilitation facilities have come to understand that relapses are fairly commonplace, and in in the interest of helping their clients persevere, they have begun to offer more ongoing care and support after a release. You may need treatment more than once, and this is not at all a sign of failure. Trying again and again until you have beat your addiction is exactly the kind of perseverance you need.
How to Persevere
You may be thinking, well, this all sounds fine and good, but isn’t perseverance much easier said than done? Yes – in fact, it is. However, with the right plan and the right support and the right mindset, you too can persevere and reach your recovery goals. A lot of what allows people to persevere in times of struggle is simply holding the deep down belief that they truly can succeed. Attitude is extremely important and can make or break your success in any area – especially in recovery. It is also easier to stick to a recovery plan with proper support, such as a supportive group of friends and family, support groups, counseling, and so on. Get help when you need it and remember, recovery is something you tackle one day at a time. Embrace self-discipline, and stick to the plan you have made. With enough time, focus, and perseverance, you truly can do anything!
At Clear Sky Recovery, we recognize the importance of perseverance in any recovery journey. Although your time with us will be short, we will help you to take the first steps on this challenging path. Our ibogaine detox treatment will help you find the deep-rooted causes of your addiction, and then you will be more easily able to move forward in a happy and healthy life, free from the grip of drugs and alcohol. Give us a call today; we can’t wait to hear from you.