The problem with the “OAAA – Once an addict, always an addict” stance is that it tends to label and box individuals who wish to be liberated from the “addict” identity. The “OAAA” claim subscribes to the view that change is not possible and people are bound by their problem behavior. This approach has been considered faulty and ineffective as it creates a cloud of shame, powerlessness, hopeless and stigma over the person. A person who has recovered cannot celebrate their success in fear that their addiction will come knocking at their door the next day!
In hearing the “OAAA” leads several individuals to give up trying to quit using and even proves to those who’ve relapsed that the statement is true. What we need to understand from drug addiction recovery is that the process is not a predictable or linear one, although general trends suggest that cocaine users take 4 years, marijuana users take 6 years, alcoholics take 15 years and nicotine users take 25 years to recover. In order for change to take place, an individual must be willing to undergo the processes of change. Let’s take a look at Bhavya’s story to better understand how the journey of recovery begins
Bhavya is a young women of 20 years, attending university. Bhavya and her friends often spend their after college hours relaxing on the terrace and lighting their cigarettes. Bhavya didn’t think much about her usage of cigarettes until she got the news that her uncle was diagnosed with lung cancer caused by heavy smoking. Bhavya felt a bit shaken and was wrestling with her own thoughts. Her dilemma - A part of her feels that her usage of cigarettes will never be as bad as her uncle, yet another part of her feels extremely guilty of taking advantage her perfectly healthy lungs.
Any time a person resolves to change a habit in their life, it will involve a process of moving through the stages of change. Change is never a linear process and can take several relapses until a person achieves their desired goals. In the case of drug abuse, the side-effects of usage must be severe enough to compel the individual to the point of realization, until then the effects are dismissed, overlooked and not even considered. Just as we see in Bhavya’s case, we see her not even thinking twice about her cigarette usage until the tragic news, she began actively struggling with her usage as a real problem. Let’s see what Bhavya does next…
Bhavya calls up her older brother, crying on the phone, worried about her habit and asking for help. She wanted to stop smoking and the only way she can do that is by avoiding her daily hangouts, since passive smoking too would affect her lungs. Bhavya was stressed that her social life would suffer if she stopped smoking altogether. After an hour of talking, she realized that stopping was the right choice for her, and would even be an opportunity that reveals who her true friends were. This was a courageous choice to make for Bhavya, her brother helped her make a plan to meet with her friends during college hours so she would still enjoy their company without having to smoke. He even offered to come visit her on weekends in case she slipped back into the habit to help distract her cravings.
Here we see Bhavya moving from the stage of resolving her dilemma and making a solid plan on how to avoid cigarettes. Her brother’s support even helped sustain the change in case she had weak moments. These decisions allowed Bhavya to not only realise how important it is to value her own health but also shed light on the kind of person she wants to be.
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