Getting sober results in a significant number of changes physically and mentally. After years of numbing yourself with drugs and alcohol, you will begin to view yourself and the world around you differently. Often in the early stages of recovery, you can feel particularly energetic and confident about your ability to stay sober. It’s a bit like how you might feel anytime you begin a new habit or make a significant change in your life. It’s what pink clouding is; the time in early recovery where you are in the honeymoon phase of your sobriety. It’s a great time and you can use the increased energy to propel yourself into long-term recovery. It’s also a time when you need to be aware of the dangers of relapse. At The Last House, we understand the various stages of recovery and we know how to support you as you pass through them on the road to long-term recovery.
What’s Pink Clouding in Addiction Recovery?
You may hear others in peer support recovery meetings refer to it and wonder what pink clouding is. The early stages of recovery are often referred to as the early abstinence stage, but you may also hear it called the honeymoon or pink cloud stage. Most often, you will hear it come with a warning attached because it’s a stage that won’t last.
During pink clouding, you have increased energy, intense feelings, increased optimism, and mood swings. However, you may also experience memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and mild paranoia. Sometimes the pink cloud can make you feel overconfident in your recovery, putting you at risk for a relapse. This is especially true if you also have a hard time prioritizing activities in your life or continue to resist the changes needed to stay sober. The pink cloud can be a very happy time in your recovery, but it is crucial to know the risks of relapse during this time.
Tips to Ensure Long-Term Sobriety
Getting sober and staying sober are two different things and require different skills. If you think of getting sober as the process of physically breaking free of your addiction, then staying sober is all about what goes on in your head. But what’s the pink clouding effect on long-term sobriety? Well, that pink cloud can sometimes take you from confident to overconfident in your sobriety, which can have negative consequences. If you become overconfident, you might start to believe that you don’t need to work at staying sober. You might also begin to think that you can safely be around others who are using. However, long-term sobriety takes work and maintenance. It’s important to know that you will likely encounter something that makes you want to drink or use drugs. Your job is to maintain your recovery so that you can face those triggers without using them. It’s vital to remember that recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.
How The Last House Can Help You or a Loved One Today
If you or a loved one have been using drugs, you’ll find many options available for the road to recovery. The Last House is here to help keep you or them on that road. We are a network of sober living homes in the heart of West Los Angeles. We believe in providing our clients with the tools to have a meaningful life and participate in their sobriety. We understand all about the pink cloud and the other stages of recovery. Activities such as service commitments, sober parties, conventions, dances, and house outings are all a part of helping you learn how to have fun in sobriety. So if you’re creating a sober life or supporting someone who is, The Last House is here to help. Contact us today.