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Recovery Milestones

Jabberwocky

Jabberwocky

Frumious Bandersnatch
Joined
Nov 3, 1999
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Junkie wisdom, anecdotal evidence and researchers all agree, there are some important milestones that happen in recovery. This it true for people who use substances but also for those recovering from trauma and behavioral addiction issues.

Googles states that a milestone is
an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development.
Click to expand...

The most significant marker is perhaps the first 90 days after one disengages from whatever harmful behavior brought them here. That is about how long it takes for new neural pathways to take become established, and for the body-mind to balance and come back into harmony with itself.

What have been your milestones in recovery? How did you get there? None of us have done this alone. What kind of support have you enjoyed and would like to express gratitude for?

God only knows, I've done this so many times, but I would say the first milestone for me was the first few months I was on methadone and abstained from old harmful behaviors. The second milestone was coming off methadone. Like they say, it was smack dab right about 90 days after I had finished my self detox and hadn't touched opioids, and I noticed I began to feel my feelings in a way I had not in a long time.

A wall of sadness came over me, a wall of emotional and psychological pain I had been holding back for over a decade with substances. But it is not a depression, it is far to refreshing to be that. I am far to connected to those around me, my world, my people, the land and animals to feel small, alienated, isolated and alone.

As Rilke says, Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final. That seems to very much sum up where I'm at in life right now.
 
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Beautiful toothpastedog, I'm glad that you are on the right path and congratulations for conquering your demons. I'm on day 4 as you know, my milestones so far:

1) The first day, when I made the decision (again) to clean up my lifestyle.
2) After 36 hours, it got a lot worse, and I almost relapsed, but I didn't and I consider that a milestone, I was SO weak.
3) After 72 hours, I'm past physical symptoms it seems and that night, I slept.
4) My most important milestone by far, I let myself be broken.

We have a lifelong battle ahead of us, but with the right mindset, it will feel like less of a battle and more of a way of life. Am I right?

My girlfriend, she stood by me the entire way through and she didn't back down from the challenge once. She's been there through each of my fuck ups, and she's always been understanding and worked with me on it. She is the most beautiful person I've ever met in my life and I am very proud that she has had the strength to work with me through this. Without her, I don't know that I would have the progress that I have right now. Also, thank you toothpastedog, some of the wisdom contained in your MBHR links was a beacon of hope for me when I almost relapsed during withdrawal. I am happy today, to be able to be broken.
 
Like diuquil said, making the decision to stop and following through that first 24 hours is a big one. After that, I consider the end of day 3 a milestone. My next one will be day 8. After that, I will consider it a milestone at day 14... then the next one will be whenever the pink cloud effect comes, and again when it goes away and I'm still clean despite that.

I agree that 90 days is significant, in a lot of ways. I haven't ever made it there, but I fully intend to this time.
 
xburtonchic you've got my vote, and I really hope that you make it to your goal! Remember to ask for help when it gets hard, even if for some reason that makes you feel less of a person. It's important to know that we can't do everything on our own, and to know when to ask for help. Help can come in many forms, what may work for one may not work for you. But whatever form the help takes for you, I really hope that it will be significant to you and I hope you continue to find strength in surprising places! Congratulations xburtonchic, keep it up, you'll get to experience the world that was created for you!
 
Thanks diuqil, and same to you! Im on day 6, its getting easier but like you said this is a lifelong battle. I think addicts ime can be some of the most amazing people though and I am keeping faith that strength and resourcefulness that ALL addicts have will help those of us who want peace to find it :)
 
I would agree with that xburtonchic, some of the most amazing people I've met in my life have been addicts. I count the lucky stars today, that I am still alive. A number of my very close friends have been killed over the years from overdosing, and even that wasn't enough to STAY clean for me. It just never came from me before, it was always "for someone" or "for some reason" and never for me. I am happy to hear you've made it to day 6, reward yourself with something you enjoy that isn't destructive. I play guitar, I have for 10 years, but through my addiction, I haven't really been able to expand on my skills. Today, I rewarded myself by doing just that. I played guitar for hours today, hands are still a bit shaky from wd, so it wasn't great sounding. But man, it was rewarding to do that with a somewhat clear head. Maybe you can find something to reap the same reward from xburtonchic?
 
I get a lot of joy out of any type of extreme sports so I'm getting back into that. Teaching myself to skateboard again and looking forward to snowboarding season. I will consider it another milestone when I can do these things again without eating shit every other second haha... its been a while. Gonna take a minute for my body to remember all the proper balancing and coordination, but that's cool... something to look forward to :)
 
That is fucking awesome burton! I have got back into urban biking and it is rocking my world. Thank you for your contribution to this thread! I like the direction you took it in :)
 
That's awesome!! As addicts I think anything that requires us to challenge and push ourselves like that is an invaluable tool... it satiates our inner desire for living on the edge but in a much healthier and productive way. Getting a bike is another goal of mine, that's great that you're getting so much enjoyment out of it :D
 
The day I got my methadone dose up above 90mg and the craving for heroin went away was monumental for me. Up until that point I was an absolute slave to cravings I mean they literally ran my life. I now have a little more then a year off of heroin and I believe getting on methadone saved my life.
 
This thread rules! Ok -----1.)When I quit drinking December 2013 2.) When I quit injecting morphine Spring 2015 3.) When I quit using THC on October 2 2016
4.) When I quit masturbating October 10 2016 5.) J/k on number 4
 
Not having to worry that my lights won't turn on when I flick the switch, water wont come out when I go to shower, cables off, or my dryer and stove won't work because the gas got shut off! What a wonderful relief it is to be caught up on bills!
 
New one for me, Im one week clean today!!! Glad to be doin well, healthy eating, exercise and the works! Ill post more details later, Im on my cell... at work! =D =D
 
I've been wanting to post to this thread since its been up but I honestly, other than making the decision to get clean, can't think of any particular milestones. It felt very back and forth physically so maybe that's why.

Shit... At 55ish days... This whole process feels like one big ass milestone in my life lol.
 
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