Taking medication while in recovery helps many people maintain their sobriety and manage their mental health. However, medication in recovery has become a controversial topic as some groups claim it is “replacing one addiction for another.” Some people are even told they aren’t sober because of their medications that their treatment team prescribed. This criticism can be harsh, but learning how to face it without allowing it to jeopardize your recovery is crucial. Next time you experience complaints regarding your medication use in recovery, think back to these points to get you through them.
Remind Yourself That Medication Helps
If you are taking your medication as prescribed and following the doctor’s instructions, your medication should be boosting your recovery. This is because medication management used in addiction recovery helps reduce relapse, manage mental health symptoms, save lives, and maintain sobriety. If others are critical of your use of medication while in recovery, you can brush aside their comments because you know the benefits of the practice for your recovery.
Educate Others
While it is not your job to educate others, nor should you feel obligated to simply because you use medication in your recovery, a great way to combat criticism is to inform others of the practice. By explaining the benefits and how the medication boosts your recovery, the person spewing criticisms may be inclined to take a step back and see things from your perspective.
You Know What’s Best For You
Ultimately you and your treatment team know what is best for your recovery. If criticisms come your way, you can shake them off knowing that you have made the best decision for your health, future, and wellbeing. Receiving criticism is never fun, but maintaining sobriety is a huge accomplishment. If you need medication to continue living a healthy and sober life, then continue to do so and don’t pay attention to what critics have to say.
Recovery is supposed to be a time of support, healing, and learning how to live a sober life responsibly. Unfortunately, some groups will criticize those who use medications in their recovery because they claim they aren’t sober or are trading one addiction for another. These criticisms can be harsh, but knowing how to overcome them can protect your recovery. At Alta Loma Transformational Services, we believe that medication management is crucial for patients with co-occurring disorders. We will teach you how to manage your medication and help boost your recovery correctly. Call us today to learn more at (866) 457-3843.
