Recovery and Revelation during COVID19

July 18, 2020

By Arthur Westinghouse CIP, CADC

So yesterday I was interviewed for my friend and colleague, Therapist Kathleen Brennan’s podcast episode on Relapse Prevention during COVID19 and the current apocalyptic resembling world that we are living in. Interestingly during the interview I found that I wound up sharing a great deal of personal experience. Coming from the space of someone who’s been sober for nearly 30 years of his life. It was enlightening to verbalize with a fellow Behavioral Health Professional what I’ve experienced and tactics that I’ve personally employed over the past 4 months. One thing that I’ve always been committed to is not encouraging folks to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself.

I chose to use the word “Revelation” in this blog in part from a conversation recently with a trusted and respected colleague here in Nashville. He pointed out that the Greek meaning of the word Apocalypse is Revelation. That really resonated and rang true for me with regard to the amount of time spent sheltered in place and really limiting the usual amount of work travel. I’ve found a lot of time has recently been spent staying still and sitting with personal discomfort. Within that stillness and breaking through the initial discomfort I’ve experienced a much higher level of creative thought and personal ambition. Fresh commitment to helping others and an energetic creative flow that hadn’t even realized was missing before all of this happened. The thoughts and feelings that have come feel like Revelations about a lot of what I’ve experienced, am experiencing and have yet to experience.

At the beginning of March myself and a team of professionals conducted what became a highly complex Intervention of many meetings here in Nashville. That was the night of the Tornado that left a path of destruction through Nashville. This Intervention concluded around mid March with a young lady entering treatment and my flying with a family member to CA for treatment on the same day. When I returned home the following day I did absolutely nothing in an effort to refresh and replenish my energy, as is normal following an intensive complex Intervention and emotionally charged travel with a family member to treatment on top of it.

What happened was unexpected. Instead of replenishing my strength. As the entire country shut down, I went into a depression that lasted for nearly two weeks. I hadn’t experienced anything like this in well over a decade. The experience was enlightening as to the magnitude of what has transpired in our world and the effects of it. I did however come through the other end of that replenished, recharged and ready for the next life challenge. Of course I began by engaging in my personal therapeutic yoga and meditation practice and connected with my close friends of the past 30 years as my first steps back to life. I then began discovering the power of zoom meetings, connecting with friends and colleagues for support.

Taking into account my initial experience with this current climate, I’m really concerned about those in early recovery that are new to learning how to stay sober a day at a time. This is a really trying time for many that are trying to stay sane and sober. Unfortunately there is an extraordinary amount of relapse transpiring as I write this blog.

Some of the highlights of our podcast conversation with regard to solution and healthy practice are:

Choose Zoom meeting support groups wisely. Whether 12 step or otherwise its important to attend meetings that will fuel your soul. Steer away from meetings that are too large or are not solution focused. AKA “junk food meetings”.
Develop a daily and weekly routine but not a routine that’s so rigid that you feel like you’re on a hamster trail.
Fill idle time with positive activities such as prayer, meditation, a nice walk or hike, creative activities such as writing, music etc.
For the love of god limit time on social media.
Understand that Facebook will not provide any genuine validation.
Be aware that this time that we’re living in can be an opportunity to learn and grow.
Listen to music that is uplifting as opposed to angry and depressive.
Limit the amount of Netflix binge watching.
Use the phone and connect with friends. Check on each other regularly. You may just unknowingly save a life or many with a phone call.
Always call someone or attend a meeting before you pick up a drink or drug or engage in negative pleasure seeking behavior. There is a lot of power to be had in human connection.
Upping personal accountability and integrity are vital.
Make use of telehealth therapy as needed.
Choose who you’re connecting with wisely cynicism and complaining is not good for the spirit. If that’s all you’re hearing call someone else.

Hope this experience sharing and highlights of our conversation can be useful to someone. The important thing to remember is that we don’t have to go this alone. Relapse is not a part of recovery. However relapse is a part many folks stories. Relapse is relapse and recovery is recovery. They are both two very different experiences. Relapse into addiction is optional. If a relapse does occur it’s important to call for help ASAP. There’s absolutely no shame in admitting that we don’t have it all figured out and calling for help. I’ve maintained the practice of asking for and accepting help at key points throughout the years and so far it hasn’t let me down. This too shall pass.