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People in later recovery face different challenges from those early in recovery.

Mistaking monotony for boredom may lead to seeking chaos, threatening sobriety.

Pride can mask evolving cravings, making them harder to recognize and manage.

Rigidly sticking to one recovery method may ignore changing personal needs over time.

There will always be challenges in recovery because challenges are unavoidable facts of life. It doesn’t matter how long someone has been in recovery; there will always be challenges along the way. The challenges later in recovery may differ from those early in recovery.

In the world of addiction treatment, there tends to be more focus on challenges early in recovery. Everything is new, different, and disorienting. It makes a good deal of sense to attend to these challenges because many people early in recovery don’t have their feet under them yet. Relapsing or slipping may be much closer at hand for them.

Later in recovery when people have more experience addressing cravings, navigating tricky social situations, and facing challenges without addictive substances and behaviors, relapsing or having a slip may seem a more distant option.

While a slip or relapse may be more distant and less likely, it isn’t impossible. Here are six challenges that people in long term recovery may experience.

Six Common Challenges........

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