When you think about the great discoveries and inventions that humans have made, things like fire, the wheel, the printing press, electricity, and many more likely come immediately to mind. We would like to add one to your list that we suspect you did not land on right away.
We want to praise the pause button.
You probably do not think about pause buttons on a day-to-day basis, but the odds are good that you are a regular user of this remarkable tool. Get interrupted while listening to your favorite song or podcast? You can hit the pause button. Playing a video game but need a restroom break? You can use the pause button to hold your spot so you do not lose all the progress you have made. Watching TV and have a question about a plot point or what a character said in that accent you can’t quite understand? Smash that pause button so you can ask the person you are watching with or turn on the closed captioning.
The pause button makes sure you can fully enjoy whatever you are listening to, playing, or watching. And given that we can all benefit from a little more rest and relaxation in our lives, the pause button ensures that we do not find ourselves feeling stressed out by interruptions that will inevitably arise.
For those in recovery from a substance use disorder, the pause button provides a model for something that can be useful in your life. Let’s call it your personal pause button.
Let’s take a look at how intentional pauses can help you keep your recovery journey intact.
Your Personal Pause Button at Work
For many, the pace of activity in the workplace seems to always be too fast. There is too much to do and not enough time to do it. It can be extremely easy to fall into the habit of just reacting to the next thing that arises rather than thinking things through. This is when your personal pause button can come in handy on the job.
Imagine a coworker—or even the boss—comes to you and asks you to take on a new project and move up the deadline on an existing project. Your inclination might be to sigh and say yes right there in the moment. But what if you took a moment to think things through instead? Can you really accomplish what you are being asked to do?
Your personal pause button can help you figure it out. Your coworker—and even your boss, we hope—will understand you might need a little time to determine how additional work will (or will not) be possible given your existing responsibilities. Hitting pause in this situation can lower your stress levels—and that is essential to your recovery efforts.
Your Personal Pause Button in Relationships
From time to time, even in the closest of relationships, someone might do or say something that troubles or angers you. It can be sorely tempting to respond—even to lash out—in the moment. But fostering and maintaining strong relationships is a key approach to recovery. So is keeping anger at bay to the best of your ability.
So what to do? You can press your personal pause button by taking a deep breath and saying something akin to, “I’m feeling pretty upset. I need a little time to calm down before we talk about this more.” That gives you the time and space to collect yourself and return to the conversation in a better, more productive state of mind. That is a good move for your relationship and for your recovery.
Your Personal Pause Button for Cravings
It is an unfortunate truth that cravings for drugs or alcohol are common during the recovery journey. Having a strategy for addressing them is important. That strategy will likely include the use of your personal pause button.
We cannot overstate how important it is to press pause before you do something you will regret—like returning to substance use because your cravings seem to be getting the better of you. Pause and think about all the ways your recovery has improved your life. Call someone who will reliably be there for you during tough moments like this. Turn your attention to something you truly enjoy. These and other strategies for dealing with cravings can be activated and empowered by pressing pause.
Press Fast Forward When It Comes to Pursuing Help
Located near St. Louis, Missouri, The Aviary Recovery Center is consistently counted among the very best substance use disorder treatment facilities in the nation. Each and every day, we deliver evidence-based, personalized treatment plans to help each person we serve leave drugs or alcohol in the past.
We will see you through medically supervised detoxification and a rehabilitation program designed to give you the confidence and resources you will need to start your recovery with confidence. When your time in treatment comes to an end, you can rely on our alumni program to keep you connected to support and resources from our staff as well as others who understand your journey to recovery because they have lived it themselves.
If you are ready to make a change for the better, we are always here to help you.
