Deciding to get sober and quit drugs and alcohol for good is one of the bravest things anyone can do. It’s a scary jump, but being able to finally make it and take that next step can only lead people to a better place. Not only will it make you physically healthier, but learning to navigate life and work towards something greater without a dependency on substances is incredibly freeing and validating.
However, there can be a new set of challenges that come with getting sober. It’s an entirely new way of looking at life, and while it’s healthier, pitfalls remain that people will need to navigate.
These types of challenges are often unfamiliar to those recently out of recovery, and while they aren’t related to drugs and alcohol, they can still be detrimental to people’s health in the long term. Knowing how to navigate them and expect them beforehand can go a long way in making sure you maintain your well-being and keep your recovery journey on the right path.
Some problems can even come disguised as blessings, making it extra difficult to realize that something is wrong at all. Notably, “pink cloud syndrome” is a common issue with people who have recently come out of recovery and resumed their lives. Let’s go through how to recognize pink clouding and how to work around it and maintain your sobriety journey.
What is Pink Clouding?
Pink clouding is a euphoric feeling you get right when you re-enter your everyday life after completing treatment. People feel an overwhelming sense of joy and happiness and it’s often associated with accomplishing your recovery goals. While it’s great for people to celebrate themselves and feel a sense of happiness, especially after struggling with sobriety and staying clean, pink clouding can sometimes be detrimental to their well-being.
What does Pink Clouding mean for long-term health and recovery?
Because people experiencing the pink cloud often undergo intense happy and euphoric feelings right after a prolonged stage of recovery stress, it can be difficult for them to see things as a negative.
However, this happy stage can ultimately cause people to have a false sense of completion, leading them to abandon the work they’ve become dedicated to and gradually pick bad habits back up again.
When people feel accomplished in this way, it can often lead them to think that they no longer have to stick to their routine or comply with the rules they learned in their recovery program. It’s easy to feel like you’ve finished everything and to become more relaxed.
Additionally, it’s inevitable that everyone will one day run into a problem; that’s simply how life works. If people assume that life will always feel how it does during your pink cloud window, then it’s hard to prepare for a time when life isn’t as easy or joyful. It’s important to always put things into the proper perspective.
What can someone do to thwart the negative effects of pink clouding?
While it may sound easy to simply remember this, it can be quite difficult when actually trying this in the real world. Addicts and those recently who’ve completed treatment have experienced one of the toughest parts of their lives thus far. When they’re suddenly thrust into a situation that feels easier, it’s hard to remember the negative and it becomes much more comfortable for them to live in the moment with this new reality.
However, there are ways for people to combat pink clouding and stick to their long-term recovery journeys. Recovering from a substance use disorder is one of the hardest things someone can do. If someone has made it this far, they absolutely have the strength to battle pink clouding.
How to stick to your recovery journey while going through the pink cloud stage
While the pink cloud stage can be a trying time for people’s recovery journeys, there are ways to stay strong. Before we go through different ways to overcome it, let’s dive into the different symptoms.
Symptoms of pink clouding
Here are some of the signs someone is going through the pink clouding stage:
An Overload of Optimism: Being optimistic is great and an excellent way to go through life. However, having so much of it that someone sets unrealistic expectations can cause damage.
Being Overly Confident: While confidence is a great trait, being too confident for an extended period with sobriety can get people into trouble and potentially cause relapse.
Ignoring or Downplaying Potential Triggers: It’s especially easy for people to get comfortable and feel like they don’t need to stick to the work they learned in their recovery programs when they’re feeling confident and happy. Relaxing is a great feeling, especially for people that have dealt with immense amounts of stress and pressure from addiction. However, underestimating potential triggers and growing lazy about routine and discipline can cause people to fall back into their addictions, undoing the valuable and beneficial work they put into recovery.
These feelings make people feel comfortable and complacent, enhancing the likelihood that they think nothing is wrong. This makes it incredibly difficult to stop, increasing the odds that they devolve back into addiction.
But combatting pink cloud syndrome is not impossible. Let’s go through some of the ways people can push through this phase and stick to what they learned in recovery.
How to fight the pink cloud stage and stay committed to a recovery plan
As you’ve now seen, the pink cloud stage can lull people into thinking they’re safe from potential addiction triggers and cause them to fall back into their bad habits and former lives. Here’s how to move past the issues that arise from this syndrome and stick to a strong, disciplined recovery journey.
Triggers are a part of life but knowing how to navigate them and always respecting how they can hurt someone’s well-being is key to staying clean and sober.
How people can power through the pink cloud phase and maintain sobriety
Give validation and acknowledgement to the idea that something is different: One of the biggest issues with pink cloud syndrome is that people often don’t want to acknowledge it as a temporary state. Everything feels good to them — they don’t want to think about how something happy will end after undergoing the stress of recovery and rehab. However, by accepting that this is a temporary state, people will be better prepared to take on the challenges that inevitably come with daily life. Without that understanding, people will be more likely to resort to negative dopamine outlets and addiction to cope.
Help others build and maintain a support network: The power of a supportive network or community can never be underestimated. By having others around someone to lift them up and provide guidance, listen, and even talk through potential situations, it can help people stay strong on their recovery journey. One of the most impactful things about recovery is the community. People form lifelong bonds with those they battle addiction with. If someone needs help going forward, people are there for them. The important thing is making sure they maintain the relationship and reach out when they need each other.
Avoid high-risk situations and scenarios that could lead back to addiction and relapse: This is a major part of the recovery process, but avoiding situations that could lead to relapse is incredibly important when people are in the pink cloud stages. If someone were to routinely find themselves in a scenario where they could easily relapse or fall back into bad habits/addictions, then they’re more likely to succumb to them once the pink cloud stage wears off. This is a dangerous scenario for the person on their recovery journey and can jeopardize everything they’ve worked for. Making sure someone surrounds themselves with the right people and develops a healthy routine is increasingly important as they move further along the pink clouding phase.
These are a few different pieces of advice and rules that people can follow to avoid finding themselves back where they were before addiction. However, we always advise people to do what’s best for them and where they’ll feel the most comfortable as they look to continue their recovery journey. Feeling like you’re in a supportive environment where you can thrive is always the best thing someone can do for themselves.
However, we’re always here to help in case you need us.
Lakeside Milam is always here to help you navigate the pink cloud and maintain your recovery process
At Lakeside Milam, we understand that the journey to sobriety is filled with obstacles and challenges. We’re here to help you or someone you know navigate these tough scenarios and situations (like pink clouding) so that you can keep up the strong work you’ve done to get to a better life.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you have any questions, concerns, or fears about the pink cloud phase. We’re always here to help.
Contact us today.
Sources:
Pink Cloud Foundation — Who We Are
Overcoming Pink Cloud Syndrome: Tips for Long-Term Sobriety
The Pink Cloud: Why You Need to Beware
Pink cloud syndrome: symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and ways to manage
The ‘Pink Cloud’ Phenomenon in Alcohol Recovery
