Content Warning: descriptions of drug use are mentioned in this article. If you or some you know are struggling with substance abuse, get help here.
September 20, 2018
Earlier this week, a Facebook memory of me asking for prayers popped up. I was going in front of the Diversion Program, asking to complete the program. On September 20, 2018, I successfully graduated. I no longer had to wake up and call to see if I had to drug test that day. I didn’t have to attend my nurse support group, and I did not have to make three weekly recovery meetings. My recovery had now become voluntary.
My new way of living
I enjoy this new way of living, working on myself, and talking with like-minded people about everyday struggles. Today, with my struggles, I find the solution and do not drown myself with drugs and/or alcohol. It is very rare that I get triggered, but it does happen. For instance, as weird as it sounds while having labs drawn this month, the cold feeling of the alcohol pad on my skin triggered me. I immediately called my sponsor, and we talked about it. It is imperative that you do not keep secrets with this disease. Secrets will take you back out into the whirlwind of addiction.
Know your limits and accept them
Today I work in dialysis. It is a safe environment for me. Emergency nursing has been my passion for a very long time, but it is not safe for me. I am not sure if I could handle putting Morphine in someone else’s veins and seeing the response in their eyes. Good self-insight is a must. Know your limits and accept them.
It has been a privilege to share my story and process. Hopefully, I have reached that still-suffering addict and opened others’ eyes to the disease of addiction among nurses. Moving forward, I would like to have some peers share their stories.
WE DO RECOVER ONE DAY AT A TIME.
Please reach out if you or someone you know is struggling with drug addiction. SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
We hope you found this article on substance abuse in travel nursing recovery insightful and possibly helpful. Have you found yourself in a similar situation with substance abuse? Would you like to tell your story? Comment below.
If you want to read more of Misty’s story, click here to view her past articles.
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