A newcomer to recovery needs to have the tool box filled. Here is one great tool in preventing relapse. Play the tape through to the end. Read here about putting this into action.

1. PLAY THE TAPE THROUGH
A great tool for your recovery tool box is
about hitting the play button. Don’t stop at
the craving.
From Serenity Vista International Rehab
Panama

2. When most people come into
recovery, they are frozen solid
in dramatic emotions like
grief, self-pity, loathing, fear,
hurt and victimization. They
may not be able to articulate
it, but this phrase sums it up:

3. "There are two things
that I despise the
most, change, and the
way things are.“
FROZEN SOLID.

4. What happens for most
people is that the love,
acceptance and
identification in the 12 step
rooms starts to thaw them
out. They can start to get
soft and malleable enough
to hear some new ideas and

5. Then they are told, that they
only have to change one thing,
but that is
EVERYTHING!

6. Alcoholics and addicts of all
kinds have one thing in
common, that is short-
sightedness, looking for instant
gratification.

7. There is a joke in the 12 step
rooms about how you can tell
its social drinker when they say
something like, "let's save
some of this (alcohol or drugs
or cake) for later".

8. The recovering alcoholics in
the room just laugh at this
strange thinking. In the mind of
an active addict, there is no
'later'. It is just the unbearable
NOW. And in recovery, this
starts to shift, sometimes
quickly, sometimes slowly.

9. A great tool that every
newcomer should have given
to them for their tool kit of
recovery is the phrase,
"Play the tape through to
the end".

10. We are not talking here about
replacing the negative tape for
the positive tape but rather
playing the tape through to the
end, and finding out the end of
the story.

11. For the non-alcoholic or addict,
let me explain what this
means. Almost all alcoholics
have a memory of using,
usually very early in their
drinking career, of euphoria:

12. "Six foot tall and bulletproof",
“Prettiest girl in the room",
"I can dance",
"I am loved",
"I belong in the Universe",
"I am not a mistake",
and so on.

13. It is that euphoric recall that
keeps the addict picking up
again and again, looking for
that moment.

14. It is usually strongly connected
to the sound of a beer opening,
or the ice cube tinkle in the
glass when the first, fresh drink
is poured, the successful
transaction with the dealer, or
opening that fresh package of
cigarettes and folding down the

15. This is the moment that
people new in recovery are
playing with in their head -
that split second between
the anticipation, and the
execution of the first puff,
drink, or hit.

16. And split second it is,
because that moment of
euphoria is so fleeting, that it
doesn't exist anymore other
than in that split second of
delusion in the mind of the
addict. But this is where the
newcomer will stop the tape.

17. Right in that split second, and
play it over and over and over,
anticipation, satisfying the
craving or desire, over and
over, and over...

18. The tool that newcomers are
handed, "Play the tape
through to the end", means
don't hit the pause, rewind
button, let it play through. What
happens after that first glass of
wine?

19. A second glass? Third,
fourth, fifth, bottle after
bottle? Drinking and driving,
the look on the children's
faces again when they
realize you have relapsed?
The dark alleys, crack
houses and jail cells?

20. The hangover for work
Monday morning, the shakes,
sickness, shame and remorse
and even worse, the
realization that you are
caught again in the active
addiction, and can't stop.
Play the tape through to the
end.

21. We don't use this tool very
often other than in this
particular situation,
because it is a
One Day At A Time
program, and we try to
stay out of the past as well

22. We try to stay in the
moment. But playing the
tape through is one of the
most powerful tools to the
newcomer who may get
stuck in euphoric recall.

23. Jane Derry is an addictions expert and spiritual counselor at a drug rehab in
Panama.
It is her intention to model and inspire hope and encouragement to people,
especially to those suffering from the disease of addiction.
Jane and her husband John Derry are the directors of Serenity Vista
Addiction Recovery Retreat, nestled in the mountain highlands of Boquete,
Panama. http://serenityvista.com.
Serenity Vista is a unique recovery retreat where up to 8 guests come to heal
in a family-like setting with professional counselors and facilitators in a
holistic and comprehensive program. It is affordable at a fraction of US
prices, effective and discreet.
Visit our website at http://serenityvista.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_Derry
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8674598

24. John Derry is a master counsellor in addiction. He trained in the world renowned Hazelden Graduate Studies in addictions. John Derry
had his original career in Pharmacy, working for major Pharmaceutical Companies and Teaching Hospitals in Canada.
No matter where in John Derry’s career he is, John dedicates 100% of his efforts into doing the best job that he can. Drug rehab is no
different. When graduating from Hazelden, John Derry graduated first in his class, and was the valedictorian. He brings a passion and
a deep well of wisdom to helping others recover.
Read more about John Derry on one of his many social media sites. Find out why is an expert in his field.
http://www.slideshare.net/SerenityVista/john-derry
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jederry
https://twitter.com/JohnDerry
https://www.youtube.com/user/serenityvista
https://www.facebook.com/serenityvista
http://interventiontreatmentrecovery.org/world-class-treatment-centers-outside-of-the-united-states/
https://www.serenityvista.com/about/staff/