“Pink Cloud” Syndrome

Many addicts and alcoholics have referred to the early stages of recovery as being typical of a “pink cloud” syndrome in which the first signs of success make a person think they are “free forever”. In phase two, we learn that this is not the case. We may have stopped our drinking or our co-dependant relationship but we haven’t rooted out the real culprit beneath the surface. Without humility and a true relationship with Higher Power, we know that our efforts will not likely have a lasting effect. Our Higher Power helps us to keep tabs on the addiction and to continually develop spiritually.

In order to keep its hold on the person, the addiction looks for any chance to lull us into a complacency and tell us that we don’t need to make the same efforts we used to make. “We are cured!” says the addiction and gives us the “ok” to give up on this spiritual quest. If we listen to the lies of our addiction, we will soon be presented with a rude awakening and find ourselves right back in phase one of our recovery.

If we are wise, and wish to move on to phase two recovery, we will likely have seen others whose pride has led them into dangerous places and who have relapsed or even ended up in worse places than when they first started. As we now know, although we may be able to quit the first addiction, another one will certainly raise its ugly head and a legion of addictions will eventually appear which never were a problem beforehand. This is the wisdom that countless addicts and alcoholics have found to be the truth after years of abstinence from either one drug or one behavior in their lives. Multiple addictions are the true reality which hides beneath the surface and only the very determined seeker who sticks by their commitment to overcome this disease will ever understand this problem at its root. In phase two recovery we begin to see that our addiction is a constant source of problems and every addiction can ultimately lead us back to the earlier phase of our recovery if we aren’t careful.

Determined quitters in phase two have sometimes compared addiction to a sinking ship. The "captain", who runs the ship, is racing around trying to plug up the holes in the stern. Just when the captain thinks he's got all the holes plugged, he gets the terrible news that there are a whole new set of leaks at the bow of the ship. The leaks just keep on coming! People who try to quit smoking always end up eating a lot more. Girlfriends who break up with their abusive spouse "Butch" always ends up marrying another chauvinist named "Rocko". The problem, which has always been the same, continues to spring up and create a leak. Phase two recovery shows us how to keep watch on these problems each and every day. Through prayer and meditation, we may begin to develop a deeper relationship with a Higher Power that can get us through our darkest times.

Regardless of the changing perceptions and changing fads of each drug or addictive behavior, as long as the real problem is not identified, the underlying problem continues. Many centuries ago, it was opium and alcohol that were the big problem. Today, it is "ecstasy" and "crack cocaine". The different addictions have changed but, if we are to make a real go at the process of recovery, we must begin to look more closely at the real underlying problem in order to get to the real solution. In phase two recovery we begin to read more and more material about spiritual recovery and how to address the problems of our addiction. We begin to join more groups and to expand our circle of friends into new areas. We take on new jobs and greater challenges in order to face our fears and to overcome our negative emotions such as apathy, depression or anger. Each day becomes an added challenge to facing our character defects and making ourselves more suited to what will eventually become phase three of our recovery.