When a programmer creates a set of instructions for a computer, the plan is for the computer to execute the code and deliver the result the programmer desires. But if the coder makes an error along the way, the program will not work like it is supposed to.
There is a phrase that describes this problem: garbage in, garbage out.
The idea is that if you put in bad code (garbage), the results will be bad (garbage), too.
The concept is easy to understand (and it even pertains to prompts given to artificial intelligence systems), and it applies to more than just computer programming. Let’s take a look at how “garbage in, garbage out” might apply to substance use disorders, their treatment, and the recovery journey.
Garbage In Can Lead to a Substance Use Disorder
Perhaps the most obvious application of the “garbage in, garbage out” maxim is to the use of drugs or alcohol. Despite the fact that substances might seem to offer positive outcomes in the short term, the long-term impacts of taking drugs or drinking alcohol are wholly negative. That is to say: the substances are garbage going in, and the damage to your health, relationships, finances, and more is the garbage coming out.
Even if you set other outcomes aside, the damage to your physical health and mental well-being can be absolutely devastating. In the same way that consuming actual garbage would be destructive to your health, the consumption of drugs or alcohol offers no upside in the end.
Garbage In Can Lead to Poor Decisions About Treatment
Sometimes, people offer unsolicited advice about how to address a substance use disorder. These folks are generally well-meaning, but their advice is, in general, terrible. That is to say, the advice they give is garbage.
What kind of garbage are we talking about? Well, there are people who will tell you that you could overcome a substance use disorder if you had better character, more willpower, or greater quantities of faith. Those who offer these opinions do not understand a fundamental truth about substance use disorders: they are disorders of the brain that can be treated but not cured.
A substance use disorder is no more an issue of character, willpower, or faith than, say, cancer is. But if you take those ideas to heart—that is, if you let that garbage in—you may put off seeking treatment as you try to give up substances on your own. That is a terrible approach, and it could lead to more—and more harmful—consequences of continued substance use.
We should also note here that toxic “friends”—the kind of people who criticize you constantly, encourage you to make bad decisions, and so on—are also a source of garbage that can lead to bad outcomes. Leaving those people behind is a good move.
Garbage In Can Undermine Your Recovery Efforts
Once you have been through treatment, you might think that the only version of “garbage in” you need to avoid is turning back to drugs or alcohol. But it turns out that there is another way “garbage in, garbage out” applies—and it can undermine your efforts to keep your recovery intact. At issue? Your diet.
A case could be made that when it comes to food, the idea of “garbage in, garbage out” can be summed up by another familiar phrase: you are what you eat. Eating healthily in recovery supports your physical health and your mental health—and by extension, your recovery.
There are plenty of reasons to make healthy choices when it comes to eating in recovery. For example, consuming too much sugar can threaten your recovery because the sweet substance can mimic some of the feelings you used to get from drugs, which can lead to cravings and temptation.
More broadly, a healthy diet simply makes you feel better than consuming unhealthy food does.
Feeling good in the body and the mind is foundational to your recovery efforts.
We believe this topic is so central to a successful recovery that we have written an entire series about healthy eating. Here are links to those entries: good foods for recovery, breakfast, lunch, dinner, benefits of gardening and cooking.
We Can Help You Send the Garbage Away
Here is a metaphor that might strike you as surprising (it even came as a bit of a surprise to us!): When it comes to helping you dispose of the garbage of drugs or alcohol, we are the sanitation workers.
At Bel Aire Recovery Center, located near Wichita, Kansas, we provide evidence-based, personalized treatment plans to help the individuals we serve leave drugs or alcohol on the trash heap so they can start their recovery journey with confidence. We provide medically supervised detoxification, and our rehabilitation program offers strategies and resources for success in recovery. When your time in treatment comes to a close, we continue to provide support through our alumni program.
Bel Aire Recovery Center was recently recognized as one of the best substance use disorder treatment facilities in the nation. The honor is a reflection of our commitment to high-quality care that is supported by our expertise, experience, and empathy. Let us help you take the garbage out of your life.
