Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about them, but pause buttons are pretty darn amazing. Trying to give your attention to the music or the book you are listening to but you get interrupted? The pause button holds your spot. Watching something live on TV or online but need to take a break? Often, you can pause the action even as the event continues to unfurl in the real world. Playing a video game when you hear a noise you should really check out? You can hit pause, go investigate, and then pick up where you left off.
The pause button can be a real convenience in all of the situations we have noted above. It is enough to make you wish you had a pause button you could use when you need a moment in real life, right?
Well, we would suggest that you do, in fact, have the equivalent of a real-life pause button—and it can be a real help if you are a person in recovery from a substance use disorder. That pause button might not be quite as slick and convenient as the ones we have been talking about, but it can nevertheless be an essential tool for keeping your recovery intact.
Let’s pause for a moment so we can carefully consider your personal pause button.
How Your Personal Pause Button Can Work for You
Many people—including, perhaps, you yourself—have extremely busy lives. The responsibilities and decisions and distractions just keep coming and coming. It can start to feel like you have to react to everything that arises right away because that is the only way to keep up with everything.
But you do not actually have to react to everything right away. Instead, you can use your pause button.
Someone asks you to take on a new project? You can take some time to think about whether you have time to do so.
Someone says something that troubles or even angers you? You can step away for a moment (or for more than a moment) to reflect and regain a sense of calm before you respond.
Feeling tempted to have a drink or use your former drug of choice? You can pause to really think things through—and to engage the help of someone who can help see you through the moment.
In each of these situations—and many others—pausing before reacting can serve you extremely well. Rushing into things can mean taking on more work than you can, saying something out of anger that you would not say in a calmer state of mind, or returning to substance use when there are so many reasons not to do so.
What You Need in Order to Press Pause
Obviously, there is not a physical pause button you can press when you need to stop the action of your life for a bit. As a result, you need some strategies that you can turn to when pausing would be the best thing to do in a given situation.
Our first example above—someone tries to add a project to your schedule—is probably a fairly easy moment to ask for a pause. Most people—even your boss, we hope—will understand if you need to figure out how additional work will (or won’t) be possible given your existing responsibilities.
The second example we gave—someone says something that upsets or angers you—is probably a little harder. But a deep breath, a polite statement like, “I’m feeling upset and need some time to collect myself,” and removing yourself from the situation can allow you to take the pause you need to have a more reasoned conversation later.
Our third example—you find yourself tempted to use drugs or alcohol—might be the most difficult of all. Cravings are no joke, and the stress of daily life (the very stress that makes hitting pause a good idea) can make them worse rather than better. Reminding yourself to hit pause before you do something you will regret is so important. Take that time to remind yourself why your recovery is important to you. Call someone who can talk you through a tough moment. Find a distraction that can help you weather the temptation of the craving.
We might argue that there is no more important time to hit your personal pause button than when you are battling temptation. The key is to remember that you have the ability to take that necessary pause so that you can make a better decision.
Hit Play When it Comes to Getting Treatment
If you are struggling with drugs or alcohol, you do not want to hit your personal pause button. Instead, press play on pursuing treatment. At Bel Aire Recovery Center—located near Wichita, Kansas—we are always ready to see you through medically supervised detoxification and our robust rehabilitation program. When your time in treatment comes to an end, there is no pause in your ability to stay connected to Bel Aire and to other alums of our programs who know what you have been through and understand the challenges you face now.
The right time to pursue treatment for a substance use disorder is always right now. We are always ready to help.
