ASK JOE:
What is a Pink Cloud?:
Q: What is a Pink Cloud? What does the term “pink cloud†mean?
“I fell off my pink cloud with a thud.”
~Elizabeth Taylor
A. Being “on a Pink Cloud” means to feel almost like being high, but without using drugs or alcohol.
The first few days or weeks in recovery are normally a time of adjustment for the addict’s body and mind. Early recovery can be a roller coaster of emotions—often frustrating and stressful. After this will come a leveling-out period in which many people will have an almost euphoric feeling, sometimes referred to as a “pink cloud.â€
This ah-ha experience can last for days or even weeks—I really have this recovery thing figured out; I can do this!
I remember feeling this way myself. It was almost like a natural high. But the addict should be careful not to think that he or she is cured, because this could lead to another try at controlled using (i.e., a slip or relapse).
Five months after leaving treatment I tried some controlled using. For me this verified that I indeed was addicted, and I quickly got back to working on my recovery.
A person in recovery can almost plan on experiencing a pink cloud, but the ensuing relapse doesn’t have to happen.
Updated and Revised
This “Q & A with Joe Herzanek†is excerpted from Part 5 of “Why Don’t They Just Quit? What families and friends need to know about addiction and recovery.“
RELATED:
Relapse. It Happens. ~by Joe Herzanek
MORE ASK JOE:
> Do you have to stop seeing all your old friends in order to recover?
> If someone can stop using drugs or alcohol for weeks at a time, they “aren’t an addict—correct?
>Chronic Pain Management & Pain Pill Addiction: What to do?
>How can I know if my addicted friend or loved one is telling the truth?
>”I need help because I’m not able to deal with my live-in Fiance’s need to get drunk every night.”
>Should my husband “back off?”
>Gambling vs. Drug Addiction? What is your opinion?
>How can I tell if someone is an addict/alcoholic or just a heavy user?
>What is Methadone? What is Harm Reduction?
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> Self-Tests: Alcohol and Drug Addiction
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