Most people are worried about surgery but for someone in recovery, the idea can be downright terrifying. A Cirque du Soleil contortionist has been struggling with shoulder pain for a long time and is about to undergo a surgical procedure that will allow him to have a life again. As someone with 5 years of sobriety there is a concern about the drugs used to sedate and help with pain during recovery.

The pain has been too much to take and alternatives to surgery have not worked. He will now need to go under the knife, but is determined not to risk his sobriety to relieve the pain. He is worried that taking an opiate will trigger his urge to use.

His plan for post-operative pain management has several facets, the first of which is a pre-operative nerve block, while he is still awake. This will be painful, but he feels it is the best chance he has to remain clean. The next step involves a cocktail of medications — none of them drugs of abuse — intended to reduce swelling, turn down the nerves’ pain signals and reduce stress-response to pain. The next step involves going to Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings regularly before and after surgery. The last step involves going to see a psychologist the day after surgery and regularly after that to ensure he stays on the right mental path.

Someone is recovery can have surgery and stay clean; he or she will need to call on the help of others to help support him or her through it.

Recovery is a process that begins with honesty and confession, continues with rehabilitation, and down the road hopefully it turns into being healthy and sober. Seabrook is a drug rehab and alcoholism detox treatment center that offers individually inspired programs that provide the patient with the unique combination of therapies and treatments that suit their needs and personal history. All Seabrook programs are grounded in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). The Seabrook Model® of treatment includes a multifaceted medical approach to alcohol and other drugs including opiate detoxification, gender-specific therapy with special emphasis on relapse prevention, and family intervention services. Seabrook has treatment centers in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) with an outpatient office in New York (NY). Contact Seabrook today at 1.(888) 223-0298 to find out ways for you to beat your addiction!