Currently there are more than forty different types of detox centers and programs for those suffering from addictions located near where I live. And it is definitely a heart-wrenching challenge each time I go to speak at any one of them about my own recovery from the addiction-laden life I once lived. That’s only because of the constant “spin and dry cycle” I see people funneling through time and time again at most of them.
A “spin and dry cycle” is a metaphor used mostly in, but not limited to, the alcohol and drug addiction recovery-based communities. What it actually refers to is the active alcoholic or drug addict who goes through a detox center or program for one sole purpose. And that’s to take a quick “spin” through it just to sober up and become “dry” for a short while, only to go back out and do it all over again some time later.
For the past few years I’ve been visiting at least one of these detox centers each week with various 12 Step groups to spread my experience, strength, and hope in my recovery from addictions. There, it seems as if I always recognize familiar faces and while I’m glad to see these people haven’t perished from their addictions, it breaks my heart to see them keep repeating this cycle over and over again. I have learned over time from many of them that they always have any number of reasons why they keep going in and out of these detox centers and programs on a regular basis. But in each case, I have found it really all boils down to one specific reason and that’s the fact that their pain hasn’t gotten great enough for them to stop this repetitive detox shuffle. And unfortunately, there are many things that make this advantageous for them to keep doing so.
I have discovered that most of those reasons frequently deal with them seeking the basic necessities of life. Case in point, take those suffering from addictions who might become starving or thirsty, many of them will head to a detox center or program just for the three square meals served each day, in addition to the snacks, bottled water, juices, milk, and coffee that’s readily available for them there all the time. Or take those suffering from addictions who might become homeless, many of them will head to a detox center, especially during the cold New England months, just to get a warm and usually quite comfortable bed that’s waiting for them there. I’ve even known of those suffering from addictions who have lost all their clothing and ended up going to a detox center just to be provided items to wear and take with them when they leave.
I have often wondered if the system is a big part of the problem that leads people to living in this spin and dry cycle. Most of the people I see doing this have state healthcare which allows them to go multiple times in a single year to one of these detox centers or programs. Also, all a person really needs to do to get into many of them is just call around and see if there is an open bed. When there is, the only thing they have to do is show up drunk or high and they’ll be allowed in. Thus both of these situations perpetuate the problem.
I’m not sure what the solution is to be perfectly honest. While I think these detox centers and programs are amazing on what they offer, most who attend them seem to care less about the recovery side of them and instead focus on getting those basic necessities. I went with a few people in recovery the other night to one of these detox centers that was for men suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. There I watched almost every person ignore us as we spoke about our experience, strength, and hope in recovery by either falling asleep, carrying on their own conversations, reading a book, getting up and walking around, or doing something else that prevented them from hearing our messages of hope. Gratefully though, one man did and he thanked each of us at the end of the meeting by saying he heard what what he needed to hear that night. And it’s my hope that he’ll be one of those who ends up avoiding that spin and dry cycle in the future because of it.
While it may be frustrating to me when I see anyone going through this “spin and dry cycle” time and time again, I still continue to show up and speak at these detox centers hoping to help someone break free from it. It actually took a friend of mine over 60 complete cycles and a tremendous amount of pain before he finally broke free from it, so I know there is hope for even the toughest of cases. I pray on most days now for recovery for all those in the world who choose to continue living in this cycle and I also hope for their sake, that they’ll one day break free from it long before it ever ends up taking their life…
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson