What Is Pink Clouding?
The pink cloud, also sometimes referred to as the “honeymoon phase” of sobriety, is often short-lived. During this time, a person may feel happy, confident, and successful. Essentially, they feel like they're floating in the clouds.
A brief introduction
Most people who come into recovery from substance use disorder are in a state of shock, anger, grief, and/or depression. "There are no silver bullets. You cannot wish or think your way out of this.” –Toby Hemenway, CEO & founder of Project HOPE Once in recovery, these emotions are natural. They are not feelings to be feared, or suppressed. You can easily feel these emotions, but they are normal and should not be mistaken for weakness. The symptom Pink Clouding is the inability to feel genuine joy or love. The term is usually used to describe someone who has become extremely negative and cynical about life in general. They have become incapable of making healthy connections with people.
Why does the pink cloud happen?
People may start to expect the best from themselves and, without realizing it, they begin to enjoy the positive effects of feeling sober, but they begin to make self-defeating or negative choices. This can be anything from opting for a vodka and soda at the bar to becoming moody or sarcastic, even to smoking tobacco. What can I do to stop the pink cloud? To get out of the pink cloud, a person needs to change their mindset and become more realistic about their current situation. By being careful about what they say, eat, and do, they can begin to remove the unrealistic expectations from their life. Some of these expectations include: Becoming more dependent on others to provide positive effects. Expecting a drastic improvement in their physical appearance.
Pink clouding can be dangerous.
Just like alcohol-induced blackouts, this phenomenon can be extremely dangerous. It’s called the “honeymoon phase” of sobriety because at this point, people who are in recovery are still in a very vulnerable state and may not realize what they’re doing or how dangerous it is. In these moments, people can easily experience relapse. They have a euphoric sensation of being in love with life, but they're completely out of touch with the severity of their disease. This can lead to someone making potentially dangerous decisions. What Should You Do? The first thing you can do is learn how to identify a person experiencing this phase of sobriety. Your body will send you an alert when someone is starting to come down from their time in the cloud, but it may be the second they go back to earth.
What does this mean for me?
If you're in the pink cloud phase right now, it means that you're not concerned about your drinking and how you feel about yourself. This is not to say that you're completely numb to your own flaws, and you're not fully aware of how much you've hurt others because of your drinking. But it does mean that you're not struggling with the reality that you're in recovery. This is a good place to be. Because it means that you've already worked your program and you've put the work into your sobriety, meaning that you don't have to worry about relapsing into old behaviors in order to fulfill your basic needs. You're happy. In fact, you can't imagine being happier. And that's because you're drinking less and you've met your basic needs.
What can I do to avoid the pink cloud?
Avoid choosing an environment that is too fun. Avoid choosing a life partner who will overwhelm you with their own drama and addictions. Instead, choose a life partner who is sober and can be a positive force for you, as you work through your own life’s journey. When you understand the normal ups and downs of sobriety, it becomes easier to work through them. And because of how helpful a sober partner can be, it is crucial that you make the effort to maintain healthy relationships. Success with relationships requires a healthy foundation of support. Without it, relationships become inescapable cesspools. If you're interested in a non-judgmental, positive relationship, click here for a list of sober dating sites.
Conclusion
When it comes to alcoholism and addiction, our brains are wired to constantly find pleasure and reward in substances. Sooner or later, an addict must act to find another way to feel that pleasure. When our brains start seeking more, it doesn’t mean we are immune from addiction. Instead, it means that we must look for a different source to get the feeling of reward we seek. For many, that means we need to find ways to cut down on our intake or stop using substances altogether. One way that may help is to step back from your use of substances for a while. This may involve seeking professional assistance through outpatient programs, counseling, and support groups.