Shotgun Recovery With R2D

Shotgun, You're Kidding Right?

In the telecom industry before the internet, and the analog voice systems  moved to digital systems now replaced  by voice over internet protocol or VoIp as it is called, there was a term used by technicians, when trouble shooting an outage, called Shotgun. An outage was a dead system; all systems are out of order.  To shotgun a system meant the technician replaced every part of the broken system using something called a crash kit, and it worked. Shotgun required less time, and could get a dead system up and running in minutes.

There were three  problems with the shotgun trouble shooting model, the technician,  never knew "what was the problem" other than the system being worked on was down (not working) , and after replacing every part from the crash kit, it was up  (worked.)   For the "inquiring mind" or the people that maintained the crash kits, it was a failure and last resort. "I want to know exactly what was wrong!" Parts managers disapproved of the shotgun system, since now each part that came back from the customer site, and before returning it to inventory, had to be tested to see where the defective part was. And the other technician(s) typically looked down, or disapproved  of the technician that used the shotgun approach, since their ego would want to prove they could pinpoint the problem and not make the parts manager do any additional work, it also supplied bragging rights,  to solving the problem with their superior trouble shooting technique and experience and knowledge.

Who was happy with the shotgun model?

The client, their system was up and running and the reason they called for help was to get their system fixed as quickly as possible.

Which is better? The client happy or the parts manager?

Recovery 2-Day (R2D) is much like the shotgun in one sense, the question it raises on your entry to recovery is simply "Do you think you have a problem", now let's shotgun it. With an assortment of tools, all we need is one to work, to help, which one works best for you, remains undetermined, until we try them all. AND IF, we find nothing we have, works? We must find a substance recovery crash kit that can. Perhaps is it a new drug, or a different type of therapy, a combination of each or all of it, that remains to be seen. All avenues must be open. Time is ticking for the person seeking help; we may not have this opportunity again. The window of opportunity, "you seeking help" comes on its own schedule. And troubles typically do not fall neatly in our neat 9 to 5 schedules.

Do you really have to waste your time to determine which came first, the drink or the drug, when you trouble shoot?  Do you really think you are going to identify each problem? Do you really think, on the first visit, you can even come close to the underlying issues that press a person into a substance problem? When we know that ninety percent of people with substance problems have co-occurring disorders, the substance problem was only the tip of the iceberg.

Actually we can, in time, but time is typically a luxury, not available to the person seeking help.   But you have to understand human nature, most people want fast acting, and "now" fix-it solutions, aka the Shotgun. Perhaps you will see the name of Recovery 2-Day, means Now.  Ask any parent, which pays for their child's treatment, if they want fast results or long drawn out complicated solutions? For that matter, ask any person entering a recovery system, do you want to get well now, or would you prefer to wait a few years?

Does the R2D motto make sense? "Learn it in a Day, Practice it for a Lifetime"

The skeptic's mind is racing, that is not possible! And for them, that is true. It's called triage in the medical community which saved many lives in any war. Oddly enough many people have been told, it's not possible, sadly, and for those too it is not.

The bottom line in recovery, it's not complicated while the problems are complex, they can be overcome. Detox is the first stage of any good recovery. For obvious reasons, the toxins in your body have to come out safely, under medical supervision. In Detox evaluations can be taken, is the person in serious condition or needs additional help?

Did the "problem" go away, after detox? If yes, no further action is needed. If No, then, what action is needed? It's trouble shooting 101. Fixed? Yes or no?

The Want and Wish? Back at the lab, inspecting the Crash Kit.

When we start inspecting the parts, of the crash, we find some very common areas. What most "want" honestly is a behavioral change when a person with a substance problem seeks help.

Parents "want" their child to stop using a substance, but do not understand "why" the child used a substance and traditionally blame themselves. They need help understanding the nature of substance problems. The Genetic studies have also created the "guilt" factor, it's in the genes, as if the parents pour booze down their child's throats, poured pills, and shot dope together. While that happens, it is rare. In genetic studies, science uses the term predisposed.  Predisposed does not mean, it's going to happen. Early intervention does work, but that takes us down a different path. Here we are talking about after a problem has happened.

So what are the common areas people with substance problems get pressure or motive from to get help, and what do they gain out of you getting better? And yes, you can "do it for them." No matter what someone told you? A mother or father, losing a child is a great example of why they quit, to not lose their child, people quit for many reasons and any reason is valid. While there is truth in "you can only quit for yourself" it really means, only YOU, can do it. Whether you believe your belief in a God knocks you quit or not, the "you" factor is always there.  Self-help or mutual-help groups or fellowships want you to quit, to become a part of their group. "Motive" is a word that needs to be thrown out, if it used to beat you up with, or make you feel undeserving.  Here's a simple motive, you'll feel better about yourself and those around you will love you.

The family and friends, they want their child, son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, cousin, running buddy et cetera to be well again. While they want their "old" one back, that is rarely possible, but a new improved model is available.

The employer, they just want their employee to show up for work, a pretty simple concept. They have spent money training the employee, so they don't want to lose the investment. It is amazing how by just showing up on time, is a marked improvement.

The Court, They demand that the person follows its orders. Even if you do not agree with the court, do as it says, they are bigger than you are and are completely willing to prove it. While the court, (the judge) is compassionate, they are human and compassion is a limited quality and comes in limited quantities. Even if you do not believe you have a substance problem, the court does, so do what the court tells you to do. Or, you get to see what the court will do to you.

The doctor, psychiatrist, therapist, "medical staff," well they evaluate you and may see a problem, you may disagree and get a second opinion, but, you went to the doctor for help, they are simply doing their job.

What do you get, if you reduce your use, or quit? That depends on you.

Common Sense says these things happen, very quickly:

You get some time back that you once lost to chasing a substance.

That "time" you gain back can be spent with family, friends, jobs, et cetera.

You get money back that you once had to spend on the substance.

You get a life back that was once spent in a different life style.

Recovery is not complicated, and it works.

The underlying things you gain, if you receive proper help? Since people get well in degrees, you ‘gain in degrees', degrees of self-esteem, degrees of self-respect, degrees of confidence, hope, trust, and opportunity. So, R2D did not promise you a rose garden, unless, you enjoy digging in the dirt. But it will shotgun the problem, and you can get well, 2-Day, if that is what you called for.