The Pink Cloud

Entering sobriety is definitely a cause for celebration. Addiction is a very difficult disease to overcome, and engaging in thorough and genuine recovery is no easy task. Some recovering addicts, however, may find that they are feeling too good. This feeling can last for weeks or even months, and is commonly known at the pink cloud. The pink cloud is a state of exceptional well-being that occurs in early sobriety, and while it can be seen as an exceptional source of motivation and progression in recovery, it is also the subject of heavy debate in the recovery community. Some embrace this short-lived boost as an opportunity to further themselves in recovery, while seasoned veterans of sobriety are quick to remind those that early sobriety often consists of high highs and low lows. Many who ride the pink cloud can easily enter a state of overconfidence in their own abilities to remain sober, and when this mood shift inevitably crashes, many are left to deal with deep depression.

The term pink cloud is often used in a negative light to describe those who are too high on life and may have subsequently lost touch with reality. The dangers that many veterans of sobriety see in this state of mind are due to the fact that the person’s emotions they are feeling do not actually reflect their current situation, creating significant cognitive dissonance once the euphoria comes to an end.

The pink cloud may also lead those in early sobriety to significantly reduce their level of commitment to the treatment process. After a significant amount of time in sobriety, it is generally acceptable to gradually reduce the level of commitment and involvement, but those experiencing inauthentic levels of bliss in immediate sobriety are often at the most crucial crossroads in establishing new and healthy habits that differ from their old ones. While this uplifting mood shift can last from days to weeks to even months, it does eventually end as they discover their mood beginning to stabilize.

In the recovery community, the pink cloud is often talked about in a negative light, often being compared to terms like dry drunk. The communal stigma against these phenomena may lead those experiencing them to feel a level of misplaced guilt. The inherent problems with the pink cloud do not become evident until it has ended, often leaving the person depressed in the following days. Those who have felt fulfilled and happy with their progress during this period of bliss can be left feeling like they have hit a wall in their recovery. These situational feelings of depression can set the stage for a relapse if an addict does not have the necessary self-awareness and community to understand the nature of their mood swings.

After a significant time in recovery, those who may experience intense shifts in mood often find that they start happening with less frequency and intensity. This gradual return to emotional stability is a good sign of a successful recovery. These people will often find that their previous difficulties with emotional regulation have disappeared completely, but for some it is a constant battle to stay in a rational state that is untangled from their emotional well-being. For these people, maintaining a solid relationship with both a therapist and a psychiatrist can assist them in further understanding and controlling their emotions.

The path toward emotional stability is different for every addict. It is as simple or as complicated as the person chooses it to be. This is why meditation has become such a commonplace activity among the recovery community. Many addicts who lack the coping mechanisms to deal with the stresses of everyday life are able to find a great deal of stability through meditation. This is an indispensable tool for a group of people who are a bad day and a few poor decisions away from a complete relapse at any given time. Meditation is a proven technique in combatting depression and increasing mindfulness, two things that most addicts can benefit greatly from.

The pink cloud can be a welcoming state of mind for those in early recovery, but understanding the artificial nature of this euphoric state is an important part of staying healthy and grounded. The hardest part of sobriety is finding comfort in plain old reality, and nothing messes up someone’s perception of reality like a post-binge manic episode.