Few people sign up to attend rehab with excitement and expectation for a fun time. Most people enter treatment for drug and alcohol addiction knowing that it is necessary to regain control of their lives, but they are perhaps ill-prepared for what lessons they will learn along the way.
If you are considering entering treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, you need a little bit of information to prepare you for the road that lies ahead. While it won’t be an easy one, it will be well worth it in the long run as you regain control over your life, your health, and your relationships. Here are some lessons you can expect to learn and moments of realization that will be had on your path to sobriety. We’re rooting for you!
Lesson #1: You’ll have no clue what you are doing…..at times
If you are someone that usually has all the answers, knows exactly what they are doing, and loves to maintain control over your life, get ready to experience a radical shift in your thinking. If your way was the best way, then why are you considering rehab in the first place? Maybe it’s time to realize that you’ll need to change a few things and that you don’t have all the answers, in order to surrender to a better, more peaceful way of life and being.
Lesson #2: It’s better to be happy than right
Along with surrendering your way of doing things to the greater unknown, you’ll soon realize that it is more important to embrace happiness and peace than to be right all the time. Holding on to things for the sake of being right, or retaining anger and pain at having the injustices of life thrown at you will most surely place you in a very dark place eventually. Take a look at the conditions in your life that exist right now, and do what you can to change things you can control, letting go of things that you cannot. Embrace happiness, peace, and joy, and see what marvelous things these vibrations can do for your journey.
Lesson #3: Drugs are not your main problem, but they are still a problem
No one forced you to embrace the world of drugs, alcohol, and addiction. You turned to it for certain mental and emotional pains that were simply too great to bear, and this was a temporary solution to an ongoing problem. Addiction took hold when you “learned” that these substances could actually temporarily relieve pain, but there were other costs that came with repeating the behavior. Once you commit to removing the emotional, mental, and physical triggers that drive you toward drugs and alcohol, you’ll soon see that it is possible to free yourself from the clutches of addiction.
Drugs and alcohol might always be a problem for you, however. Knowing this, and learning to adopt new healthy habits and lifestyle changes that move you farther from this world will place you in a position for ongoing success. Treatment is a journey, not a destination. Embrace that, and celebrate your victories one day at a time.
Lesson #4: Rehab success has to do with how I design my life
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation is not something others do for you, it is how you design your best life free from these substances. Waiting for others to show up, to do the work, and to blame your current condition on outside circumstances will never place you in a position of victory over your predicament. How will you design your life from this point forward? What do you want? How will you move away from the toxic world that you live in right now and toward a healthier, happier existence? Taking the time to map out your goals and dreams will give you something to look forward to and motivate you to continue treatment.
Lesson #5: The days of avoiding personal responsibility are over
Playtime is over, kids. It’s time to get down to the business of living life, and designing it intentionally, rather than living reactively to circumstances. Taking the time to slog through financial affairs, fix broken relationships, and make positive changes toward reaching new goals in your life will keep you moving forward and away from the avoidance, you were living when you were in the throes of your addiction. No one is going to pick up the pieces of your life but you—-it’s time to find some of that inner strength, grow up a little bit, and embrace all that life has given you to work with.
Ready to rock? Let’s roll!
You are about to embark on an exciting yet scary journey—-it’s a journey called life, and you are the only one who knows how to live yours. We know you’re anxious, scared, hesitant……you name it, we’ve felt it with you. It will and does get better; with each step in a positive direction, you’ll become more confident that you are designing your best life. If you are ready to get started, give us a call today at 772-266-5320; our counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s time to reclaim your life; let us help you get on the path to health and wellness, one day at a time.