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Those struggling with addiction for a long time will find it difficult to come to terms with the idea of a life without drugs or alcohol. They may have been in denial for some time and only when it was clear that their addiction was causing major harm in their lives did they agree to get help.
If this sounds a familiar scenario, you may be worried about a life of sobriety. It is true that it will not be easy but it is also true that the rewards will be enormous. If you really want to live a sober life, not just for you but your family also, then committing to recovery is the best way to achieve this.
While you did not choose to be an addict and are not responsible for becoming addicted, you are in charge of your recovery and can make the choice to get better. In fact, nobody can make you get better this is something you have to do for yourself.
How to Get Started
The first step on the road to recovery is always going to be admitting to having a problem. Once you can admit that you have an addiction, you will be ready to take the next step and ask for help. There are many treatment providers available, and Rehab Helper can provide a wealth of information regarding the most suitable organisations from where you can get help and receive treatment.
Rehab
Once you have decided that you need help, you will have a number of options. The type of addiction and its severity will determine the type of treatment you will be given. You may need to complete a programme of detox before beginning additional treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling.
Inpatient treatment may be a wise choice in the beginning as this will mean you will be in a safe environment away from temptation and will have constant access to support and treatments.
After Rehab
Once you leave rehab, you will probably be expected to join a support group meeting where you can work at keeping your sobriety on track. As you may have been told, focusing on your recovery a day at a time is the best course of action. It is important to concentrate on the here and now rather than worrying about tomorrow or the day after that. You can worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
It is a good idea to attend meetings daily in the early days if you can. You may think that this is an impossible ask, but remember that by doing so you will greatly improve your chances of recovery. If you were advised to attend physiotherapy every day for an injury, you would probably not think twice about making the time for it. You should adopt the same attitude for your support meetings as, by doing so, you could be preventing a relapse and therefore ultimately saving your life.
Get Your Priorities Right
The most important thing for you at the moment is to get better. Your recovery must take precedence over everything else and that includes your family and your job. This may sound harsh but if you do not give your recovery the attention it requires, you could end up back where you started and could lose everything that is important to you. Make sure that your family understand that you need to spend your time on your recovery now so that you can all enjoy your time together in the future when your sobriety is more stable.
