The emotional and psychological challenges that come with addiction can be extremely difficult to manage, making the idea of starting recovery seem impossible. Drug and alcohol dependence turn everything you think about and want into the substance you’re abusing. It doesn’t matter if you know that addiction is causing negative changes in your life, overcoming the disease is more than a matter of willpower.
Another roadblock to recovery is that addiction quickly creates a sense of twisted comfort. It may be a refuge from symptoms of an underlying condition, or a way to cope with overwhelming feelings of stress or anxiety. Finding the courage to defy your addictive thoughts and tendencies is a challenge, but you have what it takes to face yourself and start a better life.
It All Starts With Getting Sober
It’s not uncommon for the hardest part of a formerly addicted person’s journey of recovery to be seeking treatment in the first place. Initial sobriety often comes with withdrawal symptoms and the loss of a primary coping mechanism, albeit a life-threatening one. The decision to enter rehab is a big change, but it’s for the best.
No matter how old you are or how long addiction has burdened you, there’s still time to live an amazing and fulfilling life. You can find help through treatment centers that offer medical detox at ARC to make withdrawal as safe and comfortable as possible. Once detox is complete, you’ll start on your individualized treatment plan consisting of therapy sessions, sport and leisure activities, and classes to help build skills to support your new sober life.
How To Stand Up to Addiction
Since there’s no single source of addiction, the way you can start working up the courage to fight back is by actually thinking about yourself. Think about why you’re drinking or abusing drugs. You don’t have to have an actual cause, just think about any feelings or worries that may be connected to your substance use.
Take time to also think about anything you’ve done since addiction started that you may not be proud of and forgive yourself. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you’re ok with what you’ve done, but it’s an important step in learning and growing from your past as you move on. Unaddressed internal struggles can cause you to lean into unhealthy coping mechanisms even harder, strengthening addiction’s grasp.
If you’ve hurt someone, reach out to them to apologize. You’d be surprised at how understanding loved ones can be as they’ve likely already noticed something was wrong, creating a new source of support for you during recovery. Family therapy is a staple in comprehensive addiction treatment in order to let everyone impacted heal together.
Take Your First Steps at ARC
With personalized treatment plans that use the latest modalities and techniques, America’s Rehab Campuses has helped thousands of local residents take back control of their life. You’re treated as a guest at our resort-style rehab facility, staffed with experienced and professional recovery specialists. From daily visits during outpatient treatment to full residential rehab, our programs are designed to fit your unique needs.
For more information or to schedule intake and transportation, reach out to the ARC team to get started on the next chapter of your life!
