Life without Addiction
If you are reading this, then it is likely that you have made the decision to address your addiction and have come to realise that you need professional help and support to achieve the recovery you deserve.
Ask yourself some key questions:
- Are you ready to give up alcohol and drugs?
- Have you prepared yourself for the physical and psychological withdrawal?
- Do you admit that the positive gains of recovery are stronger than the loss you may feel at giving up your addiction?
- Are you ready to wake up every day and remind yourself that you are an addict?
- Are you ready to commit to challenging and understanding the reasons behind your addiction?
- Do you want this or are you doing this to just to please others?
- Do you accept that you are responsible for what happens in your life, in all areas, not just those associated with your addiction?
Your next step will be to decide on the most appropriate way forward and so you need to consider the following:
- Do you need medical/social/spiritual and psychological help
You may feel that you need more than one of these options and we will guide you towards the appropriate source.
It is here that you should be clear about your needs as this will establish the foundation for your recovery.
Medical Help for addiction
Have you asked yourself if you have a physical addiction? If you answer YES then you will need to seek medical advice. You will also have to be prepared to commit to never drinking alcohol again, or if you are a drug user, to never picking up an illegal substance again.
Why do you need medical advice?
If you are addicted to alcohol then sudden withdrawal can be life-threatening. It can also lead to permanent brain damage. Common side-effects of sudden withdrawal are hallucinations and seizures. Less harmful symptoms can be sweating, shaking, anxiety, nausea, sleeplessness etc. and all these symptoms occur because your body goes into a state of shock. It is well-documented that 10% of people who are not treated will die and some others whose withdrawal leads to an acute vitamin deficiency will develop permanent memory loss, an alcohol-induced dementia known as Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome.
Medical advice on withdrawal can significantly reduce any risk.
Withdrawal from other substances may not be life threatening but can lead to you experiencing some very unpleasant and difficult withdrawal symptoms.
All of this may seem quite daunting but the withdrawal process will last only one or two weeks, compare that to how many times you may have already felt unwell and how many days you may have lost to physical illness because of your addiction. Will it be worth it? YES
Social Help
What is it that your alcohol or drug use offers?
- Do you use drugs or alcohol to make you feel brave and more confident?
- Do you think you have a better time when you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
- Are you less anxious in social situations if you have had a drink or used drugs?
- Are the people in your social circles also involved in heavy drinking or drug use?
How does it affect your day to day life?
- Are your relationships with your family affected by your using?
- Does it make you question your parenting skills and your relationship with your children?
- Does it cause problems within your work environment?
- Has it led to you being in trouble with the Police?
- Does your mood and behavior change when you have been drinking or using drugs?
Spiritual Help
Addiction affects the body, mind, and spirit, and you may have lost touch with your spiritual self. We all have our own personal beliefs and feelings and should take care of our spirituality. Recovery treatment will help you to seek a healthy balance in your life. It will help you to get in touch with your inner-self and find ways of managing stress, anger, anxiety and any other emotions that you may struggle to understand.
Psychological Help for addiction
We understand that behind your addiction you may have deep-seated psychological issues that have impacted on how you feel about yourself and your life. These feelings may be what led you into your addiction. The thought of challenging them may be frightening, but challenge them you must. Use that fear to drive you forward and focus on getting the recovery you deserve. Remember that your addiction will have strengthened the negative feelings you experience. Alcohol acts as a depressant and drugs alter mood and responses. You may be experiencing severe swings in your moods, anger, agitation, paranoia.
Addiction rehab treatment will help you to challenge the reasons behind your addiction. Working through your feelings in a supportive environment can help you to challenge your demons, understand how you can alter your responses to the negative experiences in your life, and recognise what your trigger points are. This in turn offers you the opportunity to strengthen your self-esteem and self-belief, to believe that you are worthy of a life free of addiction.
Give yourself permission for recovery, it is yours for the taking.
