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fulfilling life after addiction

Living a Fulfilling Life after Addiction

Living a Fulfilling Life after Addiction

Addiction is estimated to affect as many as 20 million people in the U.S. and nearly 7 percent of people across the industrialized world. Although the prevalence of this very serious chronic ailment remains high, a great deal of progress has been made over the last few decades in its treatment. In fact, we know far more about addiction now and how to effectively treat it than at any time in the past.

However, once many individuals exit rehab, they begin to realize the hard work is not behind them. The real challenge lies in staying the course and preventing addiction from reconquering one’s life. For many who have struggled with alcohol or other substance use disorders, the key in remaining free of addiction’s iron grasp lies in constructing a positive life after addiction.

The Real Key to Long-Term Success

Despite the fact that evidence-based treatment is now able to produce short-term recovery success rates of 90 percent or higher, the most important factor in long-term successful recovery remains the ability to reconstruct one’s life in ways that do not rely on the use of substances as a central girder. As one man who beat his addictions put it, “the decision to get off drugs was easy, but the decision to stay off drugs was always elusive.”

12-step programs have long required that their participants subscribe to a higher power as a means to displace substance abuse as life’s foundational pillar. But many who once struggled with addiction have successfully gotten their lives together without turning their free-will over to a deity. How do they do it?

Discover Your Deeper Passions

One of the most surefire ways to beat addiction over the long term is by realizing a simple truth: There are many things that are far more important and rewarding than using drugs or alcohol. In fact, aside from using substances in controlled moderation, abusing drugs and alcohol ends up consuming an individual to the point where they no longer care about anything else besides their next fix.

The truth is that drug abuse produces nothing of lasting value. Someone who replaces their drug habit with a hobby or other activity about which they are passionate may soon find that they are able to enjoy other endeavors they never would have had the time for beforehand. If someone who overuses alcohol spends 40 hours per week in an unproductive fog, quitting drinking and spending that time on something like learning the piano or becoming a computer programmer could easily turn them into an expert in a matter of years. And once that ball gets rolling, it tends to be self-reinforcing.

The simple fact is that people who are truly passionate about something — anything — simply don’t have time to abuse drugs or alcohol.

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Rekindle Relationships with Friends & Family

One of the oft-heard refrains from people who have managed to stay on the course to recovery is that they feel almost as if time has stopped: Their sober version is a close facsimile of the person that they were prior to starting heavy drug or alcohol abuse. This is because relationships are the benchmarks of our lives, helping to fill out the map of where we have been and where we may be heading. And so much of what makes up normal relationships with people, including a clear recollection of shared experiences, is sacrificed when drugs and alcohol are the primary focus of one’s life.

Forging new relationships or rekindling old ones with friends and family, especially those who do not abuse drugs and alcohol, is another one of the most effective ways to prevent a relapse. The simple truth is that people who have not centered their lives around drugs or alcohol tend to be a hugely positive influence on someone who is trying to live a fulfilling life after addiction. And those who one may have shut out or turned away as a result of their substance abuse may now be far more open to once again becoming a part of the life of someone who has demonstrated a genuine will to change and to stay sober.

 A Shift in Perspective

Contrarily, those who remain sober for extended periods are often shocked at how intolerable and uninviting the lifestyles of fellow substance abusers are when seen from the other side. Some people who have formerly suffered from addiction find continuing motivation in the realization of all the trouble that they left behind when they made the decision to give up their addictions. Many former addicts point to the deaths of close substance-abusing friends and acquaintances as one of the most sobering wakeup calls that they have received.

Setting Yourself Up for Success

One of the most well-attested findings in the addiction recovery literature is the fact that those with strong social support networks are able to successfully recover at rates that far exceed those who are alone in their efforts or who have only fellow addicts to turn to for social support. Friends, family and addiction support groups are all fine ways of maintaining that social support bulwark against relapse that is so critical in the first years of recovery.

Desert Cove Recovery is focused on helping people to achieve sobriety and live a fulfilling life after addiction. With our modern, evidence-based approach, we will work with those who choose sobriety to find approaches that are suitable to their individual needs.

Unlike many other programs, we focus strongly on helping our clients build and maintain adequate and lasting social support while discovering their unique purpose in life. We aim to help them to construct a meaningful existence that is driven by healthy passions and that is no longer an empty cell in which their fleeting impulses keep them confined.

For more information on our revolutionary and highly effective long-term approach to addiction recovery, call Desert Cove Recovery today.

excuses to avoid going to rehab

Excuses We Use to Avoid Going to Rehab

Excuses We Use to Avoid Going to Rehab

Making the decision to enter rehab is not an easy one, as it requires a person admitting they have a problem. This is not a simple task for people who pride themselves on their independence, most choose to avoid going to rehab instead. Seeking outside help to address a serious addiction can be a significant barrier for many individuals considering rehab as a solution to their problems. But beyond the issue of pride getting in the way of recovery, there are many other reasons why individuals who are thinking about finding help choose to stay away instead.

Underestimating the Extent of the Problem

One of the biggest reasons people avoid going to rehab is due to the personal belief that one’s addiction isn’t that big of an issue and can be stopped at any time. It can be easy to convince oneself that an addictive behavior is still a choice and is not a significant problem worth addressing. However, this tends to be based on a convenient, psychological distortion of reality. The truth is it can take a long period of time before a person realizes that their behavior has reached the point of a serious addiction.

Individuals who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, and other substances tend to deny that a problem exists. It can be easier to continue engaging in the behavior instead of coming to terms with the fact that a serious addiction has taken root. Admitting that a problem exists is one of the most important steps in the recovery process, one that many people have a difficult time with.

The Belief that One’s Addiction Doesn’t Hurt Anyone

Addiction, specifically when it comes to drugs and alcohol, can be one of the most destructive behaviors a person can engage in. It sabotages one’s potential, sacrificing many important aspects of your personal life such as your career, family life, finances, and physical and mental health. Clearly, an addiction is an incredibly negative force in one’s life that can start to dominate nearly every aspect of your being.

But, contrary to the belief that addiction is only detrimental to the person afflicted with the disease, it can also have profound effects on those closest to you. A parent who is struggling with addiction will not be able to be as present for their children, as they will often be more focused on getting their fix instead of paying attention to their loved ones. The excuse that entering rehab isn’t important because it only affects the person dealing with the addiction rings hollow because it can have a serious impact upon others in one’s life.

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Rehab Isn’t Affordable and I Can’t Miss Work

A common reason people give to avoid going to rehab is based around financial constraints. Many individuals believe rehab will be completely unaffordable within their budget and will be far too expensive to feasibly go through with. People also believe that missing time from work in order to enter rehab is not a realistic proposition, as the time spent away from work will negatively affect their pocketbook. Additionally, many people have reservations about attending rehab because of how it will reflect upon their professional life.

Thankfully, seeking professional help to deal with one’s addiction is not as expensive as one might expect. The passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2011 has made entering treatment to deal with an addiction a much more affordable proposition. This is because substance abuse has been designated as an essential health benefit that the vast majority of insurances now cover. The cost of treatment will depend on a person’s particular coverage, but there are plenty of low-cost to no-cost treatment options available for those seeking help.

My Addiction Isn’t Bad Enough to Go To Rehab

When it comes to substance abuse and addiction, there are certainly varying degrees of severity which can make it much less obvious that treatment is necessary. If a person is a functioning addict, they may be able to convince themselves that their condition isn’t bad enough to warrant a trip to a rehab facility. While a person may be well aware of how an addiction is negatively impacting their life, it can be easy to put off the possibility of attending rehab because it’s not worth the hassle.

The truth is, rehab is beneficial for anyone struggling with an addiction, regardless of how serious it may seem to the person afflicted with the condition. If you are personally dealing with an addiction and are unsure of how serious your situation is, it is recommended to seek a professional opinion from a counselor or addiction specialist. Often, people have a very difficult time judging their personal situation and it can be hard to know how serious one’s addiction has become.

I Need Drugs or Alcohol to Cope with My Life

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why people become seriously addicted to drugs or alcohol is rooted in the relief the substance provides them. Individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, or suffering from traumatic experiences often seek refuge in the form of getting high or becoming intoxicated. Although this act actually compounds their problems and can make their mental health much worse, the temporary relief from their emotional pain can seem hard to resist.

Indeed, drugs and alcohol are a huge negative coping mechanism for people dealing with difficult life circumstances. Once an individual has connected the substance with an act of self-medicating, it can become incredibly challenging to give up using. For these individuals, entering a rehab facility which addresses the root causes of their addiction is essential to regaining a sense of autonomy and independence.

Overcome Addiction with Rehab in Arizona

Overcoming an addiction can feel like an impossible task, especially if you’re going it alone without any outside support. If you’re seeking support to make this important self-transformation a reality and are looking for an excellent addiction treatment center, contact Desert Cove Recovery today. Our trusted team will help guide you through the rehab process, working side-by-side with you to create a treatment plan that works.