We are all individuals. Our lives are unique. The reasons that we began substance use are unique, as are our experiences while using substances. So why would we want a cookie-cutter experience in our treatment and recovery? We know ourselves the best, we know what we need. Even if substance use has left us feeling helpless, we can navigate our own recovery and get the help that will give us the most success.
Take Ownership
Even if our pathway to recovery was “encouraged” by other people in our lives, it is still our own recovery. In fact, it is even important that we choose to do this for ourselves because it is difficult to have success in recovery if we are only doing it for other people.
We might feel like we are still doing okay, or that we still have control over our lives. Perhaps we do. However, when other people step in and show concern for our behaviors, they might have valid reasons to show that concern. That should force the question to ourselves: “Do I need help?” If someone else is stepping in, then the answer is probably yes. We don’t need to wait for “rock bottom” to be honest with ourselves and choose to get help. If we are going to get help, then we should go all in and make it count.
Educate Yourself
Getting treatment isn’t about putting ourselves on a hook and letting everyone lead us around like a fish. Truly getting help should be a chance for us to find out for ourselves what kinds of treatments are available to us.
Questions we can ask ourselves include: Is the facility certified and reputable? Does the location seem like someplace I could be comfortable at? What kinds of treatment methods do they offer? Do they support my belief system? What kind of support do they offer after initial treatment?
Find Resources
Amongst the many questions that we may have, it is ideal that we find a place that offers many options in treatment, a facility that believes in personalized treatment. Look at the types of therapy offered and whether or not they use “evidence-based” or “best practices.” These practices are proven to treat addiction with scientific research and data. That is how you know if they will be able to truly give us what we need for success.
Other resources to look for are methods that include healing not just your mind, but also your body. There should always be some kind of plan for exercise or fitness. It does not have to be intense fitness, actually, something like yoga is very healing for the mind and body. A personal trainer can help create an exercise plan that meets us where we are physically. Whatever resources that are important to us individually, be sure that there are plenty of options to choose from to create a plan that gives us the best chances at success.
Choose Your Path
Once we have found the facility and resources that will best suit us, we need to make the decision to commit to our recovery. It is not enough to go through the motions, this is our life. Why would we go through detoxification and treatment and do all of that work just to go back to our old ways again? Whether it was initially our idea or others were looking out for us, this has to be our choice, our journey.
This is not just about finding a facility that we like, it is about choosing a facility that we can partner with to create a new life for ourselves. We need to want this enough to back it up with our hard work and determination. As we step onto this path, we want people guiding us who know how to give us the tools we need for success, but we have to be willing to take charge of our lives and take our lives back.
Succeed in Your Journey
Our success in recovery is completely up to us. We may have friends, family, co-workers, and others who are supporting us, but at the end of the day, we have to do the work. Every moment we succeed at staying sober, every breakthrough we make in therapy, for every discovery we make about ourselves, we are winning at this. We will have tough days, maybe even setbacks. We can dust ourselves off and get back up again and work even harder the next time. Our success will be that much more powerful knowing that we owned up to our issues, took control, made the choices, and did the work. When we opt into our recovery, going all in, we write our own success story.
Recovery is a journey best taken with all the support we can get. However, regardless of support we do or don’t have, recovery only works when we take ownership of our own lives. No matter where we are starting from, when we take the wheel and navigate our own path to wellness, we empower ourselves to succeed. Not only at recovery, but life. Make that call today. Find the place that will partner with you to rebuild your life and give you the tools to succeed. You are worth it.
Empower yourself in your own recovery. Call AToN Center at (888) 535-1516 now to find out how to navigate your recovery and take control of your life.
Originally posted on February 6, 2020 @ 6:08 pm
