Addiction is an illness that consumes your life. It may start off with a simple attempt to treat back pain, get more sleep at night, or push away depressive thoughts. Eventually, it becomes a lifestyle that brings you financial struggles, fractures personal relationships, and may even take away your career.
In addition to these things, substance abuse, whether it is mild or extreme, takes a tremendous toll on your body. It alters brain chemistry and makes you more susceptible to diseases. Your body eventually yearns for a high so badly that quitting leads to withdrawal, which may involve both physical and emotional pain.
It is never too late or early to begin recovery. Do not wait to lose a job. Do not wait until getting into a car accident while under the influence. Drug and alcohol rehab programs are there and waiting for you to make shift and improve your life.
Drug and Alcohol Addiction
Drug and alcohol addiction in the United States is a rapidly growing epidemic. In fact, approximately 63,600 Americans died of an overdose in 2016 while an estimated 72,000 lives were lost in 2017, a statistic that is still being finalized as data for that year continues to be collected.
The immensity of this issue is being felt across the nation. Pew Research Center conducted a study with over six thousand participants and found that almost 90% of citizens in rural areas felt that drug addiction was a concern in their community in comparison to 87% in urban spaces and 86% in the suburbs. These numbers demonstrate that so many people out there are hurting – both those with addiction and the people witnessing it. All addicts need to know that rehabilitation is out there to combat these numbers, and they can utilize them before reaching rock bottom to improve their lifestyle.
How Drug and Alcohol Rehab Changes Your Life
1. You will truly get to know people. Addicts tend to associate themselves with other addicts. It provides them with a safety blanket to not feel ashamed of their problems. They bond over shared struggles and experiences. However, these relationships are not built on a strong foundation. Sometimes the only thing there is in common is substance abuse. That being said you can never know if those people are truly friends. Are they only using you to get drugs? Would they support you if you chose to get sober? Would they help you through drug and alcohol rehab? Are those the friends you would call if in a dire situation? The only way to get an answer to those questions is to get treatment, be sober, and re-evaluate the people around you. Cutting out toxic individuals from your life will make you happier and healthier. It will prevent you from having drug cravings and relapsing. You do not have to worry about the emotional labor of supporting them, having to deal with finances if they are asking for money, or put yourself in harm’s way to handle their addictions. The relationships you make in sobriety are often far more authentic and long-term. They are often more capable of surviving difficulties and becoming stronger over time. You can relate over shared interests that are more formidable than drugs and alcohol, which is more enjoyable. In addition, people who have left treatment are much more likely to be engaging in healthy behaviors to reverse the effects of their addiction. Being around them can influence you to eat healthier, exercise, and sleep more; all post-recovery techniques recommended by drug and alcohol rehab specialists.
2. You can honor your loved ones. Your loved ones love you and you love them. The pleasure that drugs and alcohol give you pales in comparison to the unconditional compassion that your family and friends shower on you. Addiction not only impacts you, but it also frays the relationships with people you care about the most. It may lead you to ask them for money or put them in the dangerous position of being in the company of someone under the influence. They are the ones that have to see the toll of drugs and alcohol on your physical and mental health, as well as your outside life, things you may be blinded to. Often, one of the precursors of drug and alcohol rehab is the staging of an intervention. This is where the people closest to you sit you down and confront you about your addiction. They are prepared, knowledgeable about your issues, and will express how they feel about your substance abuse. Those people want nothing more than for you to achieve sobriety and for your relationships to strengthen.
3. You will save money. When you take a look at what addiction does to your finances, it can be an incredibly rude awakening. With alcoholism, consider the amount you pay for drinks and bottles every week. Or the cost of going out to bars and partying. Now think about how that adds up monthly and then every year. With drugs, over time you will need higher doses to replicate the high you are chasing. Drugs are usually expensive, so you can be spending upwards of thousands of dollars weekly. Often times addicts are unaware of how much money is being used to bankroll their habits. They may find themselves struggling to pay rent or cover bills despite having an income that makes all of that possible. After getting sober through addiction treatment, you will see how much more money is within your control. Money that can be invested to benefit your life and the lives of people around you. Funds you can utilize to travel or have fun to distract yourself from cravings or thoughts about re-abusing substances. Of course, money does not make you happy, but it can restore a sense of balance to your life and not having to worry about how you will pay bills is a major relief from stress and worry. In addition, rehabilitation teaches you to be more productive and active during sobriety. This can lead you to perform better at your workplace, earning promotions and raises you would not have gotten during the period of substance abuse.
4. Others will feel safe around you. When you are abusing drugs and alcohol, you do not think rationally. That is why people who are drunk will get behind the wheel of a car. Or individuals high on a drug will not realize how they are acting in public. One of the major benefits of drug and alcohol rehab is that it will make you aware of how your actions negatively impact other people. A lot of decisions you will make as an addict will be wrong because you are chasing your own high and own pleasure. Sobriety stresses that you are empathetic, to apologize for past behavior. You do not want people to feel like they are in danger when they are around you. You want them to respect you, and it is hard to earn admiration when drunk or high all of the time. People can sense when something is wrong and they will find out about your addiction no matter how much you try to have it. There are so many things that drugs and alcohol will lead you to say or do that can further lose you standing amongst your friends, family, colleagues, and peers. Everyone wants to be adored and going through your life knowing that people look up to you and see you as a positive figure is a nice feeling to have. It is also a sense of relief to live life not having to hide some deep secret that will make you lose face.
Contact Florida House
Drug and alcohol rehab will only add to your life. Your friends want you to get sober. Your family wants you to move on from addiction. You will enjoy life far more without substance abuse. There is no need to wait. Treatment will show you that living a happy life without drugs and alcohol is not only possible but so many other people are. We know that rehabilitation may be daunting. We know that you may have heard about interventions, withdrawals, cravings, and relapse. But do not let these fears stop you.
Florida House has a number of unique therapies available for individuals in all situations, of all ages, from all backgrounds. We offer medical detox, residential treatment, outpatient services, and sober living. It does not matter how long your addiction has been taking place or how many times you have been in recovery, you can still get your life in order. If you or someone you know needs rehabilitation, please contact us at 833-596-3502 for assistance on how to reach out to them or seek help for yourself. Our team of highly trained and compassionate medical specialists, counselors, and addiction experts can assist you every step of the way.