Residential drug and alcohol treatment facility, Serenity at Summit offers some helpful tips for you or your loved one as you go through addiction treatment. These tips are important to remember as you get started with your recovery.
Don’t Forget Why You Are There
You know that you need help for your addiction. But when you actually get to detox, and then rehab, your addiction may try to talk you out of it. It’s often within the first couple of days that people who are new in treatment begin to think that maybe things were not so bad that they need to be there. Thoughts like those can’t be listened to. Stay focused on the reasons that you need to be in recovery when you start to feel like you want to leave.
Ask Questions
It’s very common to have a lot of questions when you start addiction treatment – don’t be afraid to ask them! When you allow unanswered questions to pile up in your head, you will likely become anxious, and that isn’t what you need in treatment. Keep in mind that many of the staff who work in rehab facilities are in recovery themselves and they have been where you are, so there is no reason to feel uneasy asking them questions.
Stay Mindful
Mindfulness is trying to stay present in the moment – focusing on what is happening right now. Being mindful helps you to not dwell on the past and not worry about the future. Your concentration needs to be on what you are working on in treatment. You may have to remind yourself of this often.
Be Patient
Recovery is a process, and it is a life-long journey that is different for each person. You have to give yourself (and others) freedom to process things at your own pace. When you start to put a timeline on your recovery, you are setting yourself up for failure. Be patient with yourself as you work through issues and grow in recovery.
Be Willing
You are already showing that you are willing to change your life just by taking the first step and getting help. But you will likely find that you have to remind yourself to continue being willing when you face challenges in your recovery. Remember that sustained willingness will lead to sustained recovery.
Be Accepting
There will be times during your stay in detox and rehab (and all during recovery) that you will face an inner conflict about many aspects of your life. But when you accept that you are in the situation you are in and that the only thing you can change is your future, not your past, you will have a much easier time.
Be Committed
Treatment for addiction is a time for you to be away from your “real life” and focus on you and your recovery. Take advantage of what treatment has to offer by committing yourself to the process.
Be Honest
Everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol lies – it’s part of the nature of the disease. But it’s something that you need to let go of in treatment. Healing begins from a place of honesty.
Be Ready for Good Days and Bad Days
Just like in life, you will experience ups and downs in treatment. Some days will seem almost unbearable, but you will make it through. And some days you will feel great and have an optimistic outlook on your recovery. Just remember that you are making progress, and a bad day does not equal a bad life.
About Serenity at Summit
Serenity at Summit offers holistic drug and alcohol detox and residential addiction treatment for patients in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Contact Serenity at Summit for more information about its programs at 1-908-481-4400 (NJ), 1-978-641-3001 (MA).
Media Contact:
Rebecca O’Mara
Executive Director Brand Management
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