- Be sure to start each day with a clean home or room
- Get rid of cash and paraphernalia
- Daylight is important so open your windows to let the sunlight come in
- Keep your refrigerator well stocked with healthy snacks, fruits, and vegetables
- Post your recovery intentions somewhere you look every day
Unconditional Forgiveness
A critical part of recovery is forgiveness. Forgiveness must not be mistaken for acceptance. And, forgiveness does not mean you have to allow that person into your life again which is a very common misconception.
But, how do you forgive someone that truly hurt you? It’s complicated right? Think about forgiveness like this. When you forgive someone you are focusing on yourself. It’s not about them. You are not giving them permission to do it again or saying that what they did was okay. You are forgiving them so that you can move on and not live in the past. When you let go of old resentments you will be amazed at how free you will feel.
Once you start the forgiveness journey understand that it’s a process. You won’t just one day suddenly forgive someone and then feel free. The process will take time and you will need to allow your mind to work through all of the old feelings associated with that person. A good place to start is to recognize that everyone in this world has been hurt at some point in their life. Once you identify this important fact you will be able to put yourself in their shoes and try to know that what they did to you or how they made you feel may not have been their true intentions.
Good luck with this as we know this may be one of the hardest things you have to do.
Share your forgiveness story with us at liverehab@liverehab.com We will anonymously publish it on our Facebook page so that your story can inspire others who are struggling with this.
The Details in YOUR Plan
Making a plan to quit is one the most critical components to your success in obtaining sobriety. Depending on your situation, this plan may take hours or days to complete but you cannot skip this step. You must plan carefully and logically. Start by writing things down.
On Monday we shared 5 tips to help get you started.
- Stop purchasing large amounts of drugs or alcohol. Make it hard on yourself.
- Get rid of all paraphernalia. Trash it.
- Schedule a day to deep clean the space you normally get high or drunk in.
- Tell somebody about your plan.
- Pick a date and mark it on your calendar.
We also talked about your mindset and how important it is to not self-sabotage. This means that you need to think ahead. Think about anything that might get in your way and how you can overcome it.
Your biggest barrier
Today, we are going to talk more about specific details when making your own plan. First, start with your biggest barrier. For some people it might be family. Other people it might be work or school. How can you make this work? Do you need to ask for help? You might need to take time off of school or work for detox. You might not have that choice. Do you need to wait for a vacation perhaps? Whatever your biggest barrier is, tackle that first.
The details
Once you have tackled your biggest barrier, you will need to think of all the little details. Think about how you can structure your days. Your days need to be filled with back up plans. You may think about getting more entertainment like movies, music, games, etc. Who will you call for support? What can you do if you have a craving? You will need to have structure and a solid plan for each day.
Sleep, food, and exercise
You might not think these three things matter but I can tell you they matter a lot. You will need to make sure you are not getting too much or too little sleep. Sleeping during the night and staying awake during the day can be really helpful. Make sure your diet is well balanced. Try to stick to whole foods as much as possible and limit the amount of sugar you are consuming. And, don’t forget to exercise. If you are not used to getting a lot of exercise challenge yourself to try something every single day, even if it’s just walking around the block. Getting outside, rain or shine, can help stabilize your mood.
We want you to be successful with your plan and that’s why we believe it’s important to think things through before making the decision. The stronger plan you have, the more successful you will be.
Finding a Diversity Competent Counselor
Being a competent counselor is very challenging and requires a lot of knowledge. Being a diversity-competent counselor takes so much more. When working with a chemical dependency group there is a high probability that the group will have to deal with different cultural backgrounds. A diversity-competent counselor will be able to let go of fear and lead a discussion that is culturally sensitive.
Diversity-competent counselors don’t become competent overnight. It takes years of experience and awareness to obtain the competency. Counselors who are courageous, good role models, and very open minded will have a great chance of really understanding diversity. Before they experience other cultures however, they must be able to understand their own culture first.
When working with chemical dependency groups a counselor should always be noticeably present and very genuine. People in recovery are very sensitive to their surroundings so it is important for the counselor to be able to believe in the group process by not being defensive when criticized and identify with the group and the pain they are going through. This means every single member of the group which includes all cultures and races. By identifying with the members of the group a diversity-competent counselor can help cultural awareness within the group by inviting guided conversations that help bring awareness to ethnic differences. When members of the group hear their peers talk about racial diversity they will be less likely to assume or label each other.
Leading groups can be extremely challenging and it takes time to be successful at it. Competent counselors have personal power and stamina to make it through tough times and they never give up. Diversity-competent counselors who lead groups are very self aware and bring dedication and commitment to the table even during the hard-hitting sessions. Most importantly, they are able to recognize their own limitations.
What is substance abuse treatment?
Alcohol and drug dependence is when a person cannot control their use of alcohol or drugs. Dependency causes changes in a person’s mind, body and behavior.
Substance abuse treatment is treatment that includes being able to monitor detoxification, develop treatment plans and an after care plan. A treatment center should be able to clearly assess alcohol and other drug problems or clients who have been affected by someone who has an alcohol or other drug problem. Substance abuse treatment requires openness from the professional that embraces the understanding that there is a wide variety of causes of alcohol and other drug problems as well as many recovery methods.
Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
Finding the right substance abuse treatment program can be challenging. Anyone who is looking for a program should evaluate it extensively to find professional that will match and meet their needs. A good professional will never stereotype or use their previous life experiences to obtain an opinion on how what a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol looks or acts. Professionals with false beliefs may fail to diagnose a patient properly. For example, if the mental health professional has a belief that alcohol and other drug addiction or dependency is caused by moral weakness or a character flaw it could have a very bad effect in finding the correct route of recovery for the patient.
Often times alcohol and drug use and/or addiction can be overlooked if the professional who is examining that person has not been extensively trained in what signs and symptoms to look for in substance abuse. It is very important for professionals to have the proper training in this field to recognize and be able to help the patient who may have a problem. If they don’t have the training they may miss key signs that can lead the patient to a faster recovery via these substance abuse treatment programs. Professionals will also be able to help patients who may not have problem themselves but whose problems are directly impacted by someone in their life with an alcohol and other drug problem.
Substance Abuse Treatment for Patients
Choosing the right kind of substance abuse program is up to the individual along with proper guidance from a professional. If you think you are in need of substance abuse treatment please seek out the help of a counselor in your area so that you can form a specific plan of attack. You can get this under control as long as you recognize that substance abuse treatment is something you are going to have to work at. Substance abuse treatment will require that you fully engage in the process down the path of rehabilitation but if you are not fully engaged you can face some tough challenges ahead.