When you achieve sobriety, it can feel like you've been put through the wringer. That is because you essentially were by living with and subsequently overcoming addiction. To achieve sobriety is the culmination of inner strength, hard work, and learning to rely on the love and support of those who care for you. None of it is easy, and it can be a physically, spiritually, and emotionally draining journey.
However, the journey does not end once treatment is over. Addiction cannot be cured or banished away from a person's life. Being in recovery and sober means walking a journey that will last for the rest of your life. However, it's not something to fear or dread. Rather, it is something that should be celebrated and cherished.
Facilities like Pathways Wellness Center work to provide their clients, both current and former, with the tools they need to stay in recovery. If you think you have to walk this path alone, don't fret – Pathways will be there for you when you need support. This includes connections to peer and support networks that can offer further companionship and understanding as you begin your sober life.
Sometimes it's easy to dismiss the work that you put into yourself, or simply feel as though others did most of the work for you. Remembering the struggles and trials you went through can put these feelings into perspective, especially when recovering from addiction.
The reason why addiction is such a difficult disorder to recover from is because of how strong of a hold it has over someone's body and mind. Addictive substances, such as alcohol or drugs, change the chemistry of someone's brain and alter behaviors. Because your brain becomes dependent on these chemicals, it makes recovering from them difficult. They can cause withdrawal symptoms, some of which can be dangerous or even deadly. Breaking the chemical dependence takes a herculean personal effort, the oversight of mental health care professionals, and a safe place to heal.
There are also underlying causes of addiction that can affect the challenges of recovery. This can be caused by a co-occurring mental health disorder, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Other factors, such as environment, genetics, and family history, can also increase the likelihood of addiction.
Learning how to succeed despite these factors requires a lot of determination and self-awareness. The power to overcome has to come from within yourself. Nobody can do the work for you, and all your successes must be earned by your merit. Take the time to look back at the hurdles you have overcome when it comes to recovering from addiction. Then, you can see how much strength you needed to find within to do so.
One of the most important but difficult skills to learn is to know when and how to ask for help. Many times, people will attempt to solve problems on their own or believe they can tough out difficult situations. When it comes to addiction, healing cannot begin unless you recognize that you need help. This can be frightening, especially with the heavy stigma society places on addictions and those that struggle with it. Recognizing that you need help is the first vital step needed to achieve sobriety. The next step is to ask for help.
Asking for help can also be difficult. Many times, people think of mental health care facilities as prisons, ready to lock people away for not being "normal." This isn't the truth, and all mental health care facilities care deeply about the rights and well-being of their clients. Places like Pathways Wellness Center invite potential clients to tour the facility and ask questions to help lessen the fear of mental health treatment. But still, the choice must be made by the individual to pick up that phone or send that email and ask that question.
Looking back on your recovery journey, you should begin to recognize the support you have received and continue to receive. One cannot achieve sobriety all by themselves. Yes, it takes an individual effort to finish treatment and stay in recovery, but it also takes support from the ones who love and care about you.
It's comforting to know that there are people who were there and still are here to help you achieve sobriety. Even if you stumble along the way, they still care about you and know you are strong. These people can be loved ones, such as family or friends who convinced you that you were worthy of help. They can also be your treatment providers, who encouraged you not to give up even when treatment was difficult. It can even be fellow peers who encourage you to find joy in living a sober life or offer an understanding ear when times are hard. All these people know a universal truth about yourself.
This truth is that you are worthy of love, compassion, and understanding. The strength and bravery you found inside yourself to achieve sobriety is astounding. You have overcome the struggles of addiction and learned new and healthier coping skills. The journey of recovery is not an easy one, but you have risen to every challenge.
Look back on yourself and acknowledge the difficulties you overcame to get where you are now. Afterward, it's time to celebrate this achievement with the ones who love and support you.
When someone achieves sobriety, it is a cause of celebration. It takes a lot of hard work to get through treatment. Not to mention how difficult it is to accept that you had a problem with addiction in the first place. However, achieving recovery doesn't just stop once treatment is over. Here at Pathways Wellness Center in Glendora, California, we offer programs before and after treatment to prevent the chances of relapse. No client of Pathways has to traverse a sober life alone and with no support. Fellow peers and staff are always here to help you in times of struggle. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, don't wait. Call us at (888) 771-0966.
