Every time we hear a celebrity say they are going to go to
rehab we know, chances that this is not going to work are great. This is a disturbing societal perception, but
with all the people who have gone back out, can anyone be blamed for this
perception? Rehab for some, is like a
way-station to stop family and loved ones from worrying about a drug or alcohol
problem. It’s used by some as a tool to shut people up for a while, which is a sure way to lose the respect from the few friends we still have left by the time we enter rehab.
What rehab should mean however, is to make a decision to be ready to
ask for help and make real life changes. This is a very sacred process. We know we have to make these changes and letting go of our old life, means being ready to take direction and especially knowing when to ask for
help.
When we end up in rehab, we are confused from drug abuse and
we have developed a cycle of poor decisions that we take along with us into
recovery. The poor decision making
process is something we are not fully conscious of, as our thoughts stay
clouded for quite some time while we try to get sober. It is in that time we are most vulnerable and
it is this time that counts the most in terms of severing our ties with party
friends who can make us not take our recovery seriously. This does get better though and
eventually our senses return and we are in charge of our life again.
But this can only happen if we are willing to make the
commitment it takes to get sober. And
that means, before we go in to rehab, we must be committed to change once and
for all. We must also make clear to those
closest to us, who look out for our wellbeing, that we are serious about our recovery and that we are not just going in to clean up so we can go back
out. Real recovery is a commitment, a
life-long bond you make with yourself.
You must be accountable. You must
manage your life and if you don’t know how to live sober, you must be willing
to ask for help, learn and do whatever it takes to stay sober.
