Recovery is the New High: When is it time for you to start?
Let’s face it, the temperature these days is HOT and I don’t mean just because it's August in the South. Our lives bring us so many uncomfortable situations and the emotions we feel from this chaos can be hard to deal with. Since Covid, the use of substances to alleviate these uncomfortable circumstances and emotions is at an all time high. Numbing the difficult emotions and situations in our lives is very tempting. Unfortunately, we can be fooled into thinking that our substance use is working when actually it is probably leading to more problems and more and more misuse of the substance.
So how do you know if it’s time to seek help? For some people that is obvious, there have been jobs and relationships lost, finances are in the red, arrests have been happening on a loop and it feels like chaos has taken over the peace in your head and heart. For others, the signs might not be so blatant but you just feel like it’s time to do something different.
Is the time now?
So how do you decide if it’s time to seek some help? Here are some things to ask yourself:
Have you been feeling a strong urge or compulsion to use drugs or alcohol every time you have strong emotions? (This could be either exciting or stressful emotions.)
Do you struggle with stopping once you start, even if you have a plan for how much you will use for the night? (I’m just gonna have a couple beers with the boys, ends up drinking 6 beers and a couple shots)
Are you experiencing negative consequences as a result of substance use but continuing to use despite those consequences? (Marriage is suffering, late for your job, kids notice your absence, arrests, not paying bills or rent, etc.)
Are your marriage and/or family relationships struggling because of someone else’s misuse of substances? (Your child has a substance use problem, your marriage is struggling due to your spouses use, your parent is using and it is causing you stress and resentment)
You have always had a hard time regulating your emotions and may have some mental health issues that you have used substances to help you cope with. (trauma, depression, chronic pain, anxiety and stress are issues that many people have turned to substances to alleviate)
If your answer is yes to any of these questions, you would benefit from the help of a Substance Use Counselor.
Is it hard to get started?
When people become addicted to alcohol and other drugs, life is very unsettling. Mood-altering drugs can temporarily reduce the level of stress people experience as a result of what is going on around them. However, almost always, when the effects of the substance wear off, people tend to feel more stress than they had before the use.
Addiction is a process. It is not an event at a single point in time. For some people, it is a slow process. For others, it is quick. Either way, it is a process made up of many small decisions that begin to alter the person's mind and ability to make wise choices.
Similarly, sobriety and recovery are also a process. It is not like making one big decision like, “I’m never going to use again.” Rather, sobriety and long term recovery is learning to make many small decisions that lead away from alcohol and other drug use and become sustainable over time.
While you are most likely alone and lonely in your addiction process or in your relationship with someone who is addicted to a substance, you don’t have to be alone while you learn the process of sobriety and long term emotional recovery. A Substance Use counselor can provide you a safe and gentle environment to focus on your sobriety, your own well-being and help you learn how to begin a healthy and thriving life free from the grip of substance use.
Pick up the phone or go online today, you won’t regret it.
If you are experiencing a life that involves substance use or misuse, you have already done so many hard things. You are strong, resourceful, courageous and capable. It’s one small step to pick up the phone or go online to make an appointment, but it can feel like you are climbing a mountain. Overcoming addiction is no easy task. Learning how to set boundaries with your loved one and thrive in your own life is extremely difficult. The good news is, you don’t have to do this alone anymore. Our counselors at Mind the Gap,LLC can be a safe, non judgmental place of solace and education on your journey to recreate the life you deserve.
You are already doing hard things. If you allow us to walk the journey with you, there is no limit to what you can accomplish. You are not alone! Recovery is the new high and this is the time for you to start. Call our offices at 615-212-9141; email us at info@mindthegaptn.com or go online and request and appointment now at https://www.mindthegaptn.com/kathy-ward .