Consequences

For every action that we take, there is a consequence whether it is good or bad consequences there are still consequences. After we have gone through Above It All Treatment, AA, or Addiction rehabilitation we are given the tools needed to make healthy sober decisions. Though we might not always choose the right options, the fact is that we have all the tools set before us to make the correct choices. While it may be unclear as to what the next right step is to take we have many ways to go about figuring it out and gaining clarity. 

We can opt to do step work around the issue at hand, call our sponsors to run our options by them, call our sober friends to get second opinions, pray and or meditate, and turn it over to a power greater then ourselves. If we take these steps we will eventually come to a decision that is right for us and be able to see what the proper next indicated action is. Eventually this process will become second nature to us and we will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us, just as it says in the big book. This is one of the many benefits of receiving detox and starting on the road to permanent long term recovery. 

When we continue on this path we are able to gain clarity while remaining serene and situations that many of us used to find overwhelming.  When we maintain the willingness to live life based on Gods will versus our will things have a way of working themselves out.

Dealing with Loss in Recovery

As alcoholics we are surrounded by death. It is the unfortunate reality of what this disease does to us if we are not fortunate enough to go to Above It All, AA, other 12 step programs. While we get to enjoy a better quality of life, have a great time, and are successful if we apply the tools we have received in Addiction recovery  the fact for us is that there are a lot of us that don’t make it. Many of us end up making the supreme sacrifice rather than continue the fight and achieve sobriety. At times it can seem as though we are patient’s battling a deadly illness and while we have the cure only some of us decide to take it while the rest decide to give up. It can be hard to watch this happen to our friends and loved ones.

It is never easy being the person that “gets it” while watching others that don’t and not understanding why we were so lucky and they weren't  It is imperative that we continue on our journey towards long term sobriety so that others may have hope, and see that it is possible to stay sober no matter what. We must work the steps, use the tools given to us, and maintain a conscious contact with a power greater than ourselves so that we may continue carrying the message to the alcoholic/ addict that still suffers both in and out of 12 step programs so they too may have a chance at an amazing life, and so that we can give back what was so freely given to us.

What It's About

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Going Back to School in Sobriety

For many of us our hopes and dreams had been crushed by our disease and battle with alcoholism. We had a lot of great ideas but nothing ever really came of them because we couldn't stop using. When we go to Above It All Treatment , AA ,detox and receive Addiction recovery that starts to change. We begin to see that if we stay sober we can pretty much make our dreams come true. We can go anywhere and do anything that we put our mind too as long as we are spiritually fit and have done the work. 

For many of us we have hopes of being able to go back to school. This may seem like an impossible dream when we are first getting sober since many of us are not used to pursuing things that are important to us. When we were using our passions and hopes just kind of fell by the wayside. While that can be scary for many of us and while we might be in fear of failure, or not being able to fulfill the commitment the fact is that if we take it one step at a time like we do when we get sober then we most certainly can accomplish this goal. We might struggle with social aspects or heavy workloads at first but rest assured if we apply ourselves we will eventually be able to reach our end goal and get a degree if that is what we desire. 

All you need to start on this path is the desire to learn and the willingness to take action.

Your First Steps Toward Drug and Alcohol Treatment

There are many addiction treatment facilities around the country, and the world, in which to choose from and there are many different styles of them. There are inpatient centers, in which a person checks themselves into and stays at the facility. These can be of varying length, usually in two different options, 30-day and 90-day stays. Inpatient treatment centers tend to be a little more intensive, are by design more heavily supervised, and many of them offer detox treatments. 

The centers that offer detox treatments are a good option for those who are addicted to alcohol, benzodiazepines or opiates and who will require medication to manage the withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal from alcohol and some drugs can be dangerous and should be done under the care of trained professionals who can administer medications to alleviate the symptoms and manage the period of adjustment as the body gets used to functioning without the drug again.

There are many places that a person can go to get help with their addictions. There are various Anonymous meetings, people often turn to their faith or loved ones. Another option is an addiction treatment center, which specifically handles addictions and is staffed by trained professionals.

Another option in addiction treatment centers are those that are outpatient, in which the addicted person does not stay in a residential facility, but is required to attend meetings at the facility on a regular basis, are monitored for drug and alcohol use, and participate in various treatment activities. For many people, this is the only option available as securing a month or three months off from work is not feasible and those with children often are unable to commit to an inpatient program. Outpatient facilities function much the same as their residential counterparts in offering intensive programs focused on getting the individual to sobriety and some of them offering medication to manage the detox period, as well.

A Day Of Relaxing at Above It All Treatment

A halfway house, or a sober living house is another option when choosing what sort of addiction treatment center you are looking for and are usually attended after a stay in a residential treatment facility. The purpose of these centers are to provide a structured environment in which the person can transition from the intensive, inpatient stay at a residential facility, back into normal life. There are mandatory curfews, drug tests, often twelve-step meetings depending on the philosophy of the center, and other requirements that the recovering person must meet in order to stay there. They offer help in getting their life back on track while keeping the recovering person focused on their sobriety.

There is a lot of help out there for you or your loved ones to get sober and lead healthy and productive lives. Addiction treatment centers know that you have a life to live and that you often cannot leave it behind and offer a variety of programs to choose from. Don’t despair, you can get help. There is an addiction treatment center for you to go to that will meet your needs.

Choose Your Own Path

“Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility.” 

― Oprah Winfrey

Parenting in Sobriety

Many of us that get sober and receive detox have kids. There are many different circumstances when it comes to people in recovery and their children. Some of us had children and lost them because of this disease of alcoholism, some of us have children in sobriety, and some of us become step-parents. 

Whatever the case may be the thought/responsibility of parenting can be scary yet also a very exciting and growth producing time in our lives. For many of us the idea hadn't even crossed our mind because we were living a life full of bondage and addiction but when we go through Above It All, AA, and other 12 step programs  and get sober many of us find we get a second shot at life. We are able to start planning a future, which up until sobriety seemed pointless. When we get to that place where we are able to either get our kids back, or have children for the first time we may feel lost, scared of failure, or unprepared. 

The fact is that there is no crash course in being ready to parent and even though we may not know what to expect or what we are doing we don’t have to do anything alone ever again. There are many people that are there that can and will help. There are many parents that have gone through the same situation in recovery and have come out the other side. If we reach out for help we will be more than taken care of.