Newcomers in 12 Step Programs for Addiction

As you begin to attending 12 step program, addiction addressing AA/NA meetings, you may hear the statement “The newcomer is the most important person in the room.”

Perhaps you wonder how that could possibly be the case?  When was the last time you were welcome with open arms anywhere?

Upon your arrival to this Los Angeles rehab, the staff will welcome you and will treat you accordingly.  Maybe it’s the first time in a long, long time we are being welcome anywhere.  It can be a foreign feeling, perhaps one that even elicits a suspicion of sorts.  It’s as if it’s in the staff doing that for us, it opens the door to others who may approach us with phone numbers, offering rides to meetings, sit down & extend themselves accordingly.  We may not feel so put off by those people and may even, depending, take them up on their generous offers.

Here’s why the response to their offerings may shed some light on the first idea.  When someone new presents themselves to us, we may need to forgo some of our upcoming plans.  In order for us to keep what we have so freely been given, we must extend ourselves to others.  As we do that, we are given the chance to reinforce our sober time.  We need the newcomer in order to survive.  With said newcomer, we get to go through the steps again ourselves while we are guiding them.  With that connection, they have the ability to inadvertently ground us in the reality of what happens when we are on a run or are coming into the program for the first time. They reinforce for us how that unmanageability exists and/or returns ever-so-shortly and what the state of their internal life is like, which, more often that not, reeks of misery & discomfort.

The connection we forge while working together is like no other and the gratitude that emerges from that very sharing with one another solidifies our spiritual connection.   Without the newcomer, we may not be able to treat our spiritual malady.  If we can’t do that, we may default to the physical craving.  After introducing the first drug or drink into the body, we may then be caught by the mental obsession keeping us bound to the prison of our minds and the substance(s).  In that, it leads us right back to that spiritual malady.  Subsequently the unmanageability that returns internally gets reflected externally and we reach for whatever’s going to, we hope, wipe away the pain and shame from our actions..  Working with one another acknowledges our need for the connections of our human spirit, whether we like it or not.  That newcomer’s desperation is our fuel by which we light the lamps of the roadway of sobriety, guiding us toward serenity.

Hitting Bottom and Getting Help at a Drug Rehab in California

We may hear the phrase “hit bottom” more than once as we begin our journey into the world of sobriety.  What does “hit bottom” mean?  Maybe we have a preconceived notion about what hitting bottom looks like.  Is it someone clutching a bottle of the cheapest booze, half propped up on yellowed newspapers against a rusted out dumpster in a rat infested alleyway using a cardboard box for shelter?  There are bottoms that do, in fact, look like that however many more bottoms do not resemble that particular image.

The fact of the matter is that our “bottom” isn’t really about how awful our life may or may not look outside of us.  There are bottoms that people have hit where they did not lose their jobs, their places to live, their cars, had their children taken away, divorced or split from their partners, lost their businesses, etc.

What “hitting bottom” actually means is that we get to that place where we feel ever-so-lost, writhing in agonizing emotional pain, empty, and very, very alone.  What we may have done, be it drank, took drugs, numbed ourselves out in some way, no longer keeps that soul-suffering at bay.  We are wholly and totally broken, from the inside out.

In this drug rehab in California, there are 30 day rehab programs and 12 step program addiction sufferers can use to start fresh. The staff is able to help us see how our outside differences are not the defining factor when it comes to measuring our respective bottoms.  Instead, they show us it’s that misery which we can tolerate no longer that is the binding factor between us.  We are now at a place where we can no longer ease our way by drinking alcohol and/or using drugs.  Our stories may differ about how we arrived but our sense of utter hopeless desperation is the same.  This is hitting bottom.

What are You Looking For in Drug Rehab?

Taking the first step to recovery is a step forward to a positive future. Above It All Treatment Center provides that service. Addiction is a disease that can be cured and the importance of that is the patient will be educated to the addiction itself. Education is a plus and is well used and practiced. Above It All Treatment Center wants each patient to be aware of his or her addiction. The professional staff at Above It All Treatment Center wants their patients knowing everything so that their patients will be able to absorb and process what drug treatments they are receiving. This is why Above It All Treatment Center is known for being the most effective luxury drug rehab center when compared to other drug treatment centers.

Conquering and dividing a drug addiction is impossible without attending treatment. Above It All Treatment Center has committed drug treatment professionals waiting to help. It is vital that the patient is committed in wanting to make this happen. By enrolling in a luxury drug rehab, the patient just took the first step in changing its future on a positive step. Above It All Treatment Center has much success of previous patients that have conquered this once leaving drug treatment.

There is an abundance of Drug Rehab facilities promising recovery. Commercials for Drug Rehab facilities run endlessly on daytime TV and their messages are all essentially the same….”I was a drug addict, now I’m not…learn how I did it”.  They sell you their books and make promises of a new life. They make Recovery Seems So Simple! Despite the promises, recovery from addiction is never simple!

Drug addiction is most often the symptom of an underlying psychological or neurological disorder. Recovery from drug addiction is a complex combination of assessments, accurate diagnosis, neurologic imaging and testing, individualized therapy, highly trained doctor teams, monitoring and measuring the effect of therapy and on-going support.

Another part of drug rehabs in California is to treat the emotional and psychological stress that may have come as a result of the drug abuse or what may have caused the addiction in the beginning. A patient may feel more at ease when talking one on one with a therapist of the same sex. For example women may feel that other women understand their needs more than a male therapist would. Consequently they may open up and reveal the deep things inside that may have contributed to their addiction. It may be childhood physical or sexual abuse by a trusted adult that sent them over the edge. The same can apply to a man of course.

Outpatient, residential, extended care, men’s or women’s, Christian, faith based, outdoor wilderness, dual diagnosis, mental health, behavioral health, detox and long term care are available to you in California.

California is known for the widespread epidemic of meth (ice, crystal, glass, crank, methamphetamine, and tweak.) Treatment and detox for meth is becoming more and more popular in recent years. If you or someone you know needs help finding rehab or detox for meth, be sure to fill out our rapid response form on any page of this site. We are dedicated to the fight against meth. Meth is a dangerous drug that brutally kills people and ruins lives.

Call Above It All Treatment Center today at 1-888-971-2816 to find out how we can help you with a personalized treatment plan to start you on the road to a drug free life.

Prioritizing Life at a Drug Rehab in California

In the beginning stages of sobriety, it can be very easy to become quickly overwhelmed when faced with more than one task at a time.  To know which direction to go first can be very confusing.  As we move through our lives, while sober, we begin to learn where to place our energies and attention.

Prioritizing is a learned skill.  When the focus has been simply obtaining alcohol and/or drugs and then imbibing them, for most of us, that was the one and only priority to which we centered our attention.  Our lives were solely propelled by our addictions.  We needed nothing more than the substance(s) to which we were beholden.

Now, as we begin rebuilding our lives, we have tasks to accomplish; there is have work to be done; activities in which to participate, etc.  We begin to live our lives, lives that extend far past just the drink and/or the drug(s).  Learning what needs to happen in what order can be confusing, overwhelming even.

Thankfully, at this drug rehab in California, the staff helps us learn how to build our day.  We are given a schedule and that schedule then becomes the outline by which we see what needs to happen when during the course of each day.  As we transition from living in a drug rehab facility in LA, to living in our respective environments, be it our own home or a shared sober living program, we have to learn and eventually know how to structure our day.  If we need help knowing what to do when, we learn to ask for guidance.  We do not have to become paralyzed by the prospect of more than one thing to do at one time.

What comes first in preparing for the day?  If we make our bed every morning, many times the rest of the day falls into place.

Alcohol Addiction Help from People Who Understand

“But the ex-problem drinker who has found this solution, who is properly armed with facts about himself, can generally win the entire confidence of another alcoholic in a few hours.  Until such an understanding is reached, little or nothing can be accomplished.” – The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 18

This Los Angeles rehab is primed to help those who are looking for alcohol addiction help to move forward, out of the alcoholic addict lifestyle and into a healthier way of living.  The staff is not only trained in the clinical aspect of recovery-related therapy, many of them have had drug and/or alcohol-related issues and are now in the process of their very own recovery as well.  This is a boon for those who might feel uncomfortable with the idea of having to pursue their venture into sobriety thinking there will be no one with whom, staff-wise, they can genuinely lock into.  The staff at this alcohol rehab has the ability to be present and available in a way that, no matter how empathetic a non-addict can be; only another alcoholic can connect.  They are able to truly recognize and can share from a place of intrinsic understanding.

As our path to sobriety continues and we are now out and active in the world of recovery, we will be able to become the very same people who, as we once relied on the truth of others who were in our position, are now capable of being the ones with whom newer alcoholic addicts can identify.  This is the opportunity where we now start being able to give back and feel a sense of purpose in the world.  We become the bridge to sobriety for others by offering that which we had received; the ability to really “get” it like no one else can.

Acceptance in Early Recovery

“And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.  When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation-some fact of my life-unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.”  – The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 417 in the 4th edition.

Within the scope of acceptance, our biggest challenge, especially in early Recovery after drug addiction detox, can be the acceptance of ourselves.  While in our addiction, we’ve lost ourselves and when we begin to get sober, often barely know where we are much less who we are and how to accept our current situation.  Our confusion and remorse for the things we think we’ve done, whether the action was actually enacted or a mis-perceived idea on our end, may, in fact, keep us at a great distance from accepting what actually is.  When we can’t accept the truth of our situation, we can have difficult times accepting people and situations around us. Even the satellite players in our sphere may be an irritant to us and/or leave us with a disconcerting sense of discontentment.

Many times it seems that accepting others becomes easier the more we accept who we are, how we act and where, in the scope of our lives, we live.  From that perspective, where we are isn’t our actual geographic location, though once in a while that can seem that way. Comfort and an internally serene state of being, it is more about our station in life at this time.

The staff at this drug rehab in California can be an example of how to live in acceptance.  With their knowledge of early Recovery and 12 step program addiction becomes easier to understand. They are able to relate and, many times from their own experiences, they provide a living portrayal as well as a way to learn to achieve this invaluable trait.  Of course, most people cannot maintain a perpetual sense of acceptance but the more this life lesson permeates our existence, the greater chance we have of maintaining a sense of serenity and, therefore, our sobriety.

Get a New You in the New Year with Alcohol Addiction Help

This week begins a new year and, for many alcoholics and addicts the holiday season has been rough. They have burned more bridges with their families, missed precious moments with loved ones. Maybe the alcoholic or addict we are talking about is you and you don’t want it to be for one more day.

It doesn’t have to be. You can get alcohol addiction help. You don’t have to remain trapped in the same cycles for the rest of your life or even another moment. Even one of the many brief 30 day rehab programs can set you on your way to a new you and a truly new life in 2012. For alcoholics and addicts, the holiday season can be especially tough, particularly when we go to parties and attempt to be festive with friends and family, getting into the holiday spirit and trying to control our drinking so as not to embarrass ourselves, cause any hurt feelings or say and do things we might later regret. Waking up in the morning knowing that there are people we love who are upset with us can be pure torture for the alcoholic addict as it is seldom the thing that we intended to do. Some alcoholics who have well learned the lesson that they cannot control their drinking at parties choose to stay home, making up reasons they can’t attend and, instead, staying away from festive holiday gatherings with loved ones.

Maybe that was your story this year, but it doesn’t have to be the same thing over and over again. Getting alcohol addiction help in California rehab centers doesn’t have to be expensive. There are so many rehabs that take insurance and are waiting to help you on the road to your new life in the new year.

How do 12-step programs fit into drug addiction treatment?

Self-help groups can complement and extend the effects of professional treatment.  The most well-known programs are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Cocaine Anonymous (CA), all of which are based on the 12-step model. This group therapy model draws on the social support offered by peer discussion to help promote and sustain drug-free lifestyles.

Twelve Step Programs are one of the most sustainable forms of wellness that I know of. They are self-supporting, free, non-hierarchical, open to the public, available all over the world, (and now available by teleconference call for people in remote areas) and enormously successful at treating addictions, codependency, and more.

Most drug addiction treatment programs encourage patients to participate in group therapy during and after formal treatment. These groups offer an added layer of community-level social support to help people in recovery with abstinence and other healthy lifestyle goals.

The 12 steps of these programs are:

  1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.
  2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
  4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
  5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
  7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
  8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
  9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
  10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
  11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
  12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

If you find yourself in need of help with an addiction of any kind, please give us a call at Above It All Treatment Center at 1-888-971-2816 so we can set up a treatment plan to start you on the road to a drug free life.

New Year’s Resolutions to Support Sober Living CA

Connect to a support group.

If you attend regular 12-Step program addiction group meetings, commit to a home group. Become an integral part of a community that you can rely on, and vise-versa.

Keep learning

Resolve to learn as much as you can about addiction and recovery strategies. Build your own recovery library, and share it with friends and family.

Remember the Golden Rule

Refuse to play the victim or get caught up in anger. Reflect on how you’d like to be treated and find a way to treat others that way.

Develop friendships with other sober people

We’ve all lost friends along the way in our journey towards recovery. Refuse to live in isolation. Take time to meet others who are in recovery or abstain from drugs and alcohol. Gym memberships, civic events and church groups are all great ways to meet healthy people who are engaged in sober living CA, and don’t need to depend on the crutch of drugs or alcohol.

Make a list of your goals for the coming year

Jot down the things you want to accomplish in the healthy, sober weeks, months, and years you have ahead. Keep your list of goals where you can see them and work on making them a reality.

Take time to meditate

Make a commitment to daily prayer or meditation. The practice of praying and/or meditation can help get your through temptations or challenges, and also help to deflect toxic stress.

Hold steady your focus on sobriety

When times get tough, it’s important to remember why you sought out drug addiction detox in the first place. Those reasons are still important, and by remembering what led you to sobriety, you reinforce your commitment to recovery.

Stay optimistic

Every day won’t be a walk in the park. Recovery has its challenges, but maintaining a positive outlook is invaluable. There are always two ways to look at life; choose to see the glass as “half-full” rather than “half-empty.” Laugh often, enjoy family and friends and resolve to make the most of life. Celebrate and be humbly grateful for the alcohol addiction help that made it all possible. Happy New Year!

 

Help Someone Who Desperately Needs California Drug Treatment

The first step is honesty. A common issue surrounding those with addiction is the denial by everyone around them that the problem even exists. No matter how long you have turned a blind eye, if you see a friend or family member’s addiction as a serious problem, you need to be honest about it. Share your feelings and concerns. No one ever overcame addiction by denying they had a problem – but most addicts would prefer to avoid facing this truth. Your honesty could be the tipping point.

A large part of being honest is to no longer be an enabler. You may have thought you were “helping” your loved one, when you were actually making it easier for them to use drugs or alcohol. Make it perfectly clear that you will not assist them in anyway to continue a life of substance abuse.

Another thing you can do is simply offer to help and let them know you’re here for them and will continue to support them as they endevor to create a new, sober life. Letting go of the substance they’re abusing can be frightening. Often, this substance has been their constant companion for years – if not a lifetime. The addict may also fear losing friends or partners who they currently use with. Knowing they don’t have to face the unknown alone – and will still have friends they can count on even when sober – can give the courage to make the first step toward sobriety. Lend a hand by researching rehabs that take insurance, offer to care for pets, children or housesit while they’re away getting clean and sober.

Sometimes intervention help los angeles california is the only way. In cases of serious addiction, the assistance of a professional interventionist are often required. Studies have shown a higher percentage of success when the services of an interventionist are utilized.

For most alcoholics and drug addicts, an inpatient drug rehab is the only road to sobriety. Total isolation from the issues, triggers and people that enable the user to use is what 30 day rehab programs provide. If you, or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, contact us today.