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.

Education for Addicts, Alcoholics and their Families

The friends and family of alcoholics and addicts have long wondered just what they could do to make the addict or alcoholic stop their harmful and destructive behavior. Once, the primary school of thought was that the alcoholic or addict had to hit rock bottom by themselves before they were ready for one of the 30 day rehab programs, then we began seeing more and more interventions performed as families sought the help of professionals and interventionists to communicate with the alcoholic or addict the things that they didn’t seem to be able to get across on their own.

More and more, families are arming themselves with education about alcoholism, drug rehab treatment programs, 12 step program addiction specialists and addiction and alcoholism in general. There is so much information on drug rehab blogs around the internet and through books and educational programs on television that addiction has gone from being a mysterious affliction where sufferers and their families are alienated and suffer in silence to one that is recognizably common and with which most people are at least a little familiar. One of the complications of this is that it can create an environment where everyone thinks themselves an expert. Thankfully, there are many reliable drug rehab blogs that provide insight and information to alcoholism, addiction, its affect on the sufferers and their families and the action required to make a change and enter a new life of recovery and freedom.

What we seek to offer here are insights into each side of addiction; both the addict or alcoholic and support for family of addicts. We hope that you are able to find those things and we invite you to post any questions. We will get to each of them!

Telltale Signs and Early Warnings: Support for Family of Addicts

Check out a few drug rehab blogs; most showcase and detail the accommodations, programs and “perks” offered by those treatment programs – but how do you know for sure that it’s time to seek help on behalf of a friend or family member? You might have suspicions, but still are not sure how to tell if your loved one is struggling with drug abuse.

Not all drug use results in addiction and not all cases of drug use require 30 day treatment programs. Below are ten indicators that point towards the development of abuse and addiction. If the majority of behaviors listed below are striking an all-too-familiar chord, chances are your loved one may be in trouble.

Loss of Interest

Sudden loss of interest in all activities seen in a person who is normally active and engaged is a red flag for drug and alcohol use. When attention is suddenly deflected from things and people of interest, it can mean that a great deal of energy is being diverted to feeding an addiction.

Noticeable Physical Changes

Blood-shot eyes, dilated pupils, injection marks, frequent sniffing, scratching, puffy face, and unusually slow-healing sores are a few common signs of drug use. People will also go to great lengths to hide these indicators, however. Some less subtle signs of drug or alcohol use, are rapid weight loss or gain and total lack of personal care.

Drug Paraphernalia

Finding wrapping papers, syringes, pipes or bongs, burnt spoons, bongs or razor blades? You have every reason to be alarmed. These are definite signs of use, though not always of addiction.

Mood Swings:

Someone who is usually calm and collected can be ultra hyper and out of control. Someone who is usually pleasant and upbeat can be miserably depressed. Also erratic mood swings from one end of the spectrum to the other can also be caused by drug abuse. If these things are strangely not the norm, chances are you are dealing with a case of drug abuse and addiction, or similar problem, and need drug intervention help los angeles california.

Reclusive Behavior:

Drug abuse and alcohol addiction are very isolating. Does your loved one spend a great deal of time alone, avoiding others? Do you have the persistent hunch that they may be “hiding something? Do they avoid or shut down questions about how they’ve been spending their time? These behaviors can indicate a drug or alcohol habit.

Again, these behaviors may be signs but not neccissarily indicators of drug and alcohol dependency. For more FAQs about rehab and recovery los angeles, click here.

 

Three Concepts of 30 Day Rehab Programs

Most rehab programs in California will admit that there are facets of alcohol and drug addiction which are not completely understood. What causes one person to become an addict while another remains a casual user? Drug treatment programs have many different ways of treating people with alcohol and drug addiction, and with the variety of treatment approaches out there, a person should explore and research all of them in order to get the help they need. To help understand the different treatment modalities, and schools of thought regarding drug and alcohol rehab, here is some general information on the three generally accepted concepts of addiction. Most California drug treatment centers utilize the first.

Addiction is a Disease:

Although it may be the most debated of the three concepts, it’s the most often used. The foundation of this concept is the idea that there is an altered state that exists in the central nervous system of some people which causes their inability to stop using drugs and alcohol. This altered state of the mind in the addict cannot be altered or changed and the only workable approach for them is total abstinence.  The main debate around this school of thought is due to the fact that some people have a hard time seeing a self-inflicted problem such as alcohol or drug use in the same light as other diseases such as cancer.  Even so, most do refer to addiction as a “disease” when discussing treatment.

Addiction is a Choice:

Some other programs are based upon the idea that people develop addictions because they have chosen to. They also believe that the choice to quit is also up to each person, and once this choice is made, the problem will simply vanish. Treatment from this approach usually looks back into a person’s personal history and then address some of the social or behavioral situations that caused them to make this poor choice. A rehab center utilizing this concept will mostly focus on cognitive behavioral therapy, and changing the addict’s behavior.

Addiction is a Product:

This approach focuses only on factors which caused the addict to start using. The drug rehab treatment will take a probing look (sometimes using hypnotherapy) into emotional and psychological factors that are fueling the current addiction. Childhood trauma, medical factors and psychiatric disorders are commonly blamed. The belief is that a person is driven to use alcohol and drugs to suppress the feelings which stem from these issues.

So is addiction a disease, a choice or the result of various traumatic experiences?

In our alcohol and drug addiction detox rehab we work with individuals, not generic concepts. Everyone has different needs and thoughts when it comes to their addictions. When you decide it is time for rehab, you should look for an addiction treatment in an affordable rehab that best meets your needs. Above it All is a 12-step based program which has also incorporated additional therapies to help individuals address and explore all the factors in their lives that have contributed to their struggle with addiction.