CA Rehabs and Accepting Your Alcoholism: The Beginning of Change

“Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going to believe they are in that class. By every form of self deception and experimentation they will try to prove themselves exception to the rule, therefore non-alcoholic.  If anyone who is showing inability to control his drinking can do the right about face and drink like a gentleman are hats are off to him.” pg 31 Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

How many times have we tried to prove to ourselves and others that we were the exception and therefore not an alcoholic?  Nobody wishes to admit defeat.  Nobody wishes to admit that we are bodily and mentally different from our fellows.  In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous it talks about the lengths we go to try and prove everyone, mainly ourselves, wrong.  Perhaps we try to control our drinking by not drinking on weekdays, cutting back or by only drinking wine.  We might even swear off drugs and alcohol all together.  Is this not an attempt to prove we are normal?  Are we not trying to control and enjoy our drinking when the best we can hope for is to be able to manage it for a little while?  This is the insanity of this disease of alcoholism.  We try to make things work that don’t.  We try the same thing over and over again expecting different results.  We try different approaches hoping it will work.  If when you drink you can’t stop, you don’t know where it will take you or you know exactly how it will go but you still do it there is a good chance you are a alcoholic.  If you try controlled drinking for awhile and you find you can’t stop or have and enjoy just 1 that’s probably a good indicator as well.  Nobody can declare you an alcoholic besides yourself but if you find you are at the breaking point and you want help, here are good places to start…Find local AA meetings, look up drug rehab blogs, research drug rehabs in California, or rehab programs in California.  Whenever someone searches for help there is no bad choice to make for starting the recovery process besides no choice.

Best Practices – 12 Step Recovery Programs

12 step recovery programs were initially created for those suffering with an addiction to alcohol. The first incarnation, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), used the same basic ideas used in many other 12 step programs. The founders of AA found the most effective means in achieving long lasting sobriety was through sharing stories, successes and pain with other individuals going through the addiction treatment process. If you are considering 12 step programs as a way to help combat an addiction, the entry below will provide you with a few tips to help you get the most of your involvement.

Step 1 – Gather any necessary information pertaining to the meetings you will attend well in advance to avoid any obstacles that could possibly keep you from attending. While making the initial decision to attend these meetings is a wonderful step forward, addicts are not necessarily well known for their follow through. A basic online search or community yellow pages should be able to provide you with the information you require.

Step 2 – Call up a trusted friend or relative and ask them to accompany you to the meeting. Determine which meeting best suits your schedule and location, while making any necessary transportation arrangements well in advance.

Step 3 – Attend your first meeting. Though you are not required to participate, first-time attendees are encouraged to stand before the group and introduce themselves. If you find yourself uncomfortable with the meeting you have chosen, it’s never too late to select a different time or location. Locating a meeting that you are comfortable attending is key to your success within the program.  If at first you do not succeed… try, try again.

Step 4 – Once you’ve found a 12 step program addiction meeting that suits your schedule an taste, the next step is getting yourself a sponsor. Sponsors are individuals within the 12-step program who have significant amounts of sobriety time and reflect the type of recovery you are looking for. Your sponsor will act as a sobriety support, and someone you can contact when you’re feeling tempted to use. They will discuss the situation with you, while holding you accountable for your actions. Locating a sponsor takes little more than asking.

Step 5 – Those looking to receive the full benefit of the program must utilize all of the available tools found therein. This includes, sponsors, meetings, phones, and of course, the 12 steps themselves. Those who attend meetings will be provided with contact information for others to call when the need arises. Use these contacts to help alleviate boredom and feelings of isolation that can commonly trigger the want to use.

Step 6 – Keep an open mind. Recovery is a life long struggle for many people. By opening yourself up to the recovery process in a positive manner, you stand the best chance for enjoying the happy, fulfilling and sober lifestyle you’re after.

A Big Change and a Fresh Start in California Rehab

They are restless, irritable and discontent, unless they can experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks, drinks they see others taking with impunity, after they succumb to the desire again, as so many people do, and the phenomenon of craving develops, they pass through the well known stages of a spree emerging remorseful with a firm resolution not to drink again This is repeated over and over and unless this person can experience an entire psychic change, there is very little hope of his recovery — the doctor’s opinion — PAGE XXIX — Big Book of AA —

This is alcoholism in a nut-shell. Before seeking alcohol addiction help, the alcoholic is obsessed with the drink in one form or another. Whether it be being obsessed with figuring out the right formula so that they could maybe drink normally, or being obsessed with other people’s drinking habits, it becomes their life’s work anyway. They see other people drinking without consequence, but when we try it, it never works out. How could that be? Some might ask themselves: why isn’t it possible for us? Others might feel like we are plagued or that it isn’t fair — that other’s can drink normally, but we can’t. And we continue trying to experiment or figure it out for years. Every time we go out, drink, and end up in the same place we wonder: how this could have happened again? We are full of regret, usually leading us to swear often of booze, one more time. Like it says: this continues until we experience an entire psychic change. But what do alcoholics know about a psychic change? And more importantly, how does one have this psychic change? There are answers and there are people who understand and can help. When you reach out to one of the California rehab centers about a long term rehab or a 30 day rehab programs, you make the start to a meaningful and fulfilling life by stepping off the hamster-wheel and making a fresh start.

The Alcoholic and Watching Others Recover in Alcohol Rehab

Life will take on new meaning .To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you. To have a host of friends- this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with new comers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.- Working with others pg 89 big book of AA.

There is nothing quite like seeing the light come on for others, and knowing the amazing life they are about to live. Often times when it comes to alcoholism it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Many might wonder how it would be possible that something so amazing could come from such a devastating disease. When we get sober most of us are hoping for manageability and a solution to our drinking problem, at best. As it describes in the excerpt from working with others we get so much more than that. We begin to be able to cherish our relationships with others. We are whole where we were once empty. We know a new freedom and a new happiness. We are complete as well as content with our lives, ourselves, and others. We begin to have a purpose and we can find joy and paying it forward. How does this happen? In many ways. Perhaps we decide to get sober, find a 30 day rehab program, and get to work on cleaning our lives up. We may reach out to loves ones for alcohol addiction help, or we might end up in an addiction program in Los Angeles. Regardless of how we start our sobriety we can all end up with the life previously described. We can start cleaning up our side of the street and helping others do the same by showing them exactly how we recovered.

Life After Drug Addiction Detox

Many individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addiction have a desire to complete a drug addiction detox without rehabilitation treatment following it. While many people confuse the two processes, the difference between them is actually rather great.

The majority of medical detox programs take between 3 – 10 days depending on the type of drug, use history physician recommendations. The purpose of this process is to work the body through the initial withdrawal symptoms in a safe and healthy manner.

Individual who complete a medical detox program are not cured of their addictions, and are likely unable to deal with the underlying issues that have caused them. Though some patients would like to believe that a successful recovery is possible directly following detox, the evidence proves otherwise… countless have tried; most have failed.

Choosing to enter a 30 or 90 day rehab program following detoxification is key to ensuring a happy, long-lasting recovery. Unlike some diseases, addiction has no cure-all treatment, as many patients struggle for years to maintain their sobriety. Rather than cure the addiction, detox works as a foundation from which to build a recovery. By clearing the addict of the addictive substances, they will be best able to absorb, learn and move forward with their lives following treatment.

Once a patient has enrolled in a rehabilitation program, a team of counselors, therapists and addiction specialists will work with the patient through individual and group therapy sessions. These sessions will allow the addict to share their experiences with others, while confronting their issues in a safe and healthy manner. Patients are often encouraged to keep a daily journal to better track their emotions, by which they can reflect on down the road.

Addiction can only occur in instances where the individual was unable to notice the trap. By making the effort to educate oneself, an individual will be better prepared to recognize and avoid similar traps down the road. Life is full of mistakes – Learning from these mistakes is what makes the journey worth while.

Rehabilitation procedures and treatments vary depending on the type of facility selected. Different programs commonly cater towards patients with different issues. As such, it is important for patients to locate a treatment facility that is able to properly assess and address their needs and behaviors to ensure the best possible results.

Those who are truly intent on a drug-free existence must make a true commitment in order to achieve the desired results. Without the tools and resources provided within an addiction program, many addicts place themselves at high risk for failure and relapse within the addiction cycle. Help and happiness is available to those who seek them. Make a choice and make it count!

Finding The Best Addiction Treatment California Has To Offer

Locating a quality drug rehab in California can be accomplished in a number of ways. Whether you decide to seek the advice of a physician or visit a directory support group, the options available are vast in number. In this entry, we will offer up a few tips to help you determine the best facility to best suit your individual needs.

Step 1 – Educate yourself in regard to addiction and recovery. Though many people associate addiction with alcohol and drug dependency, the subject matter stretches across a wide array of topics, including depression, sex addiction, self-mutilation and eating disorders. Some patients are required to attend 90 or 30 day drug rehab programs via family physician or court order, while others are persuaded to seek help through the process of intervention. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding treatment, the basics of recovery are largely the same.

Step 2 – Learn about in-patient treatment programs. Within an in-patient program, patients are required to live at a specified facility under the supervision of a team of physicians, counselors and specialists until the patient is deemed fit to re-enter society. Individual programs will differ, though the majority offer both group and individual therapy, detox programs alongside after-care and sober living resources.

Step 3 – Determine which treatment facility best suits the needs of the individual in question. Some facilities cater specifically to alcoholics, whereas others employ holistic treatments to treat eating disorders in women. Programs run from specific to general depending on the type of care you are hoping to locate. Choosing a program that is able to properly address the addict’s individual needs and goals is vital in ensuring the best possible outcome during and post treatment.

Step 4 – Locate and visit a local support group. There you can communicate with recovering addicts to obtain a better perspective on your available options. Do your best to speak with individuals who possess a minimum of 3 years of sobriety and inquire as to whether they were satisfied with the care provided to them. If you like what you hear, obtain contact information for the facility and call them up to schedule a tour. This will afford you the opportunity to ask questions pertaining to sober living programs, in-patient living arrangements, facility procedures and anything else you feel is pertinent to our decision-making.

Step 5 – If you require treatment for yourself or a dependent; call up your insurance provider to obtain a list of California alcohol rehab facilities. Be sure to provide your representative with information pertaining to the type of rehab facility you are interested in, as well as a brief statement regarding the situation at hand. This will help ease the financial burden associated with treatment, while narrowing your options into a pool to choose from.

Building a Firm Spiritual Foundation in Recovery

Recovery seeking to build and maintain a firm spiritual foundation one day at a time -Daily reflections: A Book of reflections by A.A. members

When we were little most of us dreamed of being nurses, teachers queens, kings, cops, astronauts, doctors, a prince/ princess or maybe even lawyers. Whatever it was we all at one point in our lives had a dream of being something. Some may have honed in on and fulfilled these dreams but it is highly unlikely that any little girl or boy ever said “when I grow up I want to be an alcoholic”.  If anything, we found ourselves wrapped up in a disease we could not get away from.  We might have asked ourselves “how did this happen, how could this happen?” The answer is simple . . . one day at a time!

One day at a time we succumbed to this alcoholic life because maybe there didn’t seem to be any other options until now.  If you are new to recovery or have been sober for awhile then you probably know now that there are other options.  One might still be wondering how it is possible to get or stay sober.  That answer is also easy.  One day at a time!  Through the help of AA, sober livings, California rehab centers, 30 rehab programs, and alcohol addiction help anybody has a great shot at recovering from this seemingly hopeless state of mind and body…to live an amazingly fulfilling life… One Day at a Time!

Changing the Alcoholic Double Life in a 30 Day Rehab Program

“More than most people, the alcoholic leads a double life. He is very much the actor.” page 73 the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous

If you are at a point in your life where you are deciding or have decided that you are an alcoholic or an addict this quote might hit home for you. By the time we hit our bottoms there has often been many years of living two different lives just to be able to maintain our habits. Like a chameleon an addicted person will change in every situation as a means to protect themselves from losing things that they consider important to them i.e. family, jobs, ability to drink the way they want, houses etc this all stems from fear…fear of not getting what they want, losing what they have, or not getting what they “deserve”. This can continue on into sobriety if one does not have tools to cope or if they are doing it alone,  many people refer to this as “white knuckling it”. It’s not a pleasant or necessary experience there is plenty of help available that can be found in places such as 30 day rehab programs, drug addiction detox, and dual diagnosis recovery center Los Angeles. Whatever the path one may choose there is no wrong way as long as the destination is the same. Once we get sober we can stop living like actors, chameleons, or addicts and start living healthy, honest, and open lives. We can begin to allow people and ourselves to see who we truly are as well as opening ourselves up to be loved.

Learning in Early Recovery: H.A.L.T.

H.A.L.T.

Hungry – Angry – Lonely – Tired

When getting sober, you may hear the staff at this California alcohol and drug rehabilitation center talk about recognizing what it means to H.A.L.T.  This concept is best served by putting this acronym into action.

What happens when we are hungry?  Perhaps we become easy to irritate, edgy, unable to concentrate, and with our single-purpose focus on that gnawing feeling in our stomach, we may yet be somewhat befogged by the lack of fuel for our bodies.  With all of that, the propensities toward additional misunderstandings leave others, and we may include ourselves in this, prone to unnecessary tension.

How many of us lash out when we are angry?  The bile of fury rises in our throats and we spit fire, with the potential to incite riotous feelings within whomever we come in contact.  Perhaps it inflates our sense of entitlement, fanning the flames of our arrogance which in turn causes us to treat others as less than.  Maybe we become short, curt, and terse coupled with a sharp tone when communicating; we burn people with whom we’ve come in contact with the hot iron of our ire.

Lonely; the word itself may immediately create an idea of a cry for attention.  When we are lonely we may be inclined to seek company that is less than beneficial to our well being.  We may indulge in self-pity, believing we are worthless, never to feel connected in the world.  This encompassing feeling of aloneness shadows our relationships.  Perhaps we fail to be even willing to connect, leaving us reveling in our own pit of despair blindfolded to the truth while thinking only of ourselves.

Tired can cause an inability to think clearly and while markedly impairing our immediate judgment; it may also sharpen our tongue propelling us to quickly lash out at others.  We could, potentially, be unable to focus, our concentration eclipsed leaving us inclined to be unable to complete a task that is required by work or needed by family or an ear for friends.  Maybe we decide we’ll get behind the wheel and in doing that we put others and ourselves at great risk, similar to driving while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.  Falling asleep at the wheel can kill.

We are guided by the alcohol and drug rehab staff to check in with ourselves, noting where we are at, being mindful of our responses to others, and, when we find we are feeling one or more of these, we immediately stop and address the issue(s) at hand.  The resolution of any one of them can open us back up to being available to others.  Our self-care directly contributes to our ability to be present and, when we are present, without the anvil of H.A.L.T. weighing us down, we are serving our most important purpose; being of service to others.

Support for Parents of Addicts: Tips for supporting your Children Through a Difficult Time

During and after rehabilitation, it is not just the patients that need support, the family needs support as well.  There are many ways to get this support, one of which is Family Counseling.   Another way to support the family is to have everyone on board with treatment and the changes that will have to be implemented into their lives.  Here are some tips on supporting each other, and the patient in question:

Stress management through social interaction: Many of the effects of stress can be reduced by social support; that is support from family and friends. So go out into the world, do something fun with friends and family; Picnic, Adventure Park, hike, etc.

Family Counseling: sometimes having therapy for individuals isn’t enough. The individual may need help voicing concerns over what you think of them now, and you may need help expressing your concerns. This kind of therapy gives you a space to talk safely with a referee present.

Understand that occasional relapses happen: when this occurs it is important to get them the treatment they need in a rehab program without being judgmental and offering support.

Help practice social and coping skills: go with them into a no-threatening social situation and help them interact with others in a kindly way.

Help them create a contingency contract: create a plan that outlines the psychological and financial consequences of relapse. This can help motivate them knowing that they have people who care reminding them of what’s at stake: their life.

Just be there: listen, talk, and love each other. It will all be ok in the end.

Remember that there are generally two different windows of vulnerability for drug and alcohol abuse, the first of which is between the ages of 12 and 21, and is more of a chemical vulnerability. The second window is later in life and dependency usually comes from a desire to cope with stressful situations. Social support from family and friends, particularly the effects of a confidante, can help prevent relapse as well as help everyone through the difficult life changes ah