We all want to get somewhere, whether that place is happiness, sobriety, financial well being, or stability. We are all trying to make our way somewhere. And because we want certain things in our lives, it's common to dream about what we want. It's common to fantasize and envision about our future lives.
However, nothing is going to actually come into our lives, nothing is going to change, unless you take some action. It might sound obvious that to create change you need to do something. However, sometimes it's important to be reminded of what's right under our noses. This can be especially true if we are blinded by the denial and dishonesty of addiction.
If you want to create change in your life, you can't only think about getting help for your addiction, you've got to make some phone calls, ask some questions, and get answers about cost, length of treatment, and whether your insurance can cover some of the expenses. You've got to assess what drug treatment centers are offering compared to what you need. Perhaps you need to call your doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist, and your family. Getting the kind of help it takes to get sober means taking real steps to acquire that help, not just thinking about it.
Of course, if you're only thinking or dreaming about getting help and not taking any action, then obviously nothing will happen. In fact, getting help isn't just about taking action in the beginning in order to get yourself into drug treatment. It's about taking action throughout your recovery. Some of the action steps that you'll want to consider during your recovery include:
· repairing any relationships that have been damaged because of the addiction
· healing yourself through physical, emotional, and psychological change
· attending a support group
· moving through the 12-steps
· going to individual therapy
· tending to your diet - eating healthy foods
· learning new coping tools for emotional regulation
· forgiving and letting go of the past
· forming new friendships that are drug and alcohol free
· building a strong support network
You can see that the entire process of recovery is going to take active participation. In fact, the above listed items are only some of the action steps you might need to take. Action is the key to bringing about change.
Of course, one of the reasons why we do not take action is because of fear, anxiety, or feelings of loss. We might be afraid of the unknown and what the future will bring. We might be afraid of giving up alcohol or drugs because they've become such an important tool for coping with life. At the same time, the destruction drugs and alcohol create in our lives might prompt the desire to change. The uncomfortable position of wanting to change but not wanting to give up what we have is called ambivalence. Fortunately, part of getting help is receiving support in working through that ambivalence.
Truly, if you want to get sober, the only action you need to take right now is making a phone call.
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