No one chooses to go to rehab because it is something they have always wanted to do. Amy Winehouse even sang about saying ‘no, no, no’ to going in. However, for many of us it is the best decision we ever made – or agreed to – and it is the start of a new life.
It is quite amazing how the disease of alcoholism progresses. First of all it will progress in most people at a fairly slow rate – such that you often do not recognise that it is getting worse and that you have tipped over the edge from heavy to alcoholic drinking until it is too late. For many of us, at the end it is a rapid progression from just about controlled drinking to totally unmanageable drinking and a chaotic life or no life at all – just waking, drinking and sleeping. At this point, many of us see ourselves as victims – of the people we love who confront us or cajole us, or who get angry or upset with us – or avoid us; of our employers who begin to get intolerant with our work or attendance; indeed we are the victims of anyone who tries to interfere with our drinking.
In Rehab
Once in rehab, the secret of success is to accept and give up the fight. Although hardly anyone hops and skips through the door of the rehab clinic in a state of happiness, the ones who actually go to rehab are the lucky ones as they have a chance of focusing on themselves for a period of time and getting well. In the UK, most people have to pay for private rehab and it is not cheap. So to go there and not want to or to try to get better is such a waste.
The key is to accept the help on offer. To reject it and to try and beat the rehab system – to get one over on the counsellors, for example – is rather an empty victory as it will tend to lead us back to drinking. Pay your money, fail at rehab and carry on drinking – rather a hollow victory, wouldn’t you say? Good rehab does not promote controlled drinking. For just about everyone who turns up in rehab., their drinking has got to the end of the road and controlled drinking is not an option. An acceptance of total abstinence for the future is one of the keys to success.
No Pain, No Gain
In order to come successfully through rehab., you have to have been in a lot of pain with drinking (or using). If you have not had that pain, you will not want to give up. You need to accept that your problem is alcohol (or drugs), not some other person or people and what they make you feel or do. Your problem is you – and the way you use alcohol or drugs And you have to be willing to accept the concept of total abstinence – or at least to be open to the possibility that this is the answer.
You need to accept that you are an alcoholic (or an addict), that you are out of control in terms of your drinking or using, and that you need help. Basically on going into addiction rehab it is time to stop fighting.
The Haynes Clinic is an alcohol and drug rehab clinic which offers detox and therapy for those needing to recover from their addiction.
For free and confidential advice, please call 01462 851414
