In order to accept help and give up an addiction such as drinking or drugs, we have to reach the time when we have had enough. Some refer to this as their ‘rock bottom’. Not everyone has the same ‘rock bottom’ and not everyone has to lose everything before they have had enough. Some people do not even recognise that they have had enough and need persuasion from the people who love them. A so called intervention. Pointing out how much they will lose and how little there is to gain if they carry on.
Help – Treatment
I went into treatment as the result of a very low key intervention. My soon to be ex-husband and my 2 oldest children found out about the various clinics I could go to. Presented me with a choice of three. Telling me I had to get the help or else I would lose my job, my home and most importantly, my family. I would not have personally sought help for myself even though I was drinking just about all day and every day.
However, I was no longer living. I was just existing and feeling miserable. Struggling each day to get my alcohol and drink it, and I did not have any fight left to argue to my family that I still had it under control and was all right. I gave in and accepted the help and it was the best thing I ever did and the best £8000 we ever spent!
Each Person Has There Own Journey
I kept them all – my family, my job, my home and even my husband as a good friend. Some people are drinking considerably less and have caused less damage when they give in. Some check into this clinic as binge drinkers – but the ever increasing number of binges cause such embarrassment and even fear as they do not remember what they do during these binges. That they have ‘had enough’. Others do come in having lost everything of value to them – their marriages, their children, their home, their jobs, their friends….. Some only come when having been caught by the police drinking and driving, or having been locked in a cell for unreasonable behaviour.
Very Powerful Illness
The illness of alcoholism and addiction is very powerful though. However much we have lost and whatever the dreadful mental turmoil we have been through. We have to be ever on our guard to ensure we do not forget and think that having another drink or drug would be a pleasurable thing. That we can have ‘just one’ and control it. Too many try this and very quickly learn that one drink or drug is too many and a thousand is never enough.
Total Abstinence
The other difficult lesson to learn is that those who have to address a drug addiction can never drink again either. It is about total abstinence. They may not have had a drink problem ever in their lives but if, having given up the drugs, they begin to drink. They will soon find that drink is not enough and it will sufficiently loose their inhibitions to take them back onto drugs. If they have been on class A drugs such as heroin, eventually they will end up back there. All for the sake of one drink – which was never something they really wanted or needed in the past!
Read more about the common features of addictions.
The Haynes Clinic is an alcohol and drug rehab clinic which offers detox and counselling for people with addictions.
Call 01462 851414 for free and confidential advice.