2021 is ending. Soon, we will celebrate the coming of 2022. As a year winds down, it is natural to take time to reflect on the year, both good and bad, and to enter with hope the new year that is dawning.
The end of a year and the beginning of a new year is also an excellent time to take stock of what needs to end, and what needs to be built upon to birth or to begin anew. It is natural during this time to think about change. And for those individuals having problems with drugs and alcohol, or suffering from addiction, the new year is an excellent opportunity to take a look at what is not working in life and, as the new year dawns, make necessary plans to change whatever is not serving them.
Addiction is a progressive, chronic illness that is often also called baffling. Why? What makes it so baffling? Often it is because the person with the drug or alcohol issue is that last person to admit that they may have a problem. While their loved ones, family, friends, and co-workers become aware of the issues with their drug and alcohol addiction before them, the individual themselves take much longer to admit and accept that there is an issue. And it takes even longer for them to accept help for their addiction, whether that is through detox, treatment, or recovery support.
However, when you ask anyone that has found sobriety or entered into recovery after suffering from addiction, what they will tell you is that deep down, in their heart and soul, they knew for a long time that they had a problem with drugs and alcohol and were in need of help. Often times they will tell you that they knew they had a problem long before anyone else did- they just couldn’t admit to themselves or say it out loud. So, for those people suffering from addiction, while they may not admit it or accept it or argue about it, if it has come to a place of their loved one’s worrying about their drug and alcohol use, they themselves already know that they have a problem and need help.
So, if you are a person having difficulty with drugs and alcohol, or if drugs and alcohol are causing you problems at home, with your family and friends, with you work or employment, or creating a sense of dependency or loneliness, understand that there is no shame in reaching out for help. And just as this year moves on and a new year descends upon is, now is a good time to understand what isn’t serving you well, let it is also move on, and find hope in something new. Sobriety and recovery are not things to fear or to run from, but rather are a way of life infinitely more satisfying, freeing, and full of happiness and contentment.
If you have had problems with drugs and alcohol this year, take stock. Is this way of life serving you? Is it causing you problems? Is it causing consequences with your relationships, with your family, or with your work? Are you happy and fulfilled? If not, and we bet that the answer is no, as the new year begins, understand that you don’t have to live that way and that recovery is possible. Whether help is necessary through a drug and alcohol detox, an addiction treatment center, a sober house or recovery home, a therapist, psychiatrist, or another clinical professional, do not run from seeking help, health, and healing, but rather embrace is. As the new year begins, offering hope, also recognize that it can offer you hope and opportunity to overcome your addiction, and find a life beyond your wildest dreams.
If you or someone you know needs help for addiction or co-occurring disorders, please give us a call. Innovo Detox offers the latest in evidence-based medical, psychiatric, and clinical care for those in need of detox and medical stabilization in Pennsylvania and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic area. If we aren’t the best fit for you or a loved one, we will take the necessary time to work with you to find a detox, rehab, treatment center or provider that better fits your needs. Please give us a call at (717) 619-3260 or email our team at info@innovodetox.com. For more information on our company or services, please visit our website at www.innovodetox.com.