Change
Making any major life change can be scary, and deciding to seek treatment for drug or alcohol addiction is one of the biggest changes around. Being afraid to take the first step toward recovery is normal, but you can’t let fear hold you back. Here, we outline some of the most common fears people experience when deciding to seek treatment and explain how you can move past these fears to continue on your recovery journey.
1. Fear of Failure
Fear of failure is perhaps the biggest obstacle people face when deciding whether or not to seek treatment. Substance use disorders are considered chronic illnesses. Relapse is considered a normal part of the recovery process.
Obviously, you want to enter treatment hoping for the best possible result. However, it’s important to keep in mind that a relapse doesn’t mean that you’ve failed or that lasting recovery isn’t possible. It simply means that there’s still work to do before you find a specific treatment approach that best fits your individual needs. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to treating drug or alcohol addiction, so you should enter treatment expecting that some trial and error will be part of the process.
2. Fear of the Unknown
With all of the misconceptions about substance abuse and addiction treatment, it’s understandable to find yourself with no idea of what treatment will entail. Journeying into unknown territory can be scary, but Waypoint Recovery Center’s caring and compassionate team can help. Our South Carolina drug and alcohol addiction treatment program provides daily process group meetings with 12-Step facilitation; education about recovery skills, relapse prevention, and various psychoeducational topics; individual therapy; development of living sober recreational skills; and involvement with the local AA and NA community. When residential treatment is completed, we help each client create a customized plan to ease the transition back to independent living, utilizing our intensive outpatient program or local resources in the community.
Our FAQ section answers some of the most common questions prospective clients have about our services. You are also welcome to contact us at any time with your specific questions or concerns about the recovery process. We’re always here to help!
3. Fear of Boredom
It may not seem like it at first, but a sober life doesn’t mean you’re going to be bored forever. In fact, many people in recovery say they have more fun sober than they ever did when they were drinking or using drugs. When their judgment isn’t clouded by addictive substances, they can fully experience all that each day has to offer.
Being in recovery gives you a chance to explore hobbies and special interests you pushed aside when you were actively engaged in substance abuse. It also provides a chance to try activities you’d never considered before. This could mean taking up painting or pottery, studying a foreign language, learning how to cook your favorite ethnic cuisine, playing a musical instrument, joining an adult recreational sports league, or snagging the lead role in a community theatre production. The possibilities are endless!
4. Fear of Loneliness
When you’re actively abusing drugs or alcohol, it’s likely that many individuals in your social circle are engaging in these same self-destructive behaviors. To stay sober, you will need to avoid contact with these people. However, that doesn’t mean you are destined to live a lonely life.
Getting sober can help you reconnect with friends and family you lost touch with due to your addiction. You will also meet new friends during your time at Waypoint’s residential inpatient addiction treatment program. Additionally, self-help and 12-Step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous are wonderful places to meet people who understand what you’re going through and support your commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
5. Fear that You’re Not Worthy
Substance use disorders can cause people to do and say things that are completely out of character. You may have driven drunk, stolen to get money for drugs, cheated on your spouse, got fired from your job, or missed out on important events involving your children. This does not mean that you’re a bad person or a lost cause. We all make mistakes. Even people who have never struggled with substance abuse have moments in their past that they’re not proud of.
There’s always hope for recovery, as long as you’re committed to making the changes necessary to build a better life for yourself. No matter what happened in your past, you are 100% worthy of all the blessings that come with living a healthy and balanced sober life.
