Sunday; No Rest for Addiction

Addiction never takes a day off. It is relentless. It just keeps coming. Always moving towards you. It never slows down or takes you out of its sight. No matter what you do it will keep throwing punches and challenges you to either get back up or give in. In that respect it is not unlike many other aspects of life. Life challenges us as well. It is our character that enables to get back up. True character enables you take the hit and get back up. It is not how hard we hit but how hard we can be hit, brush ourselves off, and keep moving ourselves.

So recovery requires strength and character. You have to want to get better. You have to be willing to take the hit. To get back up and keep moving forward. You've got to want it bad. If you do then at least you have a chance. If you don't or if you can't take the hit then perhaps you should stay out of treatment. Going into treatment without the right mind set pollutes a treatment program. It is not fair to the people who are in your program who are willing to take the hit. Recovery is hard enough when you have all the right conditions for you but when there is negativity and drama in the program because someone is disrupting the program then it becomes even harder.

That is why I dislike the concept of halfway houses. You are surrounded by many people who just aren't ready to recover and therefore they jeopardize your recovery. The relapse rate is so high in halfway houses because there are so many who just don't belong there and they are happiest when they can pull someone into relapse with them. Choose your halfway house carefully. Assess the environment closely. Meet the clients and look at the services the program offers. Discuss their drop-out and relapse rate before you unpack your bags. Recovery is hard enough. Don't make it harder.