Being a substance abuse addict is a hard road to walk. If you are an addict or if someone you love is an addict, then you know this already. The hardest part of addiction is deciding you’ve had enough of it and want to straighten your life out again. Admitting you have a problem and asking for help is the hardest part, but it is also the point at which things start getting better for you as well. That is not to say that asking for help will be the end of all your problems. There is still a steep hill for you to climb to recovery, but if you are truly ready to climb it, you will be successful.
One of the scariest parts of recovery for some addicts is the thought of rehab. They are scared to check themselves into an unknown place with complete strangers with whom they know they will have to share some of the most awful and degrading moments of their lives. If opening up to and in front of strangers terrifies you, this article may help show you that you are not alone, that you are not the only person who has done something terrible, and that you can trust in those around you not to judge you. These are some of the kinds of stories you’ll hear in rehab.
Stories You’ll Hear In Rehab
There are seven main types of stories you will hear, and maybe even tell yourself, in rehab. These include:
- Stories of Despair – These are stories of homelessness, abandoned families, lost jobs, and illnesses or diseases caused by a user’s substance abuse issues.
- Stories of Hopelessness – These are stories about people at their lowest, people who thought there was no way out of their substance abuse problems and just wanted life to end.
- Stories of Abuse – These are stories about physical, sexual, mental, and emotional abuse that addicts either suffered through or inflicted upon others during their darkest times.
- Stories of Self-Disgust – These are often stories about what substance abusers did in order to pay for that next fix. Perhaps they prostituted themselves; perhaps they stole from their parents; perhaps they did things even worse.
- Jail Stories – These stories are generally told by former inmates who went to jail and/or prison because of their crimes related to addiction and substance abuse.
But wait! Those Are Only Five Types. You Said There Were Seven.
I did, and there are. Not only are these five not the only stories you will hear in rehab, they aren’t the most important ones that you will hear. You will also hear Stories of Hope and Stories of Recovery. These are the stories every addict wants to be able to tell him or herself, and these are stories that you will be able to tell if you are serious about seeking help for your addiction. These stories tell of human triumph, kindness, compassion, and most of all, love. These are the stories about families who welcomed addicts back with open arms after their recovery. These are stories of forgiveness and recovery. These are stories of peace.
If you came to this page looking for help, then this is my advice to you: Get the help you need. If you are even thinking that maybe, just maybe, you might want to get yourself clean, then do it. Now’s the time. Yes, you will have to share some of your most horrible stories with your fellow addicts, but they will understand. You have to make it through the telling of all of the bad stories so that one day soon, you’ll be sharing your Stories of Hope and Recovery with someone who is sitting where you are right now. Take that leap and trust in yourself, your loved ones, and your fellow addicts in recovery. Although it may sound like the world’s worst cliché, there truly is no time like the present. Call one of our counselors today at 833-846-5669.