One of the best things about being a blogger and published writer is that I get to pay forward all of the support I received during the years I learned about this business. When I began my first blog years ago with the intent to finish my novel The Unexpected Daughter, I begged other bloggers to publish my work. I made great writer friends in the process and ultimately did achieve the exposure I needed – all thanks to the gracious writing community.

I’m thrilled to share a guest post today by new writer Adam Durnham. Insightful and uplifting, his article embodies my mission to connect us all!

 

Reaching Out: Battling Addiction and Developing a

New Purpose

Battling an addiction can be stressful. It can turn your whole world upside down. I never thought I would be faced with an addiction, but I did find myself with both alcohol and drug addictions. The thing is I only started out by occasionally going out with some of my buddies. I suppose these guys weren’t actually my buddies, but at the time I thought we were all friends. You see once I got control of my addictions, these people seemed to stop coming around as much. Although, it was hard to not have them in my life, it was more important for me to stop using drugs and alcohol. This was also destroying my physical well-being.

Admitting You Need Help

The first step to battling an addiction is admitting you have one. I was faced with a drug addiction and it took me years to actually come to terms with it. However, I now understand how acknowledging your addiction is truly the only way to overcome it. Many people in my life told me over and over I needed help, but unfortunately I couldn’t accept their opinions or advice. However, after losing almost everything, my job and family, I finally stepped up and realized I needed to get help.

Finding Treatment

After finally admitting I had an addiction, I found out I had treatment options. Two of them were inpatient and outpatient drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers. An important fact you should know is that some programs offer dual diagnosis treatment. A few benefits you can find from entering into an inpatient treatment center include the following:

• Structured environment – Takes you away from even being able to obtain the substances you were relying on
• Psychological healing – Helps you transition into a world where you no longer need any dangerous substance
• Physical benefits – Can offer help for people who experience withdrawal symptoms and also offers around the clock care
• Plenty of support – You will get support from others in the facility, including other patients, staff, and therapists

These are only a small portion of the benefits you can find from inpatient treatment centers. But, perhaps you have a job and can’t seem to get the time off to go into treatment. Fear not, because there are benefits to outpatient treatment programs which include the following:

• Less money – Typically, these programs cost less than inpatient treatment programs
• More freedom – You have the freedom to stay at home, which means you can continue working
• Higher level of privacy – You won’t stay in a actual facility, which means you won’t have to explain to your family, friends, or boss why you have to be gone away from home for so long
• Still receive support – You will still get support from your wife, kids, parents, and a therapist

Again, these are only a few of the benefits associated with outpatient treatment programs. When choosing your treatments, it is best to remember nobody is the same. We are all different and one program might work for some better than others.

Following Through with an Aftercare Plan

One other thing I learned is that overcoming an addiction may begin with admitting you have one. However, well after you have taken control of your addiction you will still need to follow through with an aftercare plan. These programs will help you maintain your sobriety, keep you from relapsing, and give you a sense of purpose, as they did for me.

Finding Your Purpose and Living It

Another step to addiction recovery is finding your purpose. This will give you something to wake up to every day. This will probably be different for everyone. I find taking walks with my wife and playing with my kids brings me purpose. These things are very rewarding. Just remember, find ways to find your purpose and live them.

It can be difficult having an addiction, but many people all over the world face it everyday. However, you don’t have to be the victim of your addiction. You can take control over it. I did and I have never been happier in my life. Good luck to you and remember you are never alone.

 

Adam Durnham is a freelance blogger that specializes in mental health and wellness. He currently lives in Detroit, Michigan with his dog Beignet. If you like his post, feel free to reach out to him via email for updates on what to expect from him next! adam.durnham@gmail.com