Having a stable job, having stable financial situation and helping us get back on track and building for future really helps. The job coach of our partner agency comes to coach any guests that are looking for jobs. We also work with local temp agencies, contractors and other employers. February 4, 2008, I made a call to a drug dealer; I was hopeless and wanted to die. I bought a large quantity of drugs and the plan was to kill myself.
You cannot go through life comparing your recovery with someone else’s. If you struggle to get past the first few days and see someone who has just celebrated a year in recovery, do not be mad at where you are. As individuals in recovery, we are fighting the same war.
A Personal Perspective: How to redirect your life when things fall apart.
Individuals in recovery must remember what it was like when they were at the worst point of their addiction. They need to focus on where they are currently at in their recovery process. There will always be times when there are issues at work, in a relationship, or life in general. However, none of this was worse than being in the nightmare of just going through life in a zombie-like state of active addiction.
- So, while there is an outside possibility that people from your past who continue to use will eventually go into treatment, you cannot sit around and wait for that day to come.
- Engaging in service work brings a sense of purpose, personal growth, and builds relationships.
- With new information, new goals, new friends, hope and courage, all things are possible.
- Life is constantly building, doing, feeling, and being.
Endings are always beginnings so feel both.
If you are married to someone who continues to abuse alcohol or drugs, or has a process addiction, this can be a rather difficult situation. Again, you cannot compel your spouse or partner to get clean and sober. It is possible that over time, your spouse will see the changes in you and come to the decision that recovery is a viable option. At that time, it will be your turn to be fully supportive and encouraging of your spouse’s recovery efforts. All the changes that you’ve already gone through you will very likely witness first-hand in your spouse’s recovery journey. But it may also bring the two of you closer together.
Recalculating Your Life in Recovery
There are numerous times when they will take on as many projects as they can handle, regardless of the circumstances. The problem with this could be something to burn them out. Individuals who are in recovery must learn to be willing to pace themselves.
Find space in your life each day to incorporate these tips that you choose to carry with you. These building blocks will help you create habits you can use daily to make meaningful change in whatever ways you need it now. Even 5 minutes of intentional practice designed to support your success now and into the future can change your outlook- and your life. There will be times when you feel you need an outside source who will be an additional Hope House Boston Review resource to continue to live a life in recovery. In 2018, I experienced one of the darkest days of my life when I lost my 15-year-old daughter to the tragedy of suicide.
Many amazing things have happened to me since February 4, 2008; it was a day that changed my life forever. Today I am a father of two amazing boys, Ricky and Carson, whom I want to set a great example for. I decided to dedicate my life to helping men rebuild their lives. Having a recovery community to be part of is crucial in early sobriety. When you move into one of our houses, you’re not just moving into a sober house, you’re moving into a recovery community.
What you have done by going through treatment to overcome your addiction took a great deal of courage and determination. Your newfound sobriety is a precious gift; yet you remain fragile and vulnerable in these early days of recovery. It will take more courage for you to walk away from the past, but it is something that you absolutely have to be willing to do.
Naturally, this is an extremely personal and painful decision, not one that you’d make lightly. Get counseling to ensure that you’re making the right decision. Perhaps a coordinated family effort may convince your spouse that rehab is a better alternative. This could come in the form of an intervention, conducted by a professional interventionist. Whatever happens, remember that you are not responsible for your spouse’s addiction. You are also not to blame if he or she refuses treatment.