Today’s blog was written by a guest blogger, a client of Centered Recovery addiction treatment centers in Atlanta, Georgia. He wished to share his experiences and beliefs around resolutions and growth. Thank you, Lee, for your generosity in sharing your wisdom!
No Resolution Required to Address Drug and Alcohol Addiction
Yup, that right, you do not need a New Year’s resolution to fight drug and alcohol addiction. Surely, you’ve heard it said that the new year is a time for reflecting upon the past and making resolutions to deliver a happier and healthier you in the days ahead. For many, this includes a genuinely intended resolve to achieve and maintain sobriety, once and for all. Predictably, however, those resolutions very quickly lead to white-knuckles vs cravings show-downs. We all know this usually wins, right? Let’s face it, the road to hell (suffering) is paved with good intentions (thoughts).
My one-year participation in Centered Recovery’s drug rehabs Marietta tiered programs (IOP, OP and Education) offered me a path to fully appreciate. Helping me understand the past is a just a mental construct comprised of memories, many of which served only to fuel my self-judgement, fear, and worry. The future is another mental construct made up of pure speculation fueled only by memories and often grounded upon my misguided belief that “If I only have or do or become this…I will be okay”. All-in-all, attaching our sense of self to thoughts — past and/or future based—is never a good recipe for living a happier or healthier me.
Self Reflection is Needed with Substance Abuse Rehabilitation
The mindfulness techniques I learned at Centered’s outpatient addiction treatment centers in Atlanta will stay with me through my life-long recovery journey. That is to say a New Years Resolution does have value. Don’t get me wrong, it’s helpful to reflect upon and learn from experiences and to set goals for personal and professional growth. But consider how easy it is to get snagged in negative thought ‘spirals’ that result in a blanket of anxiety and worry about what might go wrong in the future?
How often is what we spend our energy on simply a means to an end? An end that can never be guaranteed. Suffer now for future success. That’s crazy! NOW is where we truly live life, as intended, but we cannot experience the full beauty of this when living, for the most part, in the past or the future…in what is in essence, a dream.
Do a little experiment today. See how often (without blame or shame) you can become aware of (or catch yourself) in unsolicited thought patterns marked by perceived negative experiences, judgement, or worry about “what if”. You might be a bit surprised by how much this is occurring. Then consider this. Each moment spent caught in these thought patterns robs us of the joy and peace that is inherent to living in the NOW. I’m not conceptualizing.
Centered Recovery Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Do More
Their drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers in Mariietta, Roswell, Alpharetta and Atlanta treat much more that substance abuse problems. The mindfulness techniques help anyone that wants a richer and fuller life. These techniques help in everyday life with your family life, job, school, friends, relationships and much more. While attending the drug rehab there were many people that did not have a drug and alcohol addiction problem.
That is why I’m sharing this lived experience. I’ve spent the past year, with the support of my family, friends and peers and staff at Centered Recovery Programs (helpful positive reflection, here) placing my attention being in the NOW and it’s been truly liberating! Yes, I still have “moments” of getting caught in worry or negative judgement, but they are far and few between. The key is an understanding about how thought functions coupled with an awareness of what’s already and always within you which is where health, joy and peace emanate.
If you need drug and alcohol addiction treatment or just want a better overall life, I urge you to call Centered at 1-800-556-2966. They have changed my life and brought a richer and drug free life back to me. Call now and get your life back!
It really is that simple. And no resolution required!
