It is no mystery that many people turn to substances and alcohol as coping mechanisms. Symptoms of stress and anxiety are often treated by “self-medication” instead of counseling or therapy. Past or present traumatic experiences are well-known to create long-term stress, anxiety, and other related wellness disorders.
Remember what you know. Now is the most important time ever to not allow negative or fearful thinking to pull you back toward the rabbit-hole of addiction. Thoughts are not a reality unless you allow them the power to become a reality. Thoughts, in and of themselves, are harmless. It’s the action that can create harm and consequences.
The road to recovery requires an honest look in the “mirror” and an openness to consider one’s “situation” or “world” in a different manner.
“The Intensive outpatient program and outpatient care settings allow people access to our program who wouldn’t have access if it were only offered in a residential setting,” said Gilmer “It’s insurance-friendly, affordable, and less intrusive on a person’s time. With these programs, people can still live their life while changing their life.”
Gulf Breeze Recovery recognizes the important role that hope plays in long term recovery. All these components are included not only in their treatment program, but also in the “Blueprint for Success” which outlines the guest’s “life plan” and aftercare.
A Mark Twain quote states, “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I’ve done it a thousand times.” This humorous quote paints a not so funny truth about addiction. Most people who are addicted to a substance have tried repeatedly to quit and have failed repeatedly and returned to their substance. Quitting is easy, maintaining sobriety is harder.
Families often struggle to get a loved one into treatment for an alcohol or drug addiction. It is not easy to start a conversation about addiction, and many times the person struggling with addiction responds with excuses, anger, denial or minimization. A conversation can easily escalate to an argument where nothing is accomplished.
image of woman facing camera for blog article entitled “Sky’s Story of addiction” for Gulf Breeze Recovery non 12 step holistic drug and alcohol treatment program
Recovering from addiction isn’t easy, but it is possible, and it does happen – even after multiple relapses; individuals can and do find and maintain sobriety. To do so they need a facility that understands relapse and can help both the individual and the family understand relapse too.
I attended Gulf Breeze Recovery in 2016 after over a decade of failed attempts to get clean at 12-step drug treatment centers. I was an IV drug user, and I thought that if anyone truly understood how powerful my cravings were, then surely they would see why it was impossible for me to stay sober. That’s why one of the most valuable insights I gained during my time in Gulf Breeze was my relationship to cravings.