This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Consulting Addictions for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
There are many different types of addiction and abuse that plague the lives of all of us. Substance abuse and addiction causes pain and desperation to those suffering directly and to those affected by it. There is a number of wonderful programs that help addicts and alcoholics to find recovery and continue a happy, joyous and free life. There are thousands of treatment programs and sober living homes that aid those in addiction recovery. Treatment facilities are the first steps in recovery and provide many of the tools people need to find sobriety and to continue recovery.
It is essential to have an aftercare plan in place after the completion of an addiction treatment program. Chapter House in Dallas, Texas is a sober living home that focuses on extended care for young men in early recovery and in need of further assistance. It offers a safe place for substance abusers to live sober lives and to advance themselves in all aspects of their lives. Sober living in this environment includes higher supervision and structure than traditional houses. This simply means that they have more staff on hand 24 hours, available clinical services and a system of care that is based around addiction recovery. Chapter House offers this extended care by “providing a life development curriculum, 12-step immersion, community volunteer involvement, advanced clinical services… financial recovery education, health and wellness programming and education and career development services.” Recovery is an ongoing process, and there are so many tools and opportunities available through the different addiction treatment programs, we just have to make the choice to initiate, engage and utilize.
Decisions are a fundamental part of life and choices both small and large introduce themselves continuously throughout all our ventures. Do I wear a blue or green shirt? Do I put gas in at this station or the next? Is a new promotion a good idea? Could moving to a new city make for a better life? Each choice we make has a direct effect on the path we follow. Making the decision to get seek help with your addiction can mean saving your or a loved one’s life. The choice to seek help is hard, it’s scary, admitting you have an addiction isn’t easy, but the outcome is worth every bit of what you’re feeling. You don’t have to live a life controlled by your addiction!
Addiction & Abuse | Preparing Mentally For Rehabilitation & Aftercare
The worst decision I ever made was to start drinking. The most insane was to continue my addiction in hopes of different outcomes. The most difficult was to admit I had an addiction and was powerless, and the best decision was to seek help. I opted to admit myself to a rehabilitation center and to follow with intensive outpatient care similar to Chapter House in Dallas.
I knew I had a tough journey ahead of me, and I had to get my mind prepared for what was ahead. There were a few things that helped to get myself ready to walk through the doors of the treatment center and face my addiction head on.
Admitted to myself that I could not do it on my own
It is easy to let our pride and our emotions lead us and even worse our addiction control us. It is necessary to show humility and to realize that we all need help at one time or another. Others can give us the support and tools to be successful. I also have to restore my faith in my Higher Power and ask for the guidance and strength to continue whole-heartedly.
Reminded myself that I am doing this for me
Often we do things for others to satisfy our needs or to gain something. I was trying to get sober before so that everyone around me would leave me alone about my addiction. I wasn’t truly doing it out of concern for them or myself. I had to tell myself that I was the one with the problem, and I had to help myself before I could ever help others.
Kept my mind and heart open
I had been living my life a certain way for 15 years and became complacent to how things were going. By clearing my mind of my usual thinking and accepting the idea of a different life, I was more open to learning everything I could to help me in my recovery. Change can be terrifying, but if we keep our faith that our Higher Power knows what is best, we can embrace life as it grows and progresses.
Once I felt I was as ready as I would ever be, I began the program. I was determined to get everything I could from what the treatment center had to offer. I made a decision and applied different ideas to achieve my goal. It was intimidating and quite overwhelming but I found that certain things were helping me to move forward.
Introduced myself to anyone and everyone
As soon as I walked through those doors I began introducing myself to everyone. Residents and staff are crucial to the success in these programs. We have to remain open and willing to share and receive in order to progress. Meeting each person, shaking their hand, remembering their name, learning where they were from, all that information helped me to feel comfortable and allowed me to be more open. Learning to listen and listening to learn was an essential element in my program, and I applied it daily to each person I came in contact with.
Learned and lived the rules
When I first arrived I was given a handbook full of information and guidelines. Reading it cover to cover helped me to understand the rules and the importance of following them. We, as substance abusers, have allowed our addiction to control us and often lack much structure in our lives and learning to establish schedules, rules and common goals we can build that structure that we need.
Became and stayed connected
The program allowed us to attend Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings in the community. I found as many contacts that I could, be it by phone, email, even letter. When taking the path in recovery life can become overwhelming, and it is essential to have someone we feel we can talk to and who can relate to our problems and issues. Keeping those contacts has helped me immensely now that I am living outside the residential treatment facility. Emphasis on those people who are also in recovery and keeping in contact is crucial in successful recovery.
Developed and personalized an after-care plan
When I was about half through my stay at the facility, I knew I needed to find an aftercare plan that would help me after I completed the program. I admitted myself to an intensive out-patient program, attained a therapist and psychiatrist and gathered a list of all the AA, NA and Al-Anon meetings in and near my city. The novelty of being in a rehabilitation center and in that secure environment wears off, trust me I’m speaking from experience. I’m currently in the aftercare process, and it’s a critical part of maintaining a sober life. We eventually have to face life on life’s terms, and we all need to have the right people and resources to aid us in our recovery from addiction.
These things all helped me to be successful in the program and continue to keep me focused. If you’re serious about getting help with your addiction don’t let fear hold you back, stay focused, and seek aftercare with an organization such as Chapter House.
Chapter House Sober Living
You’ll find the Chapter House Recovery in Dallas, Texas where they provide young men in early addiction recovery a place to learn how to live sober. They use a 12-step centered approach with outpatient clinical services. The Chapter House creates a save place for young men to learn to live sober, and heal so they can move on to the next chapter of their life better prepared.
Located in a private subdivision this 5,700 square foot property is equipped with a pool overlooking the golf course, awesome game room, computer lab, plenty of space with four living areas. It’s closely located to numerous universities and community colleges, surrounded by corporation corridor in Dallas, Texas, and easily accessible to all areas of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. It’s an awesome place for men in their early recovery to land, launch and live.
Young men land at the Chapter House in Dallas, Texas after either addiction treatment, past previous treatment episode or relapse. It’s critical to have a save place, like Chapter House to land and extent treatment where they have a structured, monitored and contained environment.
Chapter House is a blessing and offers the extended aftercare for those out of rehab, early in recovery and in need of guidance and strength. The clinical staff and the peer-driven model of Chapter House is effective and provides a very positive and productive outcome. It offers fellowship and safety as well as counseling and structure. It focuses on improvement more than only sobriety. Success in school, work, family and society as a whole is evident in the passion and dedication of the staff, the founders and of course the residents.
For more information please visit Chapter House Recovery.
