Ending Addition: Making the Decision to Get Clean and Sober

By Jason Enderson

When you are ready to address your drug or alcohol addiction, through a drug rehab or any other form of intervention, there are many options available to you. This article will discuss several of the steps you may want to consider as you take the first steps towards living a more productive lifestyle. We will also address the number misconception that individuals have about early recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.

Turning your back on drugs and alcohol can be among the most anxiety provoking decisions an addict can make. There is a mindset that can develop in people who have just made this decision wherein they begin to carry some irrational beliefs. Most often a person falls myth to the idea that, for whatever reason, AA or rehab just won't work for them.

At this point, I'd like to point out a classic recovery fact. Alcoholics have much more in common than might think. Still, the belief remains that a person problems are too personal to be treatable by a recovery program. We call this belief "terminal uniqueness."

This myth is extremely prevalent among the newly sober. If AA has worked for millions of people, it can't work for me because my problems are too unique. Unfortunately, this line of thinking can put a brick wall between you and progress and therefore it is recommended that you abandon it at your earliest opportunity.

So, if you have thrown off your biases and believe that a 12 step program or drug rehab center might work for you here are some steps you can take to begin to get help.

The first thing to do is visit a twelve step meeting in your area. Sure, you will probably be nervous at your first meeting. That's is entirely understandable. But don't let nerves keep you from getting in the door.

Sometimes people pause at this step, looking for the "appropriate" meeting. If your drug of choice was marijuana know that you can still attend an AA meeting. You will not be shown the door in 99% of meetings if you have an addiction to a substance different than what is in the fellowship's title.

Despite what you may believe, there is very little difference between the chemically related twelve step fellowships. All 12 step organizations are based on the principles laid down in the book "Alcoholics Anonymous" (the Big Book) and there is no difference in the methodology of the groups. After a while you may decide you like one fellowship better than another but in the beginning it is just important to pick one and start attending.

If you think you will go to an inpatient rehab center then it especially useful to visit a 12 step group in your area. You will get a handle on the structure and organization of the program. This way you won't take as long to adjust at the rehab which can be a pretty disorienting experience at the beginning.

People often over complicate the process of finding a rehab for the same reasons that they over complicate finding a meeting. It is most critical that you just get to rehab and begin getting better.

It is very common for an addict or alcoholic to be nervous at this juncture. It is advised however that you say a pray and make a plan. By deciding to make a change in your life, you will begin to see changes that will last a lifetime. And you can say goodbye to drug addiction.

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