Part of an alcohol and drug treatment plan is sharing your story. It might not sound like that big of a deal, but the reality is that there are a lot of things in an addict's or alcoholic's experience that helps shape how we work with them.
Most people fall into behavioral patterns that continue throughout their life. It is only with major upheaval that these patterns change. In a way, that's good for us, because we can see exactly where a person begins to struggle if they have attempted recovery before, or to see what emotions tend to start that person down the path of substance abuse.
A person's story doesn't just help us figure out what is "wrong" with someone, though. It helps us to find the great points of their personality and character that they may have forgotten about during their drinking and using. It can be something to strive for once the drugs and alcohol are removed, and from there, moving on to bigger and better things.
We share our stories every day, so this really shouldn't be too big of a jump. However, we do have to look at "the good, the bad, and the ugly," as they say. Although we really only like the parts of our stories that show how awesome or awful we were (depending on who we are with), sometimes we have to bite the bullet and go in the opposite direction. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it isn't that simple.
Many times, feelings of depression can masquerade as anger, and other emotions can behave in the same way. All the while, the person is none the wiser. Drugs and alcohol already reduce our ability to feel, but they also mask what we feel as well. Apathy is rarely an emotion that people have. Instead, it is often depression in disguise, since that apathy originates from a sense of hopelessness or pointlessness. Likewise, happiness is a by-product of our actions and a general state of being--what we as addicts and alcoholics think of as happiness is actually an artificial state of temporary ecstasy (not always from taking the drug of the same name).
Plus, a lot of times, everyone in the group gets perspective on what their own stories look like and the insanity that drugs and alcohol drive us to. It is easy to pass judgment on someone when we hear his or her story, but when it comes to share our own, many times that "ah-ha!" moment never comes.
Ultimately, your treatment plan is as successful as you want it to be, and that first step takes you a long way on the journey to a new life.
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449 Recovery is a drug and alcohol and rehabilitation center helping people overcome their fears and assisting families to deal with a loved one's challenges. Visit http://www.449recovery.org to find out more about our services.
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