When a person finally finds the courage to reach out for help, or a lifeline, it can be ultimately painful. In the end, it can also enrich a person’s life because it can lead to finally receiving much needed help. With a sense of desperation, even fear, finding the courage to reach out can make the difference between hitting rock bottom and getting help for addiction.
Reaching Out After Relapse
Going through recovery from addiction is a road pockmarked with ups and downs, including relapse. The likelihood of relapse is very high, especially in the first few days, months, and year after recovery from addiction. No matter how much a person wants to fully recover and put that part of their life in the past, that just is not possible sometimes. The brain and body are broken and need time to heal. Some of the things that help when reaching out following relapse can include:
- Finding a friend or friends who will listen to your story
- Releasing shame to seek help
- Accepting the need for help, then finally taking the offers that come your way
Help is On the Way
Just when a person starts to feel unglued, help is on the way. Finding that lifeline can feel so challenging when relapse hits, or shame builds up. Fighting against fear, pain, and anxiety can create a sense that it is you against the world. It is not that a person wants to fight so hard against getting help, it just feels impossible to reach up from so far down. That means admitting some things haven’t been working so well and you really (really) need help. When you finally accept that help is on the way, you begin to:
- Practice good self care in getting addiction under control
- Admit that you have no control over your life and addiction
- Sacrifice your own needs in the moment for a future self that is healthy in recovery
The time to reach out is when you are really in crisis, in too much unbearable pain, but that is also when it is definitely the hardest. When you are crawling out of your skin is when you need help the most. Whether it is medication, psychological counseling, or all of the above, it is worth reaching out to let people know you are still here, and you need their help. Perhaps someday you can return the favor and help others out, but right now is your chance to grab a lifeline. Don’t be afraid to ask, get yourself help, and find the courage to take the next step forward.
Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. If you are reaching for that lifeline, we can help by providing medical support, detox, and necessary life skills for recovery. Reach out today: 844-720-6847
