Recovering from Alcohol:
Hard to Do but Very Worth It

Anyone who wants to recover from alcohol deserves respect for showing courage in trying to do something that no one considers easy. As a friend that you depended on for support and an escape from reality, alcohol can become your most vicious and destructive enemy when it takes charge of your life. Your decision to enter rehab proves that you want to take back control, but you may feel unsure about what to expect.

Adapting to Planned Days

Alcohol rehab gives you a chance to take a big step toward sobriety, and compassionate professionals can help you do it. Your days keep you busy with a tight schedule of activities that help you confront the reality of your addiction. Rehab counselors know precisely the challenges that face you, and they can help you get through the hard parts. With psychotherapy counseling sessions and exercise every day, you learn to meditate and participate in other therapeutic activities that help you avoid alcohol relapse. These five insider hints can help you focus on getting the benefits of treatment that enhance your chance to succeed.

• Insider Hint #1: Reach for Small Goals
  A commitment to stay sober forever can overwhelm and discourage you, but you do not have to accept setbacks when they occur. You can get satisfaction from making your bed or polishing your resume as small goals that let you achieve something meaningful.
• Insider Hint #2: Give Yourself a Break from High Expectations
  Even the deepest desire to recover cannot keep you from thinking about relapse occasionally. Everyone who goes through rehab feels the same way at some point. You can get past negative thinking by acknowledging your feelings, but your success in recovery requires you to stick to your long-range plan.
• Insider Hint #3: Count on Friends You Meet in Group Therapy
  Many relationships form out of shared experiences, and your group therapy companions know the challenges that face you more than anyone else. Ask them to join you in a support network along with Michael’s House and supportive members of your family who admire you for wanting to achieve sobriety.
• Insider Hint #4: Keep an Optimistic Reminder Near You
  As you go through alcohol rehab, you can expect some disappointments. You can counteract them with a picture that inspires you to keep trying and pushing forward with a positive attitude. A visual image of a city that you hope to visit someday or a picture of someone dear may help you get through the tough times.
• Insider Hint #5: Plan for Life in Aftercare
  The supportive care that you receive in treatment can go with you if you plan for it. Ask your counselor for a referral to a therapist near you so that you have someone to count on when you need help. Before you leave rehab, get the location of 12-Step groups and support organizations for recovering addicts in your community. Contact with others reinforces your success.