Approximately 10 percent of adults will have a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. However, of those individuals, only 1 in 10 will receive treatment. This is incredibly disturbing when you consider the many diverse effects of a chronic substance use problem that even high-functioning addicts will invariably face at some point.
Nobody who suffers from addiction must continue to do so. There are many effective forms of treatment available to help those in need, but maybe you’re unsure about getting help for addiction. If that’s the case, then here are eight signs that you might be ready to go to rehab.
1) You Want Your Old Life Back
Maybe you’ve noticed that people are uncomfortable being around you. Maybe you’ve noticed that you’re not as interested in the people and activities that used to bring you much happiness and fulfillment. Maybe your financial situation is much more strained than it used to be, which leaves you unable to afford the lifestyle you once enjoyed. Maybe you’re constantly distracted and struggling at work, preventing you from being the top performer that you always used to be.
If any of this sounds familiar, then there’s a good chance that it boils down to missing the way things used to be. In this case, you might be ready for rehab because you’re ready to get your old life back.
2) You’re Willing to Listen to Others
More often than not, someone who has a problem with alcohol or drugs is reluctant to listen to the people around him or her, especially when those people are commenting on substance abuse. Even though this comes from a place of concern, you ignored them at every turn, either because you couldn’t or refused to see that you have a problem.
But eventually, you realized that those family members, friends, colleagues, and other people in your life were right. Most notably, you’re ready to listen to what they have to say about how your addiction is affecting your life.
3) You Want to Repair Damaged Relationships
For most people who suffer from substance abuse problems, there’s a correlation between the severity of the problem and the amount of distance, both emotional and physical, that they create between themselves and their loved ones. In many cases, isolating oneself is a way to either keep a drug problem hidden or to eliminate opportunities for loved ones to realize the severity of the problem and possibly try to intervene.
Then there’s the fact that most addicts’ relationships become quite strained as they remain in active addiction. Someone who’s addicted to mind-altering substances will often cause some level of emotional harm to his or her spouse, parents, children, and/or siblings. In fact, addicts’ loved ones will commonly separate as a form of self-preservation and/or to regain a sense of normalcy.
At a certain point, you’ll start to see how addiction has affected your relationships. Just when you’re sure that you’ve never felt so alone in your entire live, you decide that you want to make amends. But before you can start making things right with love ones, you need to get your mind right by going to rehab.
4) Your Health Is Suffering
Addiction often manifests through a person’s behavior, which is why we tend to focus on the behavioral aspects of addiction. However, the physical and health effects of a substance abuse problem can be quite profound.
If you wake in the morning and notice that you’ve never looked more tired or dissheveled, then there’s a good chance that it’s because you’re seeing the repercussions of chronic substance abuse. Even psychological and emotional effects can alter your perception of how you see your physical self. And you realize that the only time you feel any energy or peace is when you’re using, and even those moments are fleeting.
The reality is that alcohol and drugs often seem like a solution, but they don’t actually solve anything. On the contrary, the problems that you thought were being treated with alcohol or drugs are still present; meanwhile, your chronic substance abuse has taken a toll on your body, mind, and spirit. But going to rehab offers you a way to feel better on virtually every level.
5) You See the Effects of Substance Abuse on Your Career
You’re just not performing at work like you used to: You show up late. You miss too many days. And when you’re actually present, you don’t feel well, which keeps you from peak work performance. Meanwhile, your professional relationships with co-workers are suffering as they become more and more frustrated by your behavior. You can’t count how many promotions, pay raises, and other opportunities you’ve missed out on because of your substance abuse problem.
Among all the regret you feel when you consider your work performance and professional relationships, hope isn’t completely lost. There’s still a chance to get your career back on track by going to rehab.
6) Your Behavior Is Becoming Dangerous
To hide your addiction from the people in your life, you’ve had to lie. You’ve also been reckless and taken risks to sustain your substance abuse problem. In more situations than you can count, you’ve knowingly put yourself at risk to satisfy your urges and cravings. Worse of all, a number of these behaviors also put the health and safety of your family and friends at risk.
When you realized how comfortable you’ve become with your dangerous behavior, you may be somewhat unsettled. But this isn’t who you are, nor is it who you have to be. It’s time to rediscover your core values.
7) You’ve Met Other Addicts and Don’t Want to End Up Like Them
Like so many others, your addiction has surely taken you to down some really dark paths. You’ve seen numerous people who have hit rock bottom and, because of their continued substance abuse, been unable to bounce back. They’re not bad people; they’re lives are simply being controlled by the substances they abuse.
If you’re not already in the same position, then you at least know that you’re headed in that direction. It’s time to change course.
8) You Need and Want Professional Help
After a long, hard look in the mirror, you know that you have a problem. And you know there’s a solution to the problem although it’s not one you can attain on your own. You need professional help if you want to find happiness again. In short, you’re ready to go to rehab.
If You’re Ready for Rehab, Sea Change Recovery Is Here for You
Sea Change Recovery offers alcohol and drug rehab in Santa Monica, where addiction treatment is innovative, compassionate, and personalized for the individual. If you’re ready to get the help you need, contact Sea Change Recovery today.