6 Types of Freedom You Get in a Rehab
While in the rehab for addiction treatment, you may feel closed in, “like living in a jail”. Rehabs have rules and restrictions, which addicts and alcoholics are not used to. They miss their “freedom” in the outside world.
During addiction, they have been living a life governed by their compulsive need to get high, to hide their addiction, to project a false image, to cope with the stress of crumbling careers or education, and relationships. They are continually seeking to fill an endless hole within, which only seems to get bigger.
However, staying in a rehab gets you real freedom. Actually, plenty of it!
There are 6 types of freedoms you get by staying in an addiction treatment rehab:
- Freedom from obsession. This one is a no brainer. Freedom from addiciton means relief from the obsessions and compulsions of addiction. No more chasing the high, no more hang overs and no more cravings.
- Freedom from shame and guilt. An addict’s life is replete with behaviors that induce shame and guilt. Weather it is embarrassing situations or shameful behavior.
- Freedom from fears. An alcoholic’s life is full of fears. Fear of not being able to get the substance, or fear of getting caught. Fear of what other people think of him or her. Fear of the future. And, of course, unknown fears.
- Freedom to choose. An addict really has no choice on a daily basis. He or she has to use drugs or alcohol every day. In recovery there’s a new-found freedom to choose – to use or not. It is no longer a compulsion. It is a choice.
- Freedom to realize your potential. We are all born with a free spirit and have our ambitions and dreams. Addiction kills these goals. In recovery, we finally have the freedom to be what we want to be.
- Freedom to love and grow. During active addiction, we love our drugs and use people. In recovery, we learn to love people and use things. Our relationships are mended and begin to grow.
Addiction recovery is a joyful journey that is painful in the beginning. But that’s how all worthwhile ventures are! At first, going to the gym may appear difficult, but it gets easier as we continue to pursue the goal. And then we begin to enjoy the benefits of our hard work.
On successfully completing their stay at an addiction treatment rehab, addicts or alcoholics come out with a fresh outlook and a sense of finally achieving something. It is the start of a new life.
The exhilarating freedom they experience in their journey of addiction recovery, is more than worth the effort they have put in. It is real freedom!