If you find you or a loved one struggling with drug or alcohol addiction this holiday season, you’re not alone. Holidays can be challenging times to fight substance abuse, as they’re filled with triggering social events, might be lonely, and often just mean extra stress. If you’re not yet in an alcohol or drug addiction treatment in Dallas, TX, we have some recommendations for you (or your loved one) to start with as New Year’s resolutions that aren’t just “get clean” or “stay clean.” At Lighthouse Recovery in Dallas, our goal is to create a safe, supportive environment for people to heal and thrive together and we want to support you every step of your addiction recovery journey.
Without further ado, here are 5 New Year’s resolutions for the addict. If you know someone struggling with an addiction, you can gently and supportively encourage them to accomplish some of these!
- Call 3 addiction treatment centers
Listen, we understand if you’re not at the place where you can enter into a Dallas rehab facility today. While the experts at SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) recommend getting help within 48 hours of calling, you might not be there. What we recommend is to call 3 alcohol or drug addiction treatment centers here in Dallas, and just ask questions. Ask what kinds of addiction they treat, length of stays, types of therapy and treatment, and cost. The facilities will keep the information you provide confidential, and afterward you’ll be armed with the information you need when you’re ready to enroll into a rehab facility.
If you’re on the fence about admitting into a rehab center, check out this blog on reasons to seek addiction treatment during the holidays here.
- Create a healthy habit
Addiction is a sneaky, complicated disease. Drug abuse can arise from a gateway substance, like alcohol abuse. Or, it can happen after a surgery where an individual takes painkillers too long and becomes dependent. It can happen because of stress, loneliness, boredom. It can co-occur alongside other mental health disorders, like bipolar disorder or depression. Consuming drugs or alcohol for an addict is a habit, a tick, with urges that are hard (or impossible) to ignore. Our second idea for a New Year’s resolution for an addict is to find one healthy habit to help distract from the urges of addiction. This might be walking outside, cooking, gardening, coloring, talking on the phone with a loved one, and more.
Note: it can be extremely challenging for an addict to find healthy habits for themselves. An addiction treatment facility can help you fight your addiction, while uncovering the underlying causes of addiction and helping you find positive, healthy ways of coping (like healthy habits and more). Addiction is a disease, and should be professionally treated like any other medical ailment. Give us a call today to help: 214-974-5876.
- Make amends with 3 people you care about
Call 3 people who you love, but may have an estranged relationship with. Be honest with them about where you’re at in your addiction journey, and ask them to walk alongside you as you work to get sober. If you’re on the fence about really enrolling in addiction treatment in Dallas, TX, maybe you can ask them to make the call and inquire and join you for a tour.
- Go to free addiction treatment once a month
A free, low investment New Year’s resolution for an addict is to commit to going to one free addiction treatment session per month. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meet all over the country, so even if you aren’t in Dallas, you should be able to find an addiction meeting somewhere near you.
- Ask 1 peer from addiction treatment group therapy to socialize
Finding peers who are actively going through recovery or former addicts helps an addict see they’re not alone, and that there is hope for a sober life after substance abuse. Make one of your New Year’s resolutions to socialize with a peer from addiction treatment. Perhaps take it a step further and ask where they attended alcohol or drug rehab, their thoughts, and look into that facility for yourself. Remember: there is no shame in needing help for addiction. It is a complicated disease that can truly affect anyone.
At Lighthouse Recovery, we are here to support those going through drug or alcohol addiction in their recovery journey. We offer a continuum of care, including an Intensive Outpatient Program, Sober Living Houses, and a Recovery Coaching program. Give us a call today to discuss if our Dallas-based addiction treatment is right for you.
