1. A
re you struggling with your use of alcohol
or drugs? Has gambling, sex, shopping,
or even your work, become the focal
point of your day? In your mind, you certainly do
not have an alcohol, drug, or other “problem.”
Others, however, can clearly see the impending
dangers on the road you are travelling. Your
family and friends can see that your activities
and behaviours are problems, but to you, it is
much easier to see them as “the solution.” You
don’t want to think of the substance or behaviour
as the problem. Why? Because then all you would
need to do is quit, and everything would be okay,
right?
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Quitting
will not make all of the issues in your life
magically vanish. You need to find another
“solution” that is stronger than the one you have
been depending upon to deal with life. A
frequently used axiom in the 12 step fellowship is,
“if there is no change...there is no change.” In
other words, your behaviour will likely continue
unless you take steps to make meaningful
changes in your life. These types of sayings may
sound trite, but they can be very profound when
considered with an open mind.
You finally make the decision to look for help,
and enter a rehab program. Your family and
friends will be pleased; they have probably
known for quite a while that help was needed.
You might feel anxious and nervous, but you will
also feel a sense of relief from accepting the fact
that you need help.
Often, people think that a stay at rehab is a
time for relaxation and rest. Yes, there will be
rest periods, but there will also be a lot of hard
work done. The formats and models used can
vary between treatment centres, but a quality
program will be delivered using evidence-based
treatment approaches. Programs can vary in
Rehab...and beyond
B Y K I M H O L M G R E N , D I P . A C D , C C A C
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2. format, but a quality holistically focused program
will include components such as: lectures on a
wide range of topics dealing with addiction and
recovery; group and individual therapy; nutritional
counselling; exercise; relaxation; meditation;
spirituality; journaling; and planning for life after
rehab. Think of it as going back to school to learn
about the disease of addiction. In the process,
you will also learn a lot about yourself.
Addiction is often viewed as a family disease,
which is likely not something your family wants
to hear. They want to believe that you are the
only one with the problem. But the reality is that
as you slide deeper into your addiction, your
family and close friends are dragged down too.
Gradually, your addiction consumes their own
lives as they try to find a way to get you to stop.
Unfortunately, their focus at that stage is only on
finding a way to stop, as opposed to looking at
what is necessary to “stay stopped.”
Your family and friends may have had the
attitude that “you have a problem — you need to
take care of it.” They do not realize how much
they have been affected, too. As you start down
the path to recovery, you now have a clearly
defined role: to stay sober and/or not act out.
But what is next for your family and friends? In
order for both you and your family to experience
a strong recovery, it is important for them to
learn about addiction as well, including the role
of family dynamics. Many treatment programs
include family-focused programs and services
which can contribute to continued success for
both you and your family.
Having spent several weeks or months at a
residential treatment centre, your graduation
day is approaching, and a feeling of unease
might be setting in. While you are feeling
stronger and healthier than you have in a long
time, you realize that you will soon be leaving the
shelter and support of your treatment team and
peers. Before you decided to attend rehab, there
is a good chance that you tried to stop on your
own — perhaps many times. Your attempts may
have been in response to your own concerns
about the direction your life was taking, or
because of pressure from family and/or work.
You might even have been successful in remain-
ing sober for a number of weeks, months, or even
years. Most addicts can stop for a while, but if
there is no motivation to stay sober, the behav-
iour will come back, and willpower alone will not
be enough to stay away from using or acting out.
Once you have successfully completed your
residential program, the real work begins.
During your stay in treatment, you will have
acquired many valuable tools to aid you in your
journey of change and recovery. As with any
newly acquired tools, it takes practice to make
sure they stay effective and sharp. During your
program, your treatment team will have worked
with you to develop a strong aftercare plan. The
plan could include participation in a weekly
addiction-specific continuing care group, weekly
sessions with a therapist, and regular sessions
with a physician specializing in addiction. The
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3. plan will also include various lifestyle recommen-
dations relating to nutrition, exercise, and sleep.
Twelve step programs, such as Alcoholics
Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, are an
invaluable support network for millions of people
world-wide. Some addicts recover through a 12
step program alone, and many treatment centres
are based on the 12 step program. Most treat-
ment centres recommend involvement with a 12
step group to their clients as part of their life-
long recovery plan.
The accountability of belonging to a
continuous care group and/or 12 step group can
be vital to your successful recovery. Relapse
begins before the using or acting out happens; it
is a process that can be stopped if it is
recognized. If you begin to struggle and are not
realizing it, someone else in your support
network might see the warning signs. One of the
most common warning signs that you might be
struggling is not attending your support
meetings. If you need to miss a meeting for a
valid reason, always check in with someone,
preferably someone from your support group,
ahead of time to make sure that your reason for
skipping the meeting is valid. Ask yourself if your
reason would have prevented you from feeding
your addiction. Excuses such as “I’m too tired” or
“it’s pouring rain” might seem valid and
justifiable to you. But would these excuses have
prevented you from going to the liquor store or
calling your dealer? Also, as you develop a
network of support, you may find that others will
pro-actively follow-up if you do not make a
meeting. The recovery community is a caring
community where people accept and respect
each other, and see your recovery as a priority at
any given time.
Aftercare groups and 12 step meetings are
also available for your family and friends. These
groups provide opportunities for your loved ones
to be in the company of others who have gone
through similar experiences, identify with, and
learn from them.
From the moment when you took your first
step towards recovery to the present, you will
have undoubtedly experienced a rollercoaster of
emotions. You will have learned and accepted
many new things about yourself, your family, and
your friends. You will have begun to enjoy a new
life full of promise, unhindered by addiction. You
may have also faced days where the clouds
blocked the sun. In these times, the most
important thing is to keep an open mind. Learn
from, and lean on others who can share their
experiences. Remember how far you have come.
Beyond rehab, the possibilities are limitless. .
Kim Holmgren, Dip. ACD, joined Bellwood in 2013
as a Recovery Counsellor in the Continuing Care
Program. In his current role as an Outpatient
Addiction Counsellor, Kim works with clients in
their recovery process by helping develop strong
post-treatment plans for returning home, to their
community and to their workplace. Kim also
provides counselling and leads evening aftercare
groups. Prior to joining Bellwood’s staff, Kim was
involved for many years as a Bellwood volunteer.
He completed the Addiction Careworker Diploma
at McMaster University in 2009, and has also
completed additional courses in concurrent
disorders and psychology.
WWW.MOODSMAG.COM SPRING 2016 13
u n d e r s t a n d i n g
“One of the most common warning signs
that you might be struggling is not
attending your support meetings.”