Spring Cleaning Marks a New Beginning

I recently read a story about a man named Jeff; who after a long struggle with alcohol addiction, finally made the decision to enter alcohol and drug rehab and has now been sober for ten months.

While he was no longer drinking, Jeff had yet to update his kitchen setup to reflect the fact that alcohol is no longer in his life. Meaning, he still had his wine glasses, shot glasses, etc. in the cabinets and remnants of old bottles of alcohol in his liquor cabinet.
It wasn’t until last spring, that Jeff realized he should start his spring cleaning and get rid of anything that might subconsciously trigger a desire for alcohol.

We are on the cusp of another spring season—a time where many will start to take inventory of their lives and homes, cleaning out all the unnecessary clutter; a time commonly referred to as spring cleaning.

Alcohol and drug rehab is similar to spring cleaning as it marks a new beginning…a chance to start again. It’s a time to get rid of anything in your life that may be weighing you down. Now is the time to:

• Clean out your closet of all the clothes you may never wear
• Get rid of toxic relationships
• Cut out any bad habits you don’t want sticking around
• Start that “do-it-yourself” project you’ve always wanted to try
• Clean out those gutters you’ve been neglecting
• Create your own rituals for goals you want to achieve
• Most importantly, make the decision to enter alcohol and drug rehab and get help with your addiction

The same core factors that encompass the annual tradition of spring cleaning can also be applied to entering alcohol and drug rehab for one’s struggle with addiction. Taking that courageous first step to seek help is a mark of a new beginning, a fresh start. Entering alcohol and drug rehab will not cause you to “lose your life” in the shuffle, but rather will allow you to re-evaluate it and start the path to recovery.

We hear too often about the tragic passing of lives such as Whitney Houston’s, cut short by the evil grip of addiction; when everything has just become “too much” and the struggle with drugs and alcohol leads to fatal consequences…The idea of waiting until it’s too late can relate to spring cleaning as well. What happens when you stop cleaning your house for a while? The dust settles and things begin to pile back up and create a mess—a mess that if left alone for too long can simply become too much to handle.

Recovery is like your household. It takes an ongoing process of cleaning up bad habits or “messes” in your life. Many of you may be familiar with actress Demi Lovato and her own struggles with addiction (bulimia and self-cutting). As she puts it, “People think that you’re like a car in the body shop. You go in, they fix you, and you’re out like brand-new. It doesn’t work like that. It takes constant fixing.” When in recovery, it’s important to remember that:

• According to research statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, patients in a drug rehab program will reach a milestone in their recovery after 3 months, however, that doesn’t mean that everyone’s recovery is done after only three months or that additional treatment will not be helpful
• When people leave treatment early their chances for a full recovery drop significantly
• Addiction is a disease which requires constant monitoring, and through a combination of individualized treatment and a dedicated work ethic, long lasting recovery is definitely possible

There are days where you’re going to struggle. I cannot tell you that I have not thrown up since treatment. I cannot tell you I’ve not cut since treatment. I’m not perfect. This is a daily battle that I will face for the rest of my life.

– Demi Lovato

Spring cleaning is a time for the “out with the old, in with the new,” mentality so what better time to begin your new road to recovery? Why not make this spring the year you change your life and move past drug and alcohol addiction? Are you or a loved one suffering from drug or alcohol abuse? Don’t hesitate to call us today!

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