Thought: ‘Before reaching for a battering ram, check if the door is locked.’
Addictions UK uses Twitter to share inspirational Thoughts every day. This article is based on one of them. Follow us at @addictionsuk.
Recovery from addiction to alcohol, drugs or anything else requires a careful examination of every aspect of your life and circumstances. Obviously it requires, too, a plan for action and change.
It is vital not to rush into doing things before you’ve worked out what really needs doing!
There are two dangers to being too hasty.
The first is that you will not have established the proper priorities. Some matters are really desperately urgent and others can easily wait and it’s essential to work out which is which and to focus effort where it is most needed. Sometimes it’s really not possible to deal with an issue until other obstructions have been removed or other conflicts resolved. Assessment and planning are vital.
Often what looks like a big problem really isn’t. It’s essential to get things in proportion and that’s never easy when you have only just realised and accepted what a mess your life is in. Maybe what looks like a major difficulty is actually the one thing you need to hang on to. Be careful to keep the baby when you ditch the bathwater.
Assessment and planning require objectivity and that’s something else which is by no means easy when you are “in the thick of it”. It’s just one of the reasons why we need support and mentoring as we begin recovery.
Please contact us now if you need help with recovery from any addiction and especially if you are seeking home-based treatment.
