Home for the Holidays or Rehab?

Family Holiday - Trigger!

Family holidays can be wonderful occasions, just like a Norman Rockwell illustration where everyone looks happy. On the other hand, they can be nothing like that at all. They can be a big trigger!

Perhaps you grew up in an alcoholic or similarly dysfunctional home and when you get together with your family of origin, you reprise the same role you played growing up: a clown, a scapegoat, or the perfect child. You’ve been battling your demons for years. If you've been to rehab or some other form of treatment or therapy in the past, perhaps you thought you had left all those behaviors behind. However, when you see your parents or your siblings, and they offer you a drink or a drug. You gladly accept it even though you thought you were “cured” and promised yourself you’d be “good.”

Or maybe you have put off going to rehab. Deep down inside, the thought of leaving your family behind makes it unfathomable. They might be flawed and they might drive you to drink (or drug), but they’re still family, trigger or not.

You have to cope somehow

What goes on in your family really isn’t very funny, but after you have a few drinks, you’re the life of the party. You can take everyone’s mind off of the family’s dirty little secrets or decades-old feuds, and everything feels right in the world. Or you use drugs because your family blames you for everything. When you’re high, it doesn’t matter anymore. You can tolerate sitting around the table with everyone who has wronged you over the years. They’re almost likable when you’ve had a few.

Or maybe your life looks perfect on the outside, but on the inside, you feel ugly or like you are dying. You self-medicate to take away those feelings. Then you can plaster that smile on your face and help in the kitchen even though inside you’re burning with anger. But rehab is not for you, you think. You can manage on your own.

It’s not your fault

The fact is, it’s not your fault you are an alcoholic. You may have been a child when your addiction took hold of you. You may have even been born an addict if your mom was actively using alcohol or drugs during her pregnancy. There are a multitude of biological, social, psychological and environmental factors involved in addiction. You don’t have control over any of that. Especially in early age. Nature and nurture.

But, now it’s time to stop blaming your family and accept responsibility for your adult life. What you do have control over is making the decision to change once and for all. Going on the wagon doesn’t work, as you probably know. You can’t fix your alcoholism or addiction on your own. You need help to learn how to live sober and make a lasting change, even with the trigger of family. A high quality rehab is a great place to start. And it starts by reaching out for help.

It doesn’t have to be this way forever

Only you can decide when you’ve had enough. Make the commitment to go to rehab to give yourself the chance for a fresh start.  Serenity Vista rates as one of the world’s top ten alcohol and drug rehabs. Inquire today and imagine how good your life could be 45, 70 or 90 days from now.

Don’t wait. It doesn’t have to get any worse than it already is. Imagine bypassing the family drama and going straight to a beautiful rehab for the holidays. Give yourself the Christmas gift of a new, healthy, joyous new life. Be with sober people in a warm, kind, healthy environment.

Christmas dinner is a joyous time at Serenity Vista. We have a seat at the table for you!

Inquire Now