Towards the end of the year, people start pondering on what goals they will set for the New Year. For someone who is addicted to drugs and alcohol, sobriety might seem like the logical choice for a New Year’s Resolution. You may have tried to stop using and drinking many times before with no avail, although now you believe having January 1st as a sobriety date could give you the motivation you need to finally stop. Will this actually work for you though? There are two sides to this equation to consider, so let’s look at both.
New Year’s Resolution
Although there are some people who follow through with their resolutions, 80 percent of people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions by February. What throws people off is the word resolution itself. Resolution wails that you must carry out what you started which trips people up mentality. Setting a resolution is often bigger than what someone can handle without having measures in place to achieve what they have set out to accomplish. The difficulty of some resolutions can really set someone up to fail such as stopping drug and alcohol use. Most people need solid actions to help them arrest their addiction and not just use will power.
One Day at a Time
All addiction centers in the mind and you cannot think yourself into the right action. You will have to act yourself into right thinking. Sound confusing? What this means is that if you want some change to take place in your life, you have to take the action to do so. Thinking about it has probably only led you to well, think about it. Using a recovery program to help you understand why you have an addiction and how to combat it is extremely important to comprehend. Rather than think about what to do, you will need to start working the 12-Steps, attend therapy, garner support, and be of service to others to help you to keep your resolution in the long run. Looking at a resolution with a “one day at a time” perspective is key to helping you to attain long term sobriety.
Resolutions are not a bad concept, but if you want to uphold them, you will have to put some effort into goal setting so that the execution becomes a reality. Recovery is more than a resolution – it is a lifestyle.
Offering a full range of recovery and mental health services, Detox Center of Colorado offers “Expanded Recovery” to enrich our clients’ lives in mind, body, and spirit. Through evidence-based therapy options and the endless adventure of Colorado, Detox Center of Colorado fosters connection, encouraging clients to get connected to themselves, their peers, their families, and their higher power. With the power of recovery, clients are restored to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today for more information: 303-536-5463
