Tag Archive for: sobriety

The Empowerment of Bringing in the New Year Sober

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We often celebrate the New Year as a chance to start fresh, a chance for resolutions, and a way to remember the positive things throughout the year. When you are in recovery, there is so much to celebrate. You are given a new chance at life and a new outlook through sober, healthy eyes. At Fresh Start of California, the patients in our Orange County detox and rehabilitation center are provided the tools and life skills to succeed in sober living. We understand that it may take some time to find happiness being sober, but we are hopeful and encouraging to all that there is so much to be joyful about.

Celebrate sobriety while enjoying the start of a new year by remembering the empowerment that sobriety offers. If you need help with your recovery journey, contact the Orange County detox and rehabilitation professionals at Fresh Start of California. We are here 24/7.

Call Fresh Start of California now.

7 Reasons to Feel Empowered for New Years

If you are feeling down or your confidence in sobriety is lacking, take a moment to take stock of all of the reasons to be proud. Let our list below be your starting point and remember that you have plenty of reasons to celebrate and share your journey this New Years’.

  1. You are in control. Sobriety gives you the gift of control over your life. You are no longer under the control of a substance so you can now be the one who determines your responsibilities, goals, and consequences.
  2. You have choices. You can choose where, how, when, and with whom you celebrate New Year’s Eve and the rest of your life. You are in charge of your life now, no one and nothing else.
  3. Your body has changed. Sobriety will help improve your health, your looks, and your emotional and mental state. Sobriety brings you back to life, emotionally, mentally, and physically, all the way to a cellular level inside of your body. It eliminates substance-related bloating, improves the shine of your hair, decreases body fat from empty calories in alcoholic drinks, and improves your body weight ratio of fat to muscle.
  4. You have opportunities. Sobriety opens up doors that would otherwise be closed while in addiction. Whether you want to go back to school, start a passion project, start new relationships, or get a new job, sobriety is key to the success of your endeavors.
  5. You can experience emotions. Much of what we learn in recovery is the spirit of humility and gratitude. Humility and gratitude are empowering because they give you a completely different perspective than one of being guarded and defensive. Find power in vulnerability.
  6. You are the main character. You are rewriting your life story starting with recovery and you are the new main character. In your old life, your substance was the main character, but this is no longer the case.
  7. You have new energy. You can walk into a room with confidence, exuding the energy that you know is positive, sober, and valuable. Be secure and confident that you can experience life with curiosity and excitement, giving your energy to what you choose.

The Empowerment of Freedom

The biggest thing to celebrate this New Years’ is the empowerment of freedom from the prison of addiction. Addiction robs you of opportunity, freedom of choice, and the health that comes with sobriety. You have so much to live for, so why not take advantage of the opportunity to celebrate your sober life on New Year’s Eve? Give yourself the credit you deserve. Whether you just started your sober journey or have years under your belt, find a reason to feel powerful today knowing you took back control from drugs and alcohol.

Call on the recovery professionals at Fresh Start of California for detox and rehabilitation options in Orange County if you need support in sobriety. You are not alone. Contact our team today and get started.

6 Steps to Help Someone with an Addiction

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Friend Being Supportive with Friend Suffering from Addiction

Watching a loved one suffer from a drug or alcohol addiction can be one of the most painful and emotionally taxing experiences. If you are in this predicament, you may be wondering what steps you can take to help. Our Orange County detox and residential treatment team at Fresh Start of California is here to help you understand the process so you can begin helping your spouse, friend, or family member.

Step 1: Educate Yourself

It can be easy to become frustrated with your loved one. In fact, you might find yourself grappling with thoughts like, “They should just stop doing it,” or “They are so selfish,” but the fact is, addiction leaves the addict helpless. Addiction is a disease, and unless it is properly handled and treated, the addict may be unable to achieve sobriety.

For this reason, the first step should be to educate yourself on addiction and the addict’s disease process. You may even consider learning about the way addiction can affect friends and family. Although the process may still be difficult for you and other friends and family members, educating yourself may allow you to feel normal as you move through the emotional process.

Step 2: Get the Support You Need

As you move through the process of helping your loved one get the help they need, it is crucial you have a supportive group that understands the hardships you have and will endure. For this reason, you may want to consider joining one of the following groups:

Step 3: Establish Trust with Your Loved One

This can be the most difficult step, especially if your loved one has already betrayed your trust through the use of drugs or alcohol. However, it is critical you establish a level of trust with your addicted loved one if you want them to consider getting help. Build trust with your spouse, friend, or family member who may be struggling with addiction by keeping the following in mind:

  • Do not criticize, lecture, or nag them
  • Do not yell at them
  • Do not name-call
  • Do not engage in ill behavior yourself

While building trust with your loved one, it is also important to do the following:

  • Hold them accountable to expectations
  • Offer direction to treatment when needed or when they are ready
  • Remain patient with them and with yourself

Step 4: Do Not Enable Your Loved One

Trust is not established by enabling your loved one to exhibit bad behavior. Often, an addict will need to experience the consequences of their addiction before reaching out for help. In many cases, family and friends support the person’s addiction without noticing. For this reason, it is critical you remain aware of your own actions and be sure to consider the following:

  • Refrain from financially supporting your loved one and his or her addiction
  • Do not provide financial assistance to pay for his or her attorney fees and court fines
  • Do not pay his or her rent

While all the actions listed above may appear harsh, not following the advice can prolong your loved one’s disease. Remember, an addict cannot achieve sobriety until he or she is ready to receive help or treatment.

Step 5: Communicate with Your Loved One

While you may feel like pushing your loved one to change, remember that they will only move towards treatment options when they make the decision for themselves. It is, however, important to note that they may be more open to change if you communicate honestly and in a way that does not sound pushy or threatening. Be sure to:

  • Share your feelings
  • Explain what you would like to happen
  • Explain what the process of their addiction has been like from your perspective

Step 6: Be Encouraging Throughout the Treatment Process

When your loved one is ready, he or she may ask you to contact a rehab, detox treatment facility, or residential treatment facility. When that time comes, be sure to be open to their desires in regards to the type of program they would like to enter, the location for their treatment, and any other requests they may have. Be sure to speak with multiple treatment centers before deciding on a facility. You want to be sure that the facility’s goals and treatment options are customized for your friend or family member’s addiction.  It is crucial to find a treatment center that does not have a cookie-cutter approach for every client.

Need More Help? Call Our Orange County Rehab and Detox Today

If your spouse, friend, or loved one is struggling with addiction and you would like to speak about treatment options, call our Orange County addiction treatment center right away. Backed by a compassionate medically trained treatment team, Fresh Start of California will answer all your questions and find a solution that best fits your needs. We understand the process is difficult, and we want to be there for you.

Call Fresh Start of California at 714-558-2600 for immediate help. Our detox treatment center in Orange County, California accepts client from all over the US. Get the Fresh Start you need today!