The influential British author George Orwell once said, “Happiness can exist only in acceptance.” This is certainly true when we are struggling with something out of our control. With substance use disorders (SUDs), we can feel as though we are lost. It is only once we accept the realities of our situation that we can then begin to address it.
However, acceptance is only the first step in taking our life back. Acknowledging that we have a problem is important, but it cannot be addressed or resolved if we do not act upon it.
If you are struggling with admitting you have a problem with substance or alcohol abuse or addiction, you don’t have to struggle anymore. You also don’t have to struggle alone. Roots Through Recovery is here to help you find the acceptance you need to take the proper action to get well.
Acceptance Is Not the ‘Only Answer’
If you are familiar with 12-Step programs or substance abuse recovery, you may have heard the phrase, “Acceptance is the answer.” Here at Roots Through Recovery, we believe acceptance is one of the answers. The other answers come from turning that acceptance into skillful action.
Think of active addiction as searching for a lost key to a locked door. Awareness is understanding that you’ve lost the key and the door is locked. Acceptance is finding the key and putting it in the lock. However, skillful action is what you need to turn the key, open the door, and find out what is inside.
Once inside that “door,” Roots Through Recovery has the tools and resources to get you well and help you stay well. We aim to teach you the life skills and tools you need to live a long and healthy life of recovery.
Acceptance Is Just the First Step. What Comes Next?
After acceptance has been established, the real work of recovery can begin. There is also a saying in many 12-Step rooms that goes, “Faith without works is dead.” While recovering from substance abuse or addiction can be one of the hardest things you ever do, it also may be the most rewarding. We are here to help take some of those difficulties away. Our program has the clinicians, programs, and professionals you need to help get you on the road to recovery.
The next step after acceptance is determining the proper type of care you may need. Roots Through Recovery has several options by which we can establish an individualized plan to get you well. These options may include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Inpatient or outpatient treatment
- Mindfulness and artistic therapeutic programs
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
Whatever therapy or treatment your individualized plan may include, Roots Through Recovery is confident that we can find the right one to help you succeed. Our ultimate goal is to help you to recover and stay recovered.
Taking Action After Acceptance
Modern philosopher and author of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle, says it is important to “Accept – then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” That is why we believe that working through and accepting the present moment will pay dividends in your recovery down the road.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
One of the tools we use at Roots Through Recovery is acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). First, it is essential to understand what ACT is.
According to the Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, “The core of ACT when used in [substance use disorder] treatment is guiding people to accept the urges and symptoms associated with substance misuse (acceptance) and use psychological flexibility and value-based interventions to reduce those urges and the symptoms (commitment).” Roots Through Recovery wants to help you accept what is happening with your alcohol or substance abuse rather than avoid that the problem exists.
It is essential to understand that struggling with SUD is not a failure. It is just a situation that needs a solution. Remember, “We must fall to learn how to get back up.” Without struggle, there can be no growth. It is simply a fact of life.
We aim to utilize ACT to help get to the underlying issues or comorbidities associated with SUD. Once we accept that we have a problem, we can then begin to “commit” to work on these underlying issues. It is often the case that these underlying issues are what cause relapse. ACT can help to mitigate relapse and keep you on the positive road of recovery.
Take Action Today With Roots Through Recovery
Yes, acceptance is vital to a healthy recovery. However, it is not the only part. Let Roots Through Recovery help you take the action to make that acceptance worth all the effort you put into getting there.
Accepting that you have an addiction is only the beginning. It’s what you do with this information that counts. Once you identify and accept that you need help, then you can begin the incredible journey of recovery. Roots Through Recovery has several diagnosis and treatment options that can help activate a plan for individualized care that best suits your needs. If you are struggling with substance use disorder (SUD), it is never too late to get the help you need. Acceptance is the first step, but it is a big one. Let us help take you the rest of the way. For more information on our program, call Roots Through Recovery at (562) 473-0827.
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