After years of denial and addiction, rehab has given me my life back
A drug and alcohol addict finds redemption
The decision to enter rehabilitation wasn’t an easy one, but I had no choice. Could it have gotten this bad? Some people are committed by desperate relatives or employers. Others, like myself, arrive voluntarily. My alcohol and drug use were making life unmanageable. I’d read up on addiction and knew that my brain wasn’t firing properly. I was doing things that were killing me, lured by the diminishing pleasure they gave. Recently, I went on a long walk, became confused and suddenly thought I had my dog with me. I looked for her for 40 minutes, pleading with other people to help me. When I got home, the dog was there. I realised I was ill. Addiction can be understood as compulsive behaviour that negatively affects all spheres of life. Process addictions — such as gambling, sex or shopping — have as much ability to tear a life apart as any substance-related addiction.
This much I learnt in the first week of primary inpatient care, on a 28-day programme. I spent this time with a...
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