Carly Gets Tech-Savvy
The grass isn’t greener on the other side. It’s greener where you water it.”
– Anonymous
It’s 5:00 in the morning. It’s still dark outside, yet this is my new wake-up time. To be dressed and out of the house at this hour is an accomplishment for someone who used to wake up shaking, in need of a drink. I am now an official “Behavioral Health Technician” for a nearby rehabilitation center.
I’m really excited I was able to get this position after only one year of sobriety. Many recovery centers require at least two years. But, my extra service work and lots of AA references paid off. I desperately needed the income too, as I was struggling to get my consulting business going again.
Getting sober in itself is hard enough for anyone, but the extreme stresses of living in major financial lack adds to the challenge. Some recovering addicts are fortunate enough to have money, family, or health insurance to enable them to go to rehab. For others, rehab is an unaffordable luxury.
In my journey as an addict, all that I had experienced was through the lens of impoverishment. For me, pathways and solutions were limited. The one positive aspect is that I could not afford to play around with my recovery. It was homelessness and life or death for me. I couldn’t be lackadaisical in my approach to sobriety. Second chances were not an option. Some people in recovery know they have plenty of resources behind them so their challenges can be different.
It’s harder to gain the gift of desperation when you’re not in a desperate situation financially.
There is less willingness to change when circumstances enable you to stay stuck. In essence, the motivating force pushing you forward may not be powerful enough. Even with a strong desire for change, if you’re not in a “do or die” situation, you know it. This can be a stumbling block.
By the end of my first week on the job, I was totally impressed with rehab. Think about it. Rehab offers one-on-one professional therapy, group therapy, all your meals magically arrive on time, and you are basically free from all responsibilities of life. There are movies and games and comradery. It’s a safe, healthy and supportive environment. Clients take it easy at the beach or relax around the pool and get extra emotional support with others who are going through the same thing. They are not alone. The balanced daily structure and the opportunity to connect with others makes recovery so much easier.
My life after detox consisted of an AA meeting every day. Afterwards, I was at home, alone, just me and my racing mind for the next 23 hours. Though no alcoholic or addict ever looks forward to getting sober, I see rehab centers as a huge blessing; a gift of support to help you through the process.
I also came to realize what a gift it was for me to be working there. That job became more than a peripheral source of income. I could see and personally understand what every client was going through. No matter our individual differences, we were united with the same disease. I could listen to them with compassion and non-judgment. Just a few simple but honest words of encouragement gave them a little more hope and inspiration. And I felt good to be a small part in helping them through the rough edges. Gratitude for my High Power continued to grow for my new life in sobriety.
Alcoholics and drug addicts are completely powerless over their addiction and unless they have structured help, they have no hope.”
– Russell Brand