The next 24 hours could change your life! Do you believe that? You should.
We are all given the same 24 hours each day. What we choose to do with it makes all the difference in the world whether we will live a happy, healthy life or a life filled with pain and suffering. What can 24 hours mean to an addict?
24 Hours in the Day of a Life of an Addict
To start, we’ll need to take a quick glance at a typical day in the life of an addict. While this won’t be exactly the same for each person, it’s a good indicator of what happens to the time.
The day starts with waking up to feelings of withdrawal. For an opioid addict, this can mean sweating, nausea and intense muscle aches. If there is enough left over from the night before, they’ll use it. Otherwise, the day starts with a mad rush to fulfill their needs.
Maybe the addict will eat something, walk their dog or possibly shower. Maybe the panic of getting more will be too much to accomplish these tasks.
The thoughts are beginning. “I hate my life.” “What am I going to do if I can’t get more?” Where am I getting the money?”
The addict will steal or lie to get some money for the next high. Then, it’s a dash to the dealer to score what they can. Staring at what they’ve gotten, they attempt to ration it for the entire day. Within minutes, they’ve determined it’s not going to last.
Then, the hunt is on again. More money – more drugs.
Despite how much the addict tells himself throughout the day that it needs to end, he keeps going. More money – more lies – more drugs.
As the day comes to an end and the addict finally returns home, he is greeted by his family, dog or responsibilities he forgot about all day. This leads to more self-pity and loathing. The never-ending cycle goes on and on, until death or recovery.
Does this sound like you or someone you know? The good news is that the next 24 hours could be different.
What Could the Next 24 Hours be?
If the addict doesn’t choose to do something different with their next 24 hours, it could be the last chance. In 2015 alone, drug overdoses were the cause of 52,404 U.S. deaths. That’s more than 140 per day.
The only way to ensure that you aren’t one of them is to use the next 24 hours to change your life. In the next 24 hours, you can decide that enough is enough. You can change the entire course of your life for the better.
It might seem impossible right now, but 24 hours is all that is needed to make the right decision.
24 Hours (One Day at a Time)
All you need to do is stay sober for the next 24 hours. Get yourself into recovery and focus on the next 24 hours in your life.
The treatment team is available to help you deal with this adjustment to your way of thinking. Don’t worry if the treatment plan is 30 days or 90 days. That’s not important right now.
All that matters is your next 24 hours.
This short-term focus is exactly what you need to feel the victory of sobriety. Who cares what next week has in store or even next month? All that matters is if you were sober today.
Waiting for Recovery
If you can’t get into a treatment facility for your first 24 hours, you can still be sober. Here are some steps to help you:
Head to a local 12-step meeting or support group. There will be plenty of options, especially if you live in a big city. If you are nervous about the group, ask a friend to tag along (as long as it’s an open meeting).
Stay busy. Let your friends and family know that you are trying to get sober and are waiting to get into a treatment facility. Ask them to help you stay busy and active during this time with exercise or hobbies. While you might want to lie around all day and watch TV, it isn’t the best way to spend your first day.
Take care of yourself. Don’t allow your thoughts to lead toward critical and negative beliefs about yourself. Instead, take care of yourself and treat yourself to something nice. Soak in a warm tub or go for a relaxing massage. You would’ve had no trouble spending the money on something bad for yourself, so why not do something rewarding?
Reach out. Don’t spend your first 24 hours alone. Even if you can’t find a loved one to spend the time with you, it’s possible to attend multiple meetings and make some new friends. Ask people in the groups to go out to eat with you or spend time talking. Many people will love to help.
As you continue to wait for treatment, practice these steps. It only requires you to focus on 24 hours at a time. If that becomes too much, take it to one hour at a time.
What Will 24 Hours Lead To?
If you can stay focused on these 24 ho
urs, they will quickly turn into more. Before you know it, 24 hours will be 24 days; 24 days will be 24 weeks; 24 weeks will be 24 months and those months turn into 24 years. All this happens with taking just one day at a time.
As you progress further, you’ll be able to help others. Imagine the gratification you’ll feel when you talk to the new person spending their first 24 hours sober. How proud will you be to share your story and how you made it through that difficult time?
All it takes is the courage to begin and the tools to conquer your addiction. Treatment, the 12-step program and a support system can provide all of this and more to you.
So, What Will it be?
Do you want to spend the next 24 hours playing that vicious game of trying to get money and get high over and over again? Do you want to be the next of a long line of statistics of people who overdose today?
OR….are you ready to do something different with your next 24 hours?
The help you need is out there and you can do this! It starts with one small step to stay sober for the next 24 hours. Think of what is possible once that has been accomplished!
Contact Clearbrook Today
If you or someone you know and love is currently struggling with substance abuse issues, we can help.
For 45 years, Clearbrook Treatment Centers has been providing detoxification and residential rehabilitation programs to the chemically dependent person. As our services are of the highest quality, you can rest assured knowing that you will gain the necessary tools for lasting recovery.
If you are ready to take the first step, contact our Admissions Specialists today. Recovery is possible…and it begins here!
