Intervention In-Patient and 12 steps to recovery
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 189
Intervention In-Patient and 12 steps to recovery
Howdy ho all.. Its been awhile since I have been around. Figured I would update....
So I woke up on Valentines day to 11 people sitting in my living room holding papers staring at me as I walked down my stairs. Amongst these people were two strangers, my parents, my siblings and their significant others, my friend, my husband, and my cousin. My children were gone, my vehicle was gone, my wallet was gone... I instantly knew what was about to happen. After all one of my favorite shows is intervention. There were no cameras, no sound track, but everything else was exactly as you see it on tv.
I sat down on the floor in my living room... Livid. I was SO angry. How could they be doing this to me? As they took their turns reading me their prepared speeches I glared at one person only... my husband. I hardly heard much of what they were saying. Essentially though the major points included how much they were worried about me, and more so how much they were worried about my children. I was given two options.... pack my bags and a)leave my house alone and without my boys or b)leave my house with the interventionists and go to treatment.
I chose to go to treatment.... although did I really have any other choice? They brought my babies back so I could say a brief goodbye...they are so young they didn't know what was happening. Aside from them I said nothing to no one. I refused to say goodbye to anyone and even pushed my husband away when he attempted to hug me goodbye.
I was driven to a treatment center 2 hours from my home. I knew nothing about the place I was going, I knew nothing about the program, and essentially I knew very little about the 12 steps. I was dropped off at the door and whisked in as the interventionists drove away.
I spent 3 very unhappy days in the detox unit at the treatment center. They advertised safe and comfortable detox but anyone who has ever come off of opiates knows how silly that is. I was offered Tylenol, immodium, backlofen, and chlonidine(if my blood pressure was high enough, which it usually wasn't.) I was encouraged to take as many hot baths as I could handle and drink a ton of fluids.... Baths were ok but the tremendous amount of energy it took to get dressed afterwards was brutal. Eventually I pee'd clean and was moved to the womans unit.
Now I don't generally get along with woman. I have very few friends and a very small percent of them are females. I was put into a unit with around 25 other addicts/alcoholics. I shared a room with 2 others. I have never had a roommate nor ever lived in this type of environment. I was resistant at first. Planning to push through my time, avoid friendships, and get on with my life.
I spent 6 weeks at the treatment center, during my time there I made it through the first 5 steps of the 12 step program (even though I do not believe in God..I was able to find a way to make the higher power aspect work for me), I met some incredible, loving, kind, brave woman, I met the most amazing female I have ever known who I now consider my best friend, I learned to know myself, I got my confidence back, I inspired people, I made a difference in others lives.... I changed. I completed the program and was given an amazing medallion ceremony in which 25 other females told me how inspirational and amazing I was. I left with my head held high. I left sober and clean for really the first time in 4 years.
Fast forward a few weeks later. I am back home and things are going good. I have found a great NA meeting in my home town and I have been attending weekly. I have also checked out an AA meeting and will be trying out some other local meetings. I do not have a sponsor yet but am keeping my eyes open for one.
I am in touch with my thoughts, my feelings and my emotions... For once in a long time I am not numb, I am not living in a foggy existence and I am not held captive by a tiny little pill with grips of steel. There is light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel may seem long but it eventually ends...
I was terrified of the life I was trapped in... It was literally only a matter of time before I overdosed. Only a matter of time until my children were motherless... only a matter of time before my chances were up.
I feel so free now. I am so grateful my family loved and cared for me enough to spot my destructive behaviors and force me to make a change. I have faith that the future will be amazing. Not always perfect but I have learned that I need to deal with life on life's terms. I have learned that I am not perfect and that is perfectly fine.
For anyone who is still trapped in the vicious grips of addiction there is hope. There is freedom. You need to remain Honest, Open Minded, and Willing that is the HOW.
If anyone ever needs to talk, I am here. I may not always have an answer but I am willing to share my experiences with anyone and a listening ear.
52 days clean and sober
Just for today I will not use....Just for today I will be clean.
So I woke up on Valentines day to 11 people sitting in my living room holding papers staring at me as I walked down my stairs. Amongst these people were two strangers, my parents, my siblings and their significant others, my friend, my husband, and my cousin. My children were gone, my vehicle was gone, my wallet was gone... I instantly knew what was about to happen. After all one of my favorite shows is intervention. There were no cameras, no sound track, but everything else was exactly as you see it on tv.
I sat down on the floor in my living room... Livid. I was SO angry. How could they be doing this to me? As they took their turns reading me their prepared speeches I glared at one person only... my husband. I hardly heard much of what they were saying. Essentially though the major points included how much they were worried about me, and more so how much they were worried about my children. I was given two options.... pack my bags and a)leave my house alone and without my boys or b)leave my house with the interventionists and go to treatment.
I chose to go to treatment.... although did I really have any other choice? They brought my babies back so I could say a brief goodbye...they are so young they didn't know what was happening. Aside from them I said nothing to no one. I refused to say goodbye to anyone and even pushed my husband away when he attempted to hug me goodbye.
I was driven to a treatment center 2 hours from my home. I knew nothing about the place I was going, I knew nothing about the program, and essentially I knew very little about the 12 steps. I was dropped off at the door and whisked in as the interventionists drove away.
I spent 3 very unhappy days in the detox unit at the treatment center. They advertised safe and comfortable detox but anyone who has ever come off of opiates knows how silly that is. I was offered Tylenol, immodium, backlofen, and chlonidine(if my blood pressure was high enough, which it usually wasn't.) I was encouraged to take as many hot baths as I could handle and drink a ton of fluids.... Baths were ok but the tremendous amount of energy it took to get dressed afterwards was brutal. Eventually I pee'd clean and was moved to the womans unit.
Now I don't generally get along with woman. I have very few friends and a very small percent of them are females. I was put into a unit with around 25 other addicts/alcoholics. I shared a room with 2 others. I have never had a roommate nor ever lived in this type of environment. I was resistant at first. Planning to push through my time, avoid friendships, and get on with my life.
I spent 6 weeks at the treatment center, during my time there I made it through the first 5 steps of the 12 step program (even though I do not believe in God..I was able to find a way to make the higher power aspect work for me), I met some incredible, loving, kind, brave woman, I met the most amazing female I have ever known who I now consider my best friend, I learned to know myself, I got my confidence back, I inspired people, I made a difference in others lives.... I changed. I completed the program and was given an amazing medallion ceremony in which 25 other females told me how inspirational and amazing I was. I left with my head held high. I left sober and clean for really the first time in 4 years.
Fast forward a few weeks later. I am back home and things are going good. I have found a great NA meeting in my home town and I have been attending weekly. I have also checked out an AA meeting and will be trying out some other local meetings. I do not have a sponsor yet but am keeping my eyes open for one.
I am in touch with my thoughts, my feelings and my emotions... For once in a long time I am not numb, I am not living in a foggy existence and I am not held captive by a tiny little pill with grips of steel. There is light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel may seem long but it eventually ends...
I was terrified of the life I was trapped in... It was literally only a matter of time before I overdosed. Only a matter of time until my children were motherless... only a matter of time before my chances were up.
I feel so free now. I am so grateful my family loved and cared for me enough to spot my destructive behaviors and force me to make a change. I have faith that the future will be amazing. Not always perfect but I have learned that I need to deal with life on life's terms. I have learned that I am not perfect and that is perfectly fine.
For anyone who is still trapped in the vicious grips of addiction there is hope. There is freedom. You need to remain Honest, Open Minded, and Willing that is the HOW.
If anyone ever needs to talk, I am here. I may not always have an answer but I am willing to share my experiences with anyone and a listening ear.
52 days clean and sober
Just for today I will not use....Just for today I will be clean.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Congratulations and thanks for sharing a very inspiring story purechaos. And thank you for the offer to share....i think that is just as important as working on our own sobriety. Very glad that you were able to make the best of the situation, many do note even after interventions as such. Blessings to you and your family.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 189
Thank you all so much. It feels so amazing to not feel so trapped. My life had been an endless cycle of withdrawal and leveling out. Using wasn't enjoyable... It was just necessary. I was living in a very abnormal "normal".... Freedom feels so amazing.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 9,029
Good for you! Thank you for posting this. I faced a similar situation. My husband told me he was leaving and taking the kids unless I went into treatment. I went and it was a very positive experience. Keep up the good work.
For Grace
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Maryland
Posts: 92
I am glad you finished that thread by acknowledging your family members for their courage to confront you. Your husband sounds absolutely amazing. A lot of people would just leave. His actions speak volumes as to the kind of man he is and his love, faith, and support for you. You are lucky.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 189
It is amazing what they did for me. I am so lucky to have so many people that showed up for me. Plus there were more that wanted to come. Not only was it tough on them emotionally but financially as well. The intervention itself cost $3000. Yikes. The anger with my family disapated quickly... there were many people in treatment with me that had no one. .. I am grateful and lucky for the support system I have.
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,960
Congrats!!
I strongly suggest that anyone working those 12 steps get to step 7.....six is an hour of deep reflection (Have I left anything out of step 5 and if so, get it out of me now) and step 7, a prayer to a power greater than you (mine was undefined).
Keep moving forward!!!!!!!!!!!
I strongly suggest that anyone working those 12 steps get to step 7.....six is an hour of deep reflection (Have I left anything out of step 5 and if so, get it out of me now) and step 7, a prayer to a power greater than you (mine was undefined).
Keep moving forward!!!!!!!!!!!
Re-Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 7,908
Congratulations on 100 days. I was not hanging around the forums when you posted your original intervention story so got to read it for the first time just now. Very inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing your recovery with us!
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
