Are you or a loved one struggling with alcohol addiction while parenting? If so, today’s guest post, written by a member of The Recovery Village may help. It includes information regarding overcoming an alcohol addiction as a parent and looks at the importance of seeking treatment.
The Importance Of Seeking Treatment
Overcoming an addiction to a substance such as alcohol, can be an incredibly challenging process. There are many steps you can take and resources you can utilize in order to become sober and rebuild your life.
If you are a parent, an addiction can be especially damaging to your life and your ability to parent. Therefore, it is vital that you seek treatment or devise a plan to establish and maintain sobriety in order to become the best possible parent you can be and provide a safe, secure environment for your children.
Building A Strong Support System
Getting sober on your own can be incredibly difficult. However, this is not to say that it is impossible to achieve sobriety on your own, but having a strong support system can help to alleviate some of the burden and make it easier to stay on track.
In order to build a strong support network, you need to know who you currently have in your life that will support you during this process and be understanding of the challenges you are about to face. You need to make sure that the people you surround yourself with during your recovery are trustworthy and supportive.
You may also want to seek the services of a professional, such as a therapist, or a rehabilitation facility. Typically, these types of services provide you with access to trained professionals who are able to provide you with helpful tools for navigating your recovery successfully.
Also, if you choose to go to a rehabilitation facility, this will provide you with a safe environment that is free of many of the triggers found in your day-to-day life. Essentially, this type of environment is designed to support you and help you to overcome your addiction in the most effective manner.
Changing Your Social Activities
It is important to note that you may sometimes have to change who you interact with socially after receiving treatment. You may want to consider spending less time with other people who are also addicts because they are often negative influences. Being around other people who drink can often cause you to begin drinking again, which will ruin the progress you have made.
Choosing to limit interaction with other addicts is a personal decision and does not mean that you have to lose connection with them completely. It is just important to set healthy boundaries and ensure the people you spend time with understand the importance of your recovery and that they support you.
You may also want to avoid places, such as bars and parties, where you know there will be a lot of people drinking because this also can be a trigger.
Lastly, you should remember that your children are an integral part of your recovery. Spending more time with them engaging in positive activities while focusing on raising them in a secure environment will help to keep you motivated.
Understanding What Led To Your Alcohol Addiction
Addiction is often a symptom of an underlying issue, which needs to be addressed and processed. Therefore, it can often be helpful to identify what caused your drinking in the first place during your recovery. Doing so will allow you to effectively process the negative emotions and memories that may be weighing you down.
If you understand yourself on a better level and your motivation for drinking, this can help you to prevent your addiction from reoccurring in the future. Within a rehabilitation facility, you will often have access to professionals who can help you manage your negative emotions and behaviours and learn ways to overcome your issues in a productive manner.
Overall, achieving sobriety can be a complicated process. It requires a lot of effort and dedication to getting well. Often, alcohol addiction can damage your personal relationships, including the relationships with your children.
Receiving treatment will allow you to focus your energy on rebuilding these relationships and becoming a better parent in the long run. When you’re a parent, it is important to remember that your children rely on you and that your decisions impact them directly. Everyone makes mistakes and overcoming your obstacles will demonstrate to your children the importance of perseverance and second chances.
Guest Contributor: Daniel Factor is a freelance writer from Birmingham, Alabama. He is dedicated to helping those who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction.