Just as addiction can take months or years to manifest, so too does addiction recovery. Drug addiction recovery for veterans is a process that unfolds over time, both before and after making the decision to get well. You don’t have to know what that whole process looks like in order to start. Here are five tips to help you begin your journey to reconnection, renewal, and recovery.
Drug Drug Addiction Recovery for Veterans Tip 1: Understand You Are Not Alone
Drug addiction is an isolating experience, but especially for veterans it is not one that you ever experience alone. More than ten percent of veterans struggle with substance abuse.
Not only are there others trudging the same difficult path as you; but also, there are many others who have struggled with addiction recovery and made it to the other side. No matter where you are on your journey, you’ll find fellow veterans who understand what you’re going through and have the experience to help you get through it successfully.
Drug Addiction Recovery for Veterans Tip 2: Accept That Addiction Is A Disease
Addiction is not a moral failing that requires you to up your will power in order to beat it. We’ve known for decades now that addiction is a chronic disease, similar to diabetes, hypertension, or cancer. Just like those other ailments, addiction can be successfully treated with the right professional care. Very few people would try to fight cancer on their own. Similarly, you don’t have to face addiction all by yourself.
Drug Addiction Recovery for Veterans Tip 3: Explore Addiction Treatment Options
There are many different kinds of addiction treatment options for veterans depending on your particular struggles, goals, and resources. You might start small, working with a counselor, or decide to dive right into residential addiction treatment. From there, you can continue on with intensive outpatient addiction treatment or a sober living community. You might find 12 Step meetings helpful, or enjoy other fellowships like SMART Recovery. Every person struggling with addiction is unique, but there also is a unique solution for everyone.
Drug Addiction Recovery for Veterans Tip 4: Understand How To Pay For Rehab
Don’t let the fear of paying for rehab keep you from getting the help you need. Addiction treatment facilities will work with you to find treatment that is affordable and even covered by your insurance. For example, Acqua Recovery is proud to be in network with TRICARE, TriWest, and TRICARE EAST, so veterans in need of addiction treatment can use their benefits to get help. If you’re not sure what kind of treatment your insurance covers — or if it covers anything at all — simply give us a call. We’ll verify your benefits for you so you’ll know exactly what treatment will cost and how you can pay for it.
Drug Addiction Recovery for Veterans Tip 5: Get Help For Your Addiction
Ultimately, addiction recovery is not something you can do on your own. If you could, you probably would have beaten it already! The process of getting well truly starts with reaching out a hand for help. The members of our addiction treatment admissions team have been in your shoes and are ready and willing to help you find a better life. Contact us today and start your journey to healing.
MATT BIEKERT
Matt was born and raised in North Stonington, Connecticut. He has always been a close-knit family guy. When he is not working you can find him outside, playing sports, being a prankster and enjoying a great laugh. His favorite hobbies are playing golf, photography and travel. Matt had his own struggles with addiction and is very proud to share his story of recovery and his passion for the mission of Acqua. He found his way to Acqua in search of treatment – he was actually our second patient!! He was very excited to join our team on his 1 year sobriety anniversary. He likes to say that he helped open the center (as a patient) and we have never been able to get rid of him! [Editor’s note: we hope we keep him forever.] He began at Acqua by helping create a small, Alumni program, and then transitioned to Outreach and marketing, which is a natural for him because he loves to connect with people from all walks of life who are seeking help. In February 2018, Matt was promoted to Admissions Director; because he is so passionate about his work he never feels like it is a job to help guide people on the path to recovery.
