Substance abuse treatment and keeping up your recovery efforts are vital components to achieving long-term recovery. In light of today being National Volunteer Recognition Day, we at Destination Hope wanted to take this opportunity to talk about the very real impact volunteering has on a recovering addicts’ ability to maintain their sobriety.
Many of us are familiar with the philosophy behind the 12-step programs. What many however overlook is the underlying message of the ever-important 12th step. While we are supposed to utilize ourselves and always carry with us the knowledge we’ve learned working the programs of substance abuse treatment, we are also encouraged to share that knowledge as well as our time and compassion to those in a time of need themselves. There is no more fulfilling way for both parties to share and receive that knowledge than through the selfless act of service that is volunteering our time.
Volunteering can provide recovering individuals with a sense of self-worth and pride they haven’t felt in ages. It can serve as a real source of joy and accomplishment that only furthers their motivation and success rate in other parts of their lives. Many recovering addicts choose to volunteer their time at substance abuse treatment facilities as their way of paying it forward as a tribute to those who were there to help them during their darkest hours.
It is also extremely empowering to your own addiction recovery plan to spend time with individuals struggling to just get started on their own. You become a beacon of hope and inspiration to them simply because you were able to pull yourself out of where they are now and prosper. You’re also reminded of your own personal hardship and are able to reflect and feel good about how far you’ve come in your own recovery efforts. Volunteering your time in a substance abuse treatment facility also forces you to revisit the steps and methods that worked for you in your recovery and gives you the opportunity to build upon them.
Substance Abuse Treatment at Destination Hope
Destination Hope is a full-service drug, alcohol and dual diagnosis treatment facility in Florida for men and women who are struggling with substance abuse issues. If you or a loved one is having a problem with drugs or alcohol, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
