A recent study recorded that one in every ten drug addicts has been to rehab at least five times before achieving abstinence. It is no wonder, then, why so many addicts and their families grow frustrated with the promise of rehabilitation. After experiencing the heartbreak of a drug relapse, it is especially hard to believe that recovery is possible. It is hard to trust that there is such a thing as recovery at all. The fact is, recovery from drug addiction is undeniably achievable.  Each time we challenge our addiction, we challenge ourselves; we face a turning point.

Today, many treatment programs refer to themselves as “Rehab” or “Recovery” centers, focusing on their ability to restore an addict back to his “old self,” and thus, return him back to his old life. As reality has it, this “old self” was one taken by the fiend of addiction—a self that stood emotionless, broken, and reliant on drug use to get through each day. Resurrecting the past, therefore, should never be the goal of recovery. At Turnbridge, we focus on the exceptional life beyond addiction. Here, recovery is illustrated through one’s personal transformation, his progress, and his evolution through each phase of treatment. 

Albert Einstein once said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” Rather, one must first evolve in the mind and spirit in order to better his way of life. Only then will he learn that he can defeat the problem that nearly defeated him: drug addiction. 
In between conquering and being conquered, there exists a point of realization: the point in which a person recognizes that he needs help. It is this point that begins his journey. It is here that recovery becomes possible. It is, perhaps, his true turning point. 

The time in which an addict hits bottom can be the most memorable point of his journey. It is in this moment that he realizes he can no longer live using drugs, but also that he doesn’t know how to live without them. He’s at an in between and something has truly got to give. Being open and honest about an addiction can absolutely lead to an individual’s turning point. It could also rest in his steps towards treatment—the courageous act of entering rehabilitation and letting go of his past. One’s turning point can simply lie in asking for help. For many, their turning point begins in admitting that they have a problem, and that they want to change. By letting other people in, by getting a sponsor, by acknowledging the 12-steps, an addict shows that he’s ready to progress. 

For Matthew, a Phase III sober living resident at Turnbridge, accepting help was his major turning point. “I’ve learned that I can’t do this my way,” he explained. “My way didn’t work. I’ve pretty much completely surrendered to the people with experience here that are sober and know what they are doing. They’ve been through this stuff.  I’m getting the humility to do what I’m told, to have faith in people, and that the program is going to work. The camaraderie between all the guys has created a big community. You feel like you’re a part of something. “

Becoming a part of the whole can manifest another kind of turning point. This turning point can come about through sober connections that are built while in treatment. It can be as simple as moving in with friends from one’s treatment program, instead of returning home. It can be the choice to live in a sober dormitory in college, to participate in sober activities and classes that one wouldn’t have previously. The fact is, a major necessity in recovery is establishing a support system. Relationships teach social skills, and bring confidence to an individual so that he can socially thrive while sober. Mike, another Turnbridge graduate, reveals, “One thing that was very paramount to me, in my life and recovery, is when I really started to develop relationships with people outside of recovery…when I was actually able to start effectively interacting with people that didn’t have to do with my recovery. It was a big point in my life. I felt like I was actually part of the world again.” 

A turning point will be realized when he chooses to build a life he can be proud of, and he takes all the right steps in getting there. It could be from pursuing an education following addiction treatment. It could be from accepting his first job as a sober individual. It could be from making the choice to move forward. 

At Turnbridge, we believe that the person who became addicted to drugs or alcohol was not yet the best version of himself. We’ve developed our Preparative Care Program with this in mind, showing residents how to work through negative situations and make the right life choices moving forward. You see, a person battling drug addiction is constantly confronted with challenges— he’s faced against the odds, against outside influences, and against his own disparaging thoughts. With each struggle, he can choose to turn back to drugs or he can choose to move on. This is his turning point. Our mission is to lead him now down a path towards greatness, where his character will shine and his tenacity will prevail over addiction.  For more information on Turnbridge’s addiction treatment program, please call at 1-877-581-1793.