There are a number of ideas and phrases that most of us have heard throughout our lives about the value of waiting. The two most common are probably “Good things come to those who wait,” and “Patience is a virtue.”
That can be excellent advice—especially in a world in which we are bombarded with messages telling us to “Act now!” so we don’t miss out on some supposedly amazing deal. Waiting, being patient, and evaluating the value of the call to act with haste are important habits of mind.
But there are, in fact, situations in which your best move would be to act immediately rather than waiting any longer than you already have. A perfect example? When you are struggling with a substance use disorder.
Too many people put off getting help when they are in the grips of drugs or alcohol—and the results of waiting can be catastrophic. Let’s take a look at common reasons people wait to get treatment for a substance use disorder—and the reasons why that is not the best move.
Reasons People Wait to Get Help
We suspect that at some level, almost everyone who is having difficulties with drugs or alcohol realizes they need to take action to reclaim their lives. So why would anyone put off taking that action and getting the help they need?
There are a number of answers to that question. For example, a person might be convinced (or at least try to convince themselves) that they are, in fact, in control of their substance use. They might argue to themselves (or even to others) that they are using drugs or alcohol recreationally, but could give them up at any time. If asked why they don’t stop, they might reply that they simply don’t want to—while reiterating that they absolutely could.
Another person might realize that their substance use is problematic, but believe things are not so bad as long as they do not hit “rock bottom.” They might, for example, decide their drinking is not really a problem until they experience a blackout. Or they might conclude that their drug use is not that big of a deal as long as it never leads to risky behavior like driving under the influence, getting into fights, or engaging in potentially dangerous sexual activity. The problem here, however, is that the definition of “rock bottom” is malleable—that is, a person might change what it means to them once they have experienced something they previously thought would lead them to get help.
Still another individual might simply be embarrassed and trying to hide their substance use difficulties. They might be hoping their family, coworkers, faith community, and others will not realize they are using drugs or alcohol. That is not a sustainable strategy, however, and many relationships might be damaged by this approach.
None of these reasons—or any other reasons you might imagine—for waiting to get help holds up under scrutiny.
Why You Should Act Now to Address a Substance Use Disorder
The simple reality is this: The longer you put off getting help for a substance use disorder, the more damage you will sustain in all kinds of areas of your life. Your physical health will suffer. Your mental health will be undermined. Your finances might fall apart as you try to support your habit while your ability to work is impaired. Your relationships might be irreparably harmed. You could, in fact, experience catastrophic harm—or cause catastrophic harm to someone else.
Given these various potential consequences, it only makes sense to get yourself into treatment for a substance use disorder sooner rather than later. This is a situation in which “Don’t wait! Act now!” is actually solid advice.
When You Are Ready to Make a Change, We Are Ready to Help
When you are struggling with substances, it can feel as though you are in a trap from which there is no escape. You want to give up the substances, but when you try to do so on your own, you are likely to experience devastating withdrawal symptoms that send you scurrying back to the drugs or alcohol.
There is a way out of that trap, however. Getting treatment at a high-quality facility like Bel Aire Recovery Center, located near Wichita, Kansas, gives you the opportunity to reclaim your life. At Bel Aire, we offer medically supervised detoxification services, which means you have the opportunity to get substances out of your system in a safe environment that is free of temptations.
We follow detoxification with a rehabilitation program that includes group and individual therapy sessions. These sessions can help address mental health disorders that may be entangled with your substance use disorder. Meanwhile, group therapy provides a place of mutual support where you and others who understand what you have gone through can talk together about common challenges and more.
When treatment comes to an end, we offer ongoing support and resources so you can feel confident as your recovery journey gets underway.
The time to act is right now. We are ready and able to help you leave drugs or alcohol behind.
