How do you feel about traveling by airplane? Some people love it. Other people hate it. And plenty of people fall somewhere in between.
Regardless of your personal feelings about flying, you are probably fairly familiar with the various steps that are involved when you are catching a flight. In this blog post, we are going to use those steps as a metaphor for the process of pursuing treatment for a substance use disorder.
So, snap on your luggage tags, and let’s head to the airport.
Checking Your Bags Is Like Detoxification
If you are going on a long trip, there is a good chance you are going to have to check your luggage. That means turning your suitcase (or suitcases) over to the airline to handle on your behalf.
That process of turning over your baggage lines up with the medically supervised detoxification process that is the first step in substance use disorder treatment. You cannot handle drugs or alcohol on your own—just like you cannot manage those heavy bags on your own.
The Security Line Is Like Rehabilitation
After you have checked your bags, the next step is to go through the security line. This part of the process has a number of steps. Your ID is checked. Your carry-on bag (and your shoes!) are x-rayed. And you are also scanned.
The purpose of all this security is, of course, to keep everyone safe. As you go through the process, you may discover you have inadvertently brought along items that are not allowed. You might have to unpack your carry-on if it includes electronics. You might have to go through the body scanner a couple of times because you forgot about the change in your pocket.
That whole process is like rehabilitation. In rehab, you will learn strategies for success in recovery—and part of that is getting a handle on things you might be carrying with you that will not serve you well as you work to stay sober. Rehab provides an opportunity to address your personal triggers, your mental health, and more. Doing so makes your newly reclaimed sobriety more secure.
The Flight Crew Is Like Your Recovery Community
Okay, you checked your bags and made it through security. Now you are on the plane—and fortunately so is the flight crew.
Imagine if you arrived on the plane and discovered that you were expected to fly it. Not only that, but because there is no support staff on the plane, you also need to make sure everyone gets their complimentary beverage and snack. The odds are good that you would find this situation wholly unmanageable. Everyone who flies relies on the flight crew to provide the support they need to get to their destination. Sometimes, folks ignore the flight crew (during the safety demonstration, for example), but relying on their expertise and paying attention is the best way to improve the likelihood that you will stay safe even when things get rough.
After you have been through detox and rehab, your recovery community serves as your flight crew. Attending 12-Step or other recovery meetings, for example, is a good way to lean into the experience of others and the support they can provide as you work to stay sober. Paying attention to the experiences of others is a great recovery strategy.
Supportive friends and family who will always try to help when you are struggling are also an essential part of your recovery flight crew.
But Wait! What About Baggage Claim?
As you have been traveling along with us, you may well have been wondering about those bags you checked at the beginning of the process. Remember, we argued that checking your bags is like going through detoxification in that a set of professionals helps you take care of something you can’t handle on your own.
But here at the end of the trip, you are supposed to pick those heavy bags back up, right?
Well, for the sake of our metaphor, let’s agree that this metaphorical flight is the one time you really do want the airline to lose your bags.
But what if you do end up reclaiming those bags? What if you experience a relapse?
That is an important question. If you experience a relapse, it is important to restart your recovery. We cannot emphasize enough that a relapse is not the end of your recovery journey. Get yourself back into treatment so you can reclaim your sobriety again. After all, lasting sobriety is your desired destination.
Bel Aire Recovery Center Can Help Your Sobriety Take Flight
If you are struggling with drugs or alcohol, you might be feeling like you are booked on a flight that has been delayed. You are stuck in the metaphorical terminal—or even on the metaphorical plane itself—and nothing in your life is moving forward.
Fortunately, you can get moving toward sobriety by seeking out treatment. And Bel Aire Recovery Center is an excellent place to pursue that treatment. We provide the services we have described above—including medically supervised detoxification, a robust rehabilitation program, and ongoing aftercare and support. Bel Aire Recovery Center can give wings to your life-changing transformation to a life of sobriety.
