The High Cost of Addiction
Regardless of What You Paid for Rehab, You Paid a Fortune to Get In
May 18, 2009
Depending on your financial status, drug/alcohol treatment may cost from nothing (county, state or federally funded) to far more than the price of a new car. One thing is for absolute sure: Addiction is expensive. By the time you get to treatment you have payed a higher price for your addiction than you most likely have paid for anything else in your life.
The High Price of Addiction
The price of addiction is the loss of your health--partially, completely or terminally. Have drugs/alcohol ruined your body temporarily or for good? Or does it remain to be be determined?
The price of addiction is the loss of your job and/or career. That usually means the loss of your education. All those years in school become far less important once you lose your work record and career. They can't so easily help you get a job again.
The cost of your disease is the sweet relationship you had with your partner, spouse, or significant other. Will that relationship ever be healed? That remains to be seen? Some significant others/spouses feel that they have had enough and pack up before you even get to treatment.
Did alcohol/drugs take away your squeaky clean legal record? Do you now have a record of a D.U.I. or worse that will come up when you are screened for jobs, credit cards, promotions, mortgages, etc..?
Do you now know what the inside of a jail or prison is like thanks to your addiction? That's a pretty heavy price to pay. Will you be forced to pay it again?
The Dollars and Cents Cost
Have you wiped out your savings account, 401K, retirement funds and kids' college education money? That hurts doesn't it? To have to know that you were so out of control that you blindly spent money meant for the future and future security. No nest egg or college funds now.
What It Cost in Loss of Self-Image
What did it cost you in terms of your self-esteem and self-confidence? Do you feel that you are lowest of the low after the things you've done, the people you've let down, and the promises you've broken? If you're in treatment or about to go into treatment, you're in the right place. You are with a lot of other people who feel that they are the lowest of the low.
Loss of Other Large Items
Did you lose your home because you preferred to get high rather than paying the rent or the mortgage? You'll be in treatment with others who did the same thing.
Did you total your car or just lose it because you spent the money for the car note on boozing and drugging?
Did you lose your good name in your community after causing too many intoxicated scenes? Don't move just yet because you have to take yourself with you wherever you go. Treatment will help you face the music and the neighbors.
The important thing, the only thing, really, that matters now, is that you did get well. Today you have the gift of recovery one day at a time and the door can be closed on the the nightmares of the past. Stay in the day and just live in the now and be grateful those bad old days are over.
 |
