Recovery and Self-Reliance

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The journey through recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol is never easy. Addiction can affect anyone, no matter their age, race, socioeconomic status, or religious affiliation, and everyone's path through recovery is different. While some people struggle with the temptation of drugs and alcohol long after they've gone through therapy, others are more easily able to adjust to sober living. So what is the deciding factor in whether a person succeeds after rehab or fails? The difference lies in the method of treatment. In typical drug addiction programs, participants may only stay for a 30-day period, which in most cases is barely long enough to truly begin the recovery process. It takes most people that long to fully undergo detoxification and begin to come to terms with the reality of being in a recovery center. The observation is that longer-term programs for rehab and recovery greatly improve the resident's chances of achieving a drug-free lifestyle. The Mark Houston Recovery Center's program is a minimum of 90 days and his approach to recovery involves spirituality, connecting with oneself, taking advantage of your body's inner strength, and truly finding out what people are made of. His emphasis on self-reliance is part of what has made his program so successful.

Trusting Yourself to Overcome Addiction

In Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay entitled Self-Reliance, he says "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." This method of thinking is echoed in what is perhaps one of the best methods of getting over an addiction to drugs and alcohol: self-reliance. People often do not know what they are truly made of until they are really tested. They can have doubts about their abilities, but more often than not - when everything's on the table, when you feel like it's do or die - it's then that you really find out what you can do. When personal challenges arise, time and time again, people can surprise themselves with how strong they are. Overcoming an addiction to drugs and alcohol is one of the hardest things that anyone will ever do, and most people don't think they will ever be able to overcome the challenge. The temptation to fall back into old habits is strong, especially if we don't receive the proper tools to help us cope. But Mark Houston teaches us that we are spiritual, strong beings who must learn to trust in ourselves to truly overcome addiction. The Mark Houston Recovery Center puts these theories into practice, and his powerful message resonates strongly with the residents undergoing treatment.

Learning Self-Reliance with Mark Houston Recovery

Mark Houston's recovery philosophy is simply powerful. He believes that we are physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual beings, and that all four of these elements must be combined to achieve the inner peace necessary to achieve permanent recovery and joy in daily living. Along with the 12 Step approach, he introduces into recovery the spiritual laws which govern our world, believing that knowledge of these timeless laws enables us to use them for our highest good. The combination of all these factors is what makes his program so successful. At the Mark Houston Recovery Center, residents are able to gain the strength necessary to begin living a sober life.