How is it that we come to make a decision to seek treatment for ourselves when we have struggled in our lives? Most characterize the moment of one as surrender, willingness, and acceptance. Concurrently, we surrender to and accept the fact that we are not capable of healing our problem to the degree that is necessary to live a safe and beautiful life. As well, in that moment of surrendering our control, accepting our situation as it is, we become willing to ask for help and seek support from outside sources. This is also a moment of humility.
Coming to this moment is different for every person and the many steps of the path they take to get here is as unique as they are. No two tales of trauma are alike, nor are two people’s lives or genetic make up completely the same. What might only take one person a few months to realize could take someone ese a few decades. Doing our best to survive and cope on our own, we develop a number of harmful, maladaptive coping mechanisms to make it through our various symptoms of trauma. We turn to desensitizing, euphoria-inducing drugs and alcohl to help su sescape the reality of our past. Sex, love, food, eating, not eating, self-harm, and other processes can be our drug of choice as we ongoingly harm our bodies and our minds. Unconsciously, we might put ourselves in situations, jobs, marriages, or relationships that provide a constant feedback loop of trauma. Unhealthy and toxic, we cannot realize what we have done to ourselves until we take ourselves out of that situation. Too often, the chaos is comfortable and familiar. It takes a moment of breaking the shattered glass to realize we were never seeing clearly at all.
Choosing to seek treatment is the beginning of putting the pieces back together. One day at a time, you begin to see things more clearly. Each day you make repairs and refine the way you see yourself, your past, and your world. You enter upon a lifelong journey to healing that helps you connect again to living a safe and beautiful life, with a tool kit of healthy coping tools.