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The Guest House Ocala WhyWe Seek Numbness Treatment Plan

W hen we’ve been burdened by emotional and mental pain for so long, it often becomes unbearable. Our quality of life decreases, our relationships suffer and no matter what we do, we can’t seem to move on. So we cope the best we can. For many people who feel this way, drugs and alcohol provide a brief respite from the pain. In those moments, an emptiness replaces the misery and we simply feel numb. The emptiness helps us forget and distracts us from our thoughts and feelings. It releases us from the mental anguish that haunts us and lifts the paralyzing burden that weighs on the mind, even if for just a moment.

address the pain head- on is a transformational moment, demonstrating tremendous personal growth and a desire to be whole again. When it feels better to experience the full weight of our emotions, good and bad, rather than the emptiness that drugs or alcohol offers, we know we’ve made great strides in our healing. When

We don’t know why a particular substance takes this pain away; we simply know that it does. And so we become dependent, relying on drugs or alcohol to help us cope, not realizing that we are trading old miseries for new ones. When addiction takes hold, the emptiness engulfs us and it, too, becomes unbearable. Eventually, we realize that addiction and the constant retreat into numbness aren’t sustainable. The emptiness we crave is a void that swallows all emotions without consideration or concern. Drugs and alcohol may take away our pain, but they also make us numb to the things that make life worth living, such as joy and wonder. Recovery is the process of learning to face our emotions without turning them off. It emphasizes learning how to deal with our feelings in a healthy way and grow from each painful experience we have. Recovery and sound mental health aren’t the absence of pain — it’s a part of life, after all — but represent the ability to find meaning and purpose despite it. The broad spectrum of our emotions is an important part of what makes us human, contributing to our overall experience and the development of who we are. Recognizing this and making the decision to stand our ground to

nothingness no longer appeals to us and we realize that numbing the pain isn’t the same as coping, we know we’re on a path to wholeness that can break the cycle of pain and addiction. Once we’ve reached this point, we can begin to dig deeper and gain insight into our behaviors. Exploring the source of our suffering can seem daunting, but it’s an illuminating experience that will better equip us to handle future obstacles and difficulties. We’ll learn to identify our triggers and stressors so we can better control how we respond to them. It’s a journey that will take time, but with the support of a dedicated recovery team, loving friends and family and the strength to persevere despite setbacks, we can get there. The difficult and the complex are central to our stories, but how they affect the ending is completely up to us. At The Guest House Ocala, we have personal recovery experience and provide high-quality care that emphasizes compassion, empathy and personal growth. Our levels of care include Medical Detox, Residential Treatment, Day/Night Programs, & Outpatient Programs. With over 12 years in the recovery industry, we’ve helped countless people heal from addiction and we’re here to help you too. Call 855-483-7800 for more information.

Many addictions stem from an unwillingness to feel negative emotions and there are numerous ways in which we use drugs or alcohol to cope with pain and trauma. Often, what we’re looking for is an escape — chasing a dazed indifference to the oppressive turmoil in our minds. Heartache, bitterness, grief, sorrow, shame and regret, these our daily companions that remind us how broken and low we feel. The disappointment is palpable when we reflect on how our lives have turned out.

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