Category Archives: Structured Living

Navigating the ways of the recovery community can be….. let’s just say, difficult.  There are so many wonderful people who work at great organizations designed to help any individual through the addiction recovery process, but lets face it, sometimes they can be a challenge to find.  If a loved one of yours is facing an addiction issue, here are some good steps that you can look into….  Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor, nor a medical professional, and these are opinions based off experience that I’ve had working with individuals in the recovery field.  Take no action off these opinions, but only off sound decisions that you research for yourself.  Of course, I need not say, The Doorway to Recovery, or the author of this blog assumes no liability for actions taken based off these opinions…

If you have a loved one who is dependent on a substance, whether it be a legal substance (alcohol), a prescribed controlled substance (xanax, suboxone, pain killers, stimulants, …etc…), or an illegal substance (marijuana, cocaine, heroin, …etc…) chances are you may not know where to turn.  First and foremost, remember that The Doorway to Recovery is always open to you and you loved ones, and we are just a phone call away (248-987-2696)…  We offer sober living homes for men and women in addiction recovery where our participants are able to live a life in recovery, stay clean/sober, maintain employment, and slowly transition from living a life in addiction to living a life in recovery…

This article is going to depict a typical path of recovery that you can suggest for a loved one… Of course if they don’t make the decision to get clean/sober on their own, any piece of the chain may not work….  An intervention can help with that.  The following steps are designed as a guide to someone who wants to get clean and sober…  Take a look…

1.) Detox – Many times an individual who is chemically dependent needs to be detoxed from the substance that they are using…   The detox process can often be painful, and will often require medical attention to make sure that the withdraw symptoms are handled properly and do not pose danger for the individual going through the detox…   It’s always best to have a doctor around for this. Many local institutions from hospitals to rehabilitation centers offer detoxification services.   Remember  – the detox process should be monitored in many cases to ensure the safety….  Detoxing from many substances, including alcohol, can cause serious repercussions that can be a danger to their well-being or even life; for this reason it is almost vital that an evaluation of the individual is done, to make sure they enter into the correct level of care.  For this, you may speak with any doctor, or for a stronger opinion – talk to somebody in the recovery field… An interventionist, a staff member at a recovery center, or a loved one who has successfully worked a recovery program from a similar substance.

2.) Impatient rehab – Quite often after one has detoxed from a substance, there is nothing to stop them from going back to using, other than a true and genuine desire to stop.  Many times, a residential inpatient program can help with that… sometimes known as “rehab”, it is a place where men and women are still near the medical staff, but they are also introduced to the recovery community.  This is done through education, therapy, group therapy, and other programs designed to break the cycle of addiction.  These programs can last as little as 2-3 days, but can go as long as a year…    These days, I’d say that the typical inpatient residential stay is 1-4 weeks.

3.a) Sober Living – When leaving an inpatient program, men and women are frequently tempted to use their substance of choice if they return to where they were living before, as a return to their old environment where using was a typical part of life is a very difficult challenge to face clean and sober.  They are in need of a structured program that will allow for them to grow in their recovery journey, and still seek help to address the issues that come up that threaten their recovery journey.  Many individuals will find a change of space into a sober living home, transitional housing, or halfway house to be beneficial.  Also, some individuals who do not go to an inpatient rehabilitation program find sober living beneficial when faced with struggles of staying clean and sober.   The Doorway to Recovery offers sober living homes for men and women throughout the Detroit Area.  The key to success for someone who stays at a sober living home is that they do not return to the familiar faces, places, and situations that had initially caused them to use drugs and/or drink alcohol in the first place….  Being around people who are sharing in similar struggles, and overcoming them is the key to the high success rate of a sober living program.  With that being added, the structure of housing and program rules can only add benefit to the stay.  Sober living homes often require that participants attend AA, NA, or Celebrate Recovery Meetings.  Drug and alcohol testing is important in this process to prevent relapse.  The Doorway to Recovery offers this – safe, structured, recovery based housing where men and women can live together, pulling each other along the journey of recovery.  Men and women are encouraged to stay at Doorway to Recovery for at least a year, so that they are able to see the changes that come throughout the seasons, that were normally blocked from the use of drugs and alcohol.  Sober living is almost a necessity for men and women who are truly committed to living a full recovery.

3.b) I.O.P./Therapy/Counseling – Drug and alcohol addiction runs hand and hand with mental illness.  Therapy and counseling are almost always vital to help in the continued process of recovery.  I.O.P. is a continued program for men and women who are going through a recovery program but either aren’t accepted into an inpatient residential program (sometimes due to insurance or other factors), or have completed an inpatient stay and would like to continue on a substance abuse focused recovery program.  There are I.O.P. Programs located throughout the area with many different methods of payment including insurance, financing, and payment plans.

3.c) Support Groups – Support groups are vital through the recovery process, and in the experience of the staff at The Doorway to Recovery, faith based support is the best way to go about the recovery journey.  Faith based recovery programs such as Celebrate Recovery, AA, or NA, use the twelve-steps as a pathway to finding peace with God, the one who brings about a full recovery from anything that anyone could be struggling with.  The twelve-steps are founded on the basic principle of getting support that is needed, growing spiritually, and in turn, helping others.  Doorway to Recovery feels so strongly about twelve-step recovery programs, that it is requirement for all participants to attend twelve-step recovery meetings on a regular basis, at least six per week in fact.  For a complete listing of Celebrate Recovery meetings in the area, visit www.celebraterecoverymichigan.org, for AA Meetings visit www.aa-semi.org, or for NA Meetings, visit www.michigan-na.org.

I hope that this blog has been able to help some of you who are looking help, either for yourself or for a loved one.  If you would like to know more about services that The Doorway to Recovery offers, or you have questions about how and where to begin the recovery journey, please do not hesitate to contact our office at any time.  Our staff would gladly point you in the right direction.  Remember, The Doorway to Recovery is always open to you!

Sincerely,

Ruben M. Carreri
Administrative Director and Intake Coordinator
The Doorway to Recovery Program and Services Inc.
33634 W Eight Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
248-987-2696 – Office
877-751-7925 – 24 Hours
Ruben.Carreri@thedoorwaytorecovery.org