Support throughout the recovery process is crucial to successful, long-term sobriety. Support can come in the form of asking for help, support while in treatment, and ongoing support after becoming sober. This even includes famous multimillionaires, such as Eminem and Elton John. Likely one of the most famous Alcoholics Anonymous sponsors is Elton John, who checks in with Eminem on a weekly basis and has been credited by the rapper for helping him get off drugs. Find out why support throughout the recovery process is essential, learning from Elton John and Eminem, and how you can lean on your support throughout your own recovery journey.
Asking for Help
“Elton had a substance-abuse problem in the past. So when I first wanted to get sober, I called him, because he’s somebody in the business who can relate to the lifestyle and how hectic things can be,” Eminem once told a Detroit newspaper. “He understands, like, the pressure and any other reasons that you wanna come up with for doing drugs.”
John, who is 30 years sober himself, recalled what it was like to receive that call. “I’m there if people want my help,” he said. “If people ask for help you can tell them where they should go, but there is no point advising someone if they don’t want to do it.”
Ways to Ask for Help
Since not everyone has someone like Elton John on speed dial, it can be difficult to figure out where, and how, to turn for help when you realize it is time. Some ways to ask for help include:
- Writing a letter. Sometimes, a face-to-face conversation (or even a phone call) can be intimidating enough to deter someone from asking for the help they need. It can be scary to admit that you need help, and sometimes the best way is to write a letter, email, or text message to a trusted friend or family member. This way, you are able to get all your thoughts out and avoid a seemingly scary confrontation.
- Ask an outsider. In many cases, the person you feel most comfortable turning to for help might not be one the people closest to you. This can mean a trusted coworker, colleague, or neighbor.
- Make the call. Not everyone has someone trusted that they can turn to. Addiction can burn bridges and damage relationships to the point of isolation. If this is the case and you feel as if you have no one to turn to, give us a call. Our admissions team is available to help guide you through the process, answer questions, and assist you in every way possible.
Support During Treatment
In the documentary How to Make Money Selling Drugs, Eminem recalled his rock bottom, which was a near-death overdose. “Had I got to the hospital about two hours later, I would have died. My organs were shutting down. My liver, kidneys, everything. They didn’t think I was gonna make it. My bottom was gonna be death.”
Having a support system is extremely important during the actual treatment process. This is because being in a treatment center, including a luxury treatment center, can be uncomfortable, emotional, and stressful in many ways. Going through detox, opening up about your innermost traumas and emotions, and sharing with others can be difficult.
Support throughout this process is crucial so that you can feel comfortable enough to open up and get the most out of your experience.
Ongoing Support Throughout Aftercare
“I’m Eminem’s AA sponsor. Whenever I ring to check in on him, he always greets me the same way,” John told The Telegraph.
Sobriety is more than just quitting drugs or alcohol. It is about ongoing care and understanding that addiction can sometimes be a lifelong battle. Fighting temptation, handling triggers, and keeping your sobriety a priority are all part of the recovery process and can be made much easier with other sober support to lean on.
About Seasons in Malibu
Having the courage to admit they need help is what helped Eminem and Elton John to be alive today. If you are ready to make the decision to get sober, don’t be afraid to reach out. Addiction is a treatable condition, made easier with ongoing support during recovery.
Treatment at Seasons in Malibu is systemic, integrative and client-centered. Our philosophy is grounded in the understanding that in order for the client to heal, the entire system needs the opportunity to heal along with them. The pressure to “fix” the client can become overwhelming and unrealistic if we do not examine the underlying issues, dynamics and environmental influences that might be contributing to substance abuse or ongoing mental health issues. Whenever practical, we try to include close loved ones in sessions and in the entire process of recovering from addiction and/or addressing mental health issues.
It is a priority for us that our life-changing drug and alcohol treatment be available to the people who need it. We are fully familiar with how much strength and courage it takes to pick up the phone and ask for help. Our counselors are invested in your well-being and are ready around-the-clock to guide you or a trusted friend or family member through the initial steps of overcoming drug or alcohol addiction.
With our superior team of clinicians, we are able to succinctly pinpoint those areas of focus which will give the client the most advanced opportunity for success. Our approach towards healing is collaborative, comprehensive and committed.