If you have reached the point of accepting that you need help to address your addiction and have made the brave and courageous step to ask for help and have booked in for a stay in rehab, you’ll probably be feeling a mixture of emotions.
You might feel apprehensive, scared or anxious about the journey ahead. You may be angry that you’re about to enter rehab or feel like you don’t belong there. Perhaps you’re happy and excited to begin a new journey, and to beat your addiction with the motivation to get stuck in and discover the real you again. You may just be grateful for knowing you’ll be in a safe and caring environment. However you’re feeling, please be reassured that out of the thousands of others who have stepped through the Broadway Lodge doors, some will have felt how you do too and have gone on to enjoy fulfilling lives in long-term recovery.
You may have some ideas about what to expect at Broadway Lodge and at first it might feel daunting but it will become magical. You only really get a real sense of the place once you’ve settled into the routine. It can be intense but the relationships and bonds you build with others here are a once in a lifetime experience.
We asked an ex-resident to describe their first couple of weeks with us, and this is what they said:
“The first two weeks were both the most difficult and most amazing time of my whole life. I was slowly taught how to express my emotions through group therapy and one to one sessions with my counsellor. Hearing other residents’ stories helped me understand my own and gave me the courage to open up more myself. There were many really tough moments, but the overwhelming feeling was one of progress and the beginning of a new life, free from the desperation of addiction. One thing that gave me strength in my first weeks was seeing other residents coming to the end of their treatment, hearing their stories and seeing how much they had overcome. It made me strive to get the most out of my time there as I wanted to be like them. It really is a family in the miracle mansion with a “no man left behind” kind of spirit. The beauty of a group of broken souls pulling together to build each other back up again is beyond words. I often think of my first two weeks and am overcome with emotion. The staff, the people, the spirit of the place is just incredible.”
Broadway Lodge will be your new home for a while so it’s natural to feel wary, anxious, nervous, lonely or overwhelmed during the initial hours and days here, especially when there’s a new routine to get used to and new faces and names to learn. But no one expects you to grasp everything straight away and your peers and the team here want to support you throughout your stay to make sure you get the best care and get the most out of your time in treatment.
Words of encouragement
Former clients themselves have given us their top tips and words of encouragement for getting through treatment to share with you, so here they are…
“Be honest, open and willing. They know what they are doing.”
“This is going to be the start of the rest of your life. You will be smiling again. Learn to like who you are and love yourself again. You will achieve much more than these words can express. Allow yourself to adjust and allow yourself to be vulnerable because we have to be broken down to be able to fix ourselves. The tools you’ll gain from Broadway Lodge will remain with you long after you leave. This place is called a Miracle Mansion for a reason and you will understand when you walk through the doors.”
“It’s okay to show you’re vulnerable.”
“Trust the process and be honest, the truth will set you free.”
“The time you will do in treatment is short and will change your life. So give yourself a break and do something good for yourself that will change your life and change your family’s lives”
“If you are thinking of going into treatment? Had enough? Do it. Get there, get vulnerable, get honest and prepare yourself for a journey beyond your dreams. And if you get there, no matter how tough it seems to be, grab it as if your life depends on it (for me it did). And do not walk down the drive before your time.”
“Don’t have high expectations as nothing ever lives up to those. Stop, breathe and be open and willing. Nothing is going to cause you more damage to you than you already did.”
“Just hold on until the end and then it all makes perfect sense.”
“Everything you are going to hear is a gift, although it may not feel like it at the time. Embrace it.”
“Don’t get involved in other people’s business, concentrate on you and only you.”
“Never compare yourself to another person. They may be good at one thing but you another. We are not all the same, that’s what makes us individual.”
“Give yourself a chance. Keep breathing. Don’t quit before the miracle happens.”
“Broadway isn’t a holiday. It is tough. Really tough at times. But if you go, and you do the work, your mind, soul and life will be completely rewired.”
If you throw yourself into your time here, there is no miracle that cannot come true. Please remember that in your first few days, it will all feel very different very quickly. If you’re reading this knowing that you’re going to be getting our help then the turnaround in your life has already begun and we look forward to welcoming you.
Do you have questions about addiction treatment with us?
Please speak to us in confidence and we’ll be happy to provide you with our advice and the information you’d like to know. You can call us on 01934 815515, email hello@broadwaylodge.org.uk or message us here.
