Rehab

"Rehab" has been in the news a lot lately. Know what? Rehab is a really, really serious thing. Rehab is where you go when you know beyond a doubt that your life is completely out of your control; when you've hit bottom; when you are doing things you don't want to do, saying things you shouldn't say, and finding yourself in places you don't want to be. Rehab means that you have at some point given control of your life over to some "thing", be it drugs or alcohol, and let "it" call the shots. But there is one absolute about entering rehab: you have to be ready and you have to do it on your own. Rehab is not a date, it's not a vacation, an afternoon meeting or a quick-fix. Rehab is a commitment. And for anyone entering rehab it's really, really scary.

The scariest thing about rehab is not the people (you get used to being around others with similar problems), it's not the endless discussion of the past, or the time spent in "group" – the scariest thing about rehab is that in order for it to work you have to accept that you will never, ever be able to take another drink, or another hit. Do you know how that boggles the mind for someone whose primary focus in life is feeding the monkey on their back? The sheer panic is overwhelming. You have to be ready and you have to do it on your own.

To ANY person entering rehab, big star or working stiff, rich or poor, young or old, I wish you all the best on your journey to sobriety. You CAN do it, if you're ready.