How Both Subtraction and Addition Can Equal a Better Life
Here’s a math quiz, courtesy of Dr. Phil McGraw – who is MUCH better known without his last name: What does 3 plus 10 plus 7 plus 5 equal? The answer, believe it or not, is you. Indeed, Dr. Phil opines in his book, “Self Matters,” a person can trace who he or she has become to three types of external factors: 10 defining moments, seven critical choices, and five pivotal people. It’s a simple formula, for sure. But how can a recovering alcohol or drug addict plug in the proper variables to make it work in a positive way? Learning to understand the terms is a good place to start. Ten Defining Moments: In every person’s life, Dr. Phil notes, there have been moments, both positive and negative, that have defined who a person is. These were powerful, memorable, life-shaping events that might have wrought good changes – or that might not have. Seven Critical Choices: Dr. Phil contends that there is a surprisingly small number of choices that truly alter a life – in fact, just seven of them. And, again, these seven choices might have been good – or they might not have been. Five Pivotal People: Finally, Dr. Phil notes that every life contains five individuals – family members, friends, co-workers, what have you – who have left indelible impressions. And, once more, their influences were either for the better or for the worse. A person in treatment and recovering from an addiction can likely recall events, choices, and people that have filled in the blanks to date. But therein lies an important part of this equation: “To date” only defines what has happened up to this moment, or up to the moment a person realizes he or she has a substance abuse problem. The Right Step’s alcohol abuse and drug treatment facilities were created for that moment – and for many moments beyond. Its 20-plus centers provide positive events, choices, and people that can ultimately supplant the negative “life defining” elements previously in place. When a frequent drug user or someone dependent on alcohol subtracts the destructive characteristics inherent to substance abuse, and replaces them with constructive events and choices, such as what he or she will find at The Right Step, that person’s life will be redefined. And when he or she adds the social support network available post-treatment through The Right Step’s Alumni Program, recovery (the ultimate “redefining” process) will mean, not only a new way of living, but, literally, a new life. For information about The Right Step’s vast array of treatment options for alcohol dependency or drug addiction, please call 844-877-1781 or visit the The Right Step website.
