My name is Shauna Silva and I am...(part four: 1 month sober!)

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Today marks 1 month clean and sober for me!

As I enter my fourth week of treatment, I couldn't be more prouder of all the work I have put in to my treatment and recovery. Sure, I do have the assistance of medication, but we all know that medication doesn't do jack without you being completely on board with your recovery.
This weekend was a rough weekend for me. Friday and Saturday, I did experience cravings for alcohol (I did NOT drink). I was stressed out because I was running low on my bipolar medication, and I was stressing because I was in a lot of pain from my spinal condition. I decided Friday through Saturday night that I would just keep my activities stress-free. I ended up having a mental health day and kept myself calm. Boy, it was hard, but it was surprisingly effective. Sunday, as you can tell, I was hard at work with my blogging. I spent extra time in meditation, which helped slow down my thoughts and decrease my stress. It was a good day.

That is one thing I want to talk about in this post: meditation.
Going into my treatment, I never thought I would be the type of person to do meditation. However, as I started doing it, I found myself becoming more and more relaxed and focused. It has truly become an asset to my recovery. It helps me to focus on the here and now.

This week marks my last week in the dual-diagnosis program. I will soon be graduating from the program and it does scare me a little. For four weeks, I have been inside this bubble of protection, receiving help from amazing treatment staff. Now, I will be released into the world, utilizing what I have learned in order to navigate this life. The coping techniques that I have learned in treatment have been invaluable. They have helped me come to terms with my previous relationship, family issues, and my own internal struggle. Where I am right now is miles from who I used to be. While I still have a lot of work to do, I know deep down I will be okay. I just need to take life one day at a time. When one day at a time is too much, I can just live minute to minute at a time.

Folks, if you are struggling with an addiction and a mental illness, please seek treatment. Sure, you may feel embarrassed, angry, scared, etc., but it is the best decision you can ever make for yourself. The process works when you trust the process.

"My name is Shauna Silva, and I have Bipolar disorder and I suffer from alcohol abuse."

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