Rehab

What is addiction? Why do we have them? Why do some people have them and some people don’t?

These are questions that people smarter than me would have to address. I just know a lot of us are addicted to something.

Some people are addicted to drugs or alcohol or food or sex. And while none of that is easy to deal with, they are at least obvious to the people who have them, and oftentimes to people around them.

That’s why we have rehabilitation facilities. It’s place to go get fixed. To put yourself in the shop. And rehab is a good thing.

When I hear someone is in rehab for anything, I breathe a sigh of relief. I don’t think, ‘man, they’re f’ed.’ I think, ‘man they’re trying.’ It’s positive, not negative. And what more can we ask for from someone today, than to try to get better. Than to try to improve upon themselves. If you told me this is their 4th trip to rehab, I think, ‘they’re really trying. And this isn’t easy.’

I’ve said this a billion times…it’s not easy to change.  

Now other addictions – destructive behavior, negativity, or losing – are less obvious, but these are addictions none the less. And no less a killer to your true happiness than a crack problem. These things have a hold over you. Your brain makes decisions to help feed them.

I’ve tried psychiatrists and it helped…at times. But I struggle to get past the bullshit in those rooms. There are people out there who swear by shrinks. But those are people that are in therapy their whole lives. If you brought your car to a garage, and he kept it there for ten years trying to fix it, would you say that’s a great mechanic?

I understand that my childhood helped shape the way I am, but I am an adult now. Ultimately responsible for my own behavior. The shrinks are long on explaining why you have become the person you are, but short on answers on what to do now. So while I guess that understanding is helpful, how the F do you fix you?

Rehab. That’s how. Rehabilitation isn’t just about fixing addiction. It’s about fixing any problem you have with yourself. It’s the process of helping an individual achieve the highest level of independence and quality of life possible; physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

There are many types of rehab…the facilities, 12-step programs, shrink sessions, even throwing yourself headlong into religion can be considered a form. They are all geared towards helping you get better.

Urban Samurai is my own form of rehab. It’s a focus on me. And if it has taught me anything, it’s that the person I really need to question the most is myself. If my own mind is leading me to make bad decisions, why am I listening to it? Think about that question. Then think more about it.

We blame all these other people for our problems, but why? You are responsible for your own successes and failures. And if you have found yourself failing a lot…you need to question yourself.

But if you can’t trust your own instincts and your own decision making ability, who can you trust? I put my trust in this samurai way. It’s focus on honor, respect, perfection, hard work. You live up to those four things, and you will live a life you are proud of.

I don’t think this way is for everyone. But if you’re struggling, you need to find a way. You need to find a rehab for yourself.

Just try. If you’re really trying, you’re already up from the bottom.

I wish I could reach out my hand and pull you to the surface. But I can’t do that. No one else can. A hand to help you up will only keep you there as long as you’re both holding on. This is a swim you have to make on your own. And rehab helps build that strength.

The strength you build to help you swim to the surface will be the strength you use to stay afloat. It will be the strength you also use to fly.