Did you know that today is the birthday of former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson? He would’ve been 160 years old today.
Does President Wilson’s birthday have anything to do with a blog about drug and alcohol abuse? Actually, it does. As you might know, towards the end of his presidency, Woodrow Wilson suffered from medical ailments that plagued him until he died a few years later. During this time, President Wilson’s wife, Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, helped and protected her husband to the extent that many people didn’t know how sick Woodrow Wilson really was.
People have said that Edith Wilson overstepped her boundaries and could’ve hurt the United States government. Whether that was true or not, wouldn’t we all like to have such a strong, competent, protective person to help us during the troubled times in our own lives?
It’s no secret that people suffering from drug and alcohol abuse also need other people. Even though these people may be isolating themselves because of their substance use disorder habits, that’s when they need other people the most.
The help of other people might include interventions and other measures to help guide a person into rehab. Once in rehab, these people will meet a lot of other people who can help. These people can even help people find help after they leave rehab.
Help after rehab, also known as aftercare, is very important to the recovery process. Aftercare can help create support systems full of people who support their sobriety. This is crucial if former substance use disorderrs once spent all of their time in the company of other people who abused alcohol and drugs. Not being around the substances (and the people who use them) might help former substance use disorderrs immensely. Being around people who don’t use—and who don’t have any substances to abuse—can show former addicts that it’s possible to live fulfilling lives without drugs and alcohol.
Whether you’re a former president like Woodrow Wilson or an ordinary person, life can be tricky sometimes. To navigate these tricky situations, the help of other people can make all the difference.
