Managing Legal Problems in the Wake of Addiction
It can feel daunting to clear up legal problems caused by addiction, but it is possible.
Guest Post by Alana Redmond, a legal content writer that works with The Law Office of David A. Breston, a law firm dedicated to helping those who are facing legal trouble following a DWI or criminal defense related accident.
Legal Issues From Addiction
Addiction is a lifelong disease that millions of Americans struggle with every day. Whether it’s drugs or alcohol, once a person becomes addicted, their life takes a drastic turn. Relationships can become strained and legal problems are often a result of behavior taken while addicted. It can be a struggle to figure out what to do and how to overcome all of the legal problems caused by addiction, but there are a few things you can do to help clear up these legal problems and return to a normal life.
It All Starts With Acceptance
The first thing to do if you have a problem with addiction and this has caused legal issues is to admit that you have a problem and need help. Before you can start to address any of the legal or other problems your addiction has caused, you have to recover from your addiction and start rebuilding your life through sobriety.
It can be a struggle to accept that you have an addiction, but the sooner you admit to yourself and your loved ones that you have a problem, the sooner you can start on the path to recovery.
Get Into Treatment
The next thing to do after you accept your situation and admit that you have a problem and need help is to get into a treatment program at a licensed treatment facility.
There are three reasons why getting into treatment for your addiction should be the first step in taking care of your legal issues. First, without treatment it is nearly impossible for a person to overcome their addiction and stay sober. Without overcoming the addiction, a person is likely to continue the behavior that caused their legal problems in the first place.
Second, getting treatment shows responsibility and an attempt to correct a person’s past actions, this can be seen as a good thing in terms of the potential outcome of your legal issues. Making efforts to correct past behavior and coming to terms with the things you have done may result in leniency from the courts and improves the chances of being able to repair the damage that was done.
Lastly, going into treatment grants you access to programs and resources that can help you rebuild your life. No one can tackle an addiction alone and once treatment ends, the real struggle begins. Trying to figure out how to restart can be just as difficult as deciding to get help for your addiction. You may even be able to have access to community programs that will help you with your legal defense or repairing some of the damage that was done as a result of your addiction.
Be Proactive and Reach Out
After you’ve completed treatment and you’re ready to start dealing with some of the issues caused by your addiction, it’s important to be open about the consequences of your addiction and to reach out to those you’ve hurt.
Of course, you’ll want to talk with a lawyer about the circumstances surrounding your legal issues, but you’ll also want to start trying to make amends to those you’ve hurt and work on finding housing and employment. Support from your treatment facility can help with these issues as well by helping you find sober living facilities, twelve step programs and other peer fellowships, and second chance education and employment programs.
The more stable your life is, the more likely you will be to resolve your legal issues in a more positive way, than if you were to simply continue down the path of addiction.
Conclusion
We know that legal worries can make it that much more difficult to focus on getting over your addiction. However, the only way to be able to manage legal problems and try to avoid as many negative outcomes as possible is with help and support from those around you, including an addiction treatment facility. Getting over your addiction and getting started rebuilding your life is the most effective way to handle legal problems from addiction.
To learn more about our treatment programs or to speak with a specialist who can answer questions and help point you in the right direction, contact us.
