Unfortunately, I had a pretty traumatic childhood. My parents were always fighting, and I was faced with trying to decide what to do about my own personal feelings. When I got older, I knew that I needed to do something to relieve the stress that I was feeling even many years later, so I started focusing on going to counseling. My first few appointments were a little nerve-racking, but the counselor worked hard to make me feel comfortable. I was really impressed with how gentle and kind she was, and I felt really great about the progress I was making. This blog is all about benefiting from counseling.
Benefitting From Counseling
Behind The Beer Shades: Uncovering Your Reasons For Drinking And The Cause Of Your DUI
Ron Henry
Before you receive a DUI, or just after you have received your first DUI, you may want to consider DUI counseling from a location such as the Counseling Center of Illinois. This type of counseling exists to help people like yourself discover why you drink and why you drink to excess, as well as to help you understand and accept the causes of your DUI. DUI counseling may also work to help you reduce your DUI charges in some states, since participating in counseling shows your willingness to change and accept responsibility and your willingness to seek treatment for your mental health problems. Here is a closer look at how this works.
Why You Drink
There are many reasons for why people imbibe alcohol. Most of the time it is a social thing—you drink because everyone else is having a drink. Other times, you may be having a bad day or be deeply depressed about something. Sometimes people also drink to forget something in their past that has caused major trauma in their lives. Whatever the reason, if you are compelled to drink, you need to assess why and learn how you can choose to avoid these situations or address the root psychological causes.
Drinking to Excess
Drinking to excess can have all of the same causes as those listed above, except now you have crossed over into self-medicating territory. Excess alcohol allows you to feel free because your inhibitions are removed. You continue to drink until you pass out because then you do not have to remember anything in your unconscious state. Not remembering also eases your emotional and psychological discomfort, which leads to continued drinking. Eventually, you become an alcoholic without realizing it—until you get behind the wheel of a car drunk and get a DUI.
Understanding and Accepting the Causes of Your DUI
Once you move through the reasons why you drink and drink to excess, DUI counseling helps you come to terms with your DUI (if you have already received one). You learn that your poor choices, behaviors, and internal problems lead you to this position. You learn to accept that your actions and choices caused your DUI, and you learn to take responsibility for those actions, regardless of how harsh the punishment is. Finally, counseling helps you own your mistakes but not denigrate yourself for them because low self-esteem only contributes to the repeat circle.
How Your Counseling Could Help You in Court
If you were not referred to counseling by your lawyer, be sure to notify him or her that you have gone to or currently are attending DUI counseling. He or she may be able to use that to reduce your sentence, granted you finish your counseling sessions or you promise to continue. Lesser punishments and progress toward better overall health will prevent you from feeling poorly enough to repeat this choice, which is the ultimate goal.
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