Jason Wahler: From Addiction To Recovery & Treatment Options
Jason Wahler: Committed. Connected. Succeeding.
During my time on MTV’s Laguna Beach, The Hills, and Celebrity Rap SuperStar, I was known for my hard partying ways, but in reality I was going through a public battle with addiction. Later landing me in Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.
After my multiple failed attempts to get sober, I found myself hopeless and afraid wondering why it is so easy to get sober and impossible to stay sober…Most facilities I went to did a great job at actively arresting my disease and ultimately getting me stable. However, they never provided me with the appropriate tools for the “real world.”
Now, addicts are not exactly the best at planning to begin with, but with no community or fellowship that I could lean on I finally realized there had to be a better way! This is why I started Widespread Recovery, a solid foundation built upon three non-negotiable pillars: Recovery. Service. Advocacy. Our mission is to improve recovery and service, advocate for those in recovery, and improve the lives of those we work with. We leverage our vast relationships, both in and out of the recovery world, to increase our clients’ opportunities and obtain fellowship, life skills, connection, and self worth.
Sober since July 2010, Jason has dedicated his life to raising awareness around addiction and hopes to one day change the public’s negative perception of this deadly disease. Through his hard work and dedication the E! Network did an E! True Hollywood Story highlighting Jason’s remarkable new life.
Currently, Founder and Owner of Widespread Recovery in beautiful Laguna Beach, CA. Jason’s goal is to set the standard in aftercare. He continually uses his personal experience and presence in the public eye to inspire people struggling with addiction and alcoholism. His direct involvement with the recovery community changed his life and allows him to be a resource for thousands of individuals who need help but don’t know where to turn.
On a regular basis Jason works with various media outlets, celebrities, young adults, schools, law enforcement, churches, and athletes in order to promote addiction education and prevention. This led him to create Speaker’s In Recovery, a speaker’s bureau that brings together high profile individuals to speak out on addiction.
Jason also serves on the honorary boards of The Prism Awards, Entertainment Industry Council, The Los Angeles Mission, and The Brent Shapiro Foundation as well as contributing to the highly respected Huffington Post. “Looking back over the course of the past 5 years I never thought I would be where I am at today. If you told me I would find my passion and motivation working in the recovery industry, I would have thought you were crazy. Today, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
At Widespread Recovery we believe sober living is not merely the next indicated step in a treatment plan, it’s the first step toward personal recovery. We are not in the business of arresting the active disease, and we do not provide treatment. We do provide an esteeming environment of change supported by the recovery behaviors that have helped each one of us maintain sobriety. We focus on implementing the knowledge and tools received in treatment on a daily basis. After the successful completion of our program, our hope is that you don’t just leave with more days sober, but that we have improved your life and increased your chances at maintaining long term sobriety.
ADDICTION
Addiction can be described as a physical and psychological dependence upon a mind-altering substance. It is more inclusive to say that addiction is also a compulsion and dependence that can occur in relation to any substance or behavior.
These days the most common addictions are to:
alcohol
pain medications/prescription drugs
illegal drugs
sex & pornography
overeating
gambling
shopping
anorexia/bulimia
Internet/TV
cigarettes
coffee
sugar
Every addict is unique, and there are clearly many types of addiction, but there are also certain common traits that all of us addicts tend to share.
Here is a list of some of the behaviors and effects of active addiction:
Being prone to act impulsively & selfishly
Periods of depression/ anxiety
Low self-esteem and confidence
Antisocial behavior/feeling like an outsider
History of attention seeking/Admiration for rebellious behavior
Troubled relationships/work problems/family problems
Secretiveness (attempts to hide the extent of addiction)
Increased focus/obsession on the substance or behavior
Lying and unethical behavior
Defensiveness
Financial problems
Criminality
Blackouts, memory loss
Illogical thinking/Easily agitated
Suicidal thoughts
High degree of tolerance for criminal behavior
It is helpful to be aware of these common symptoms and behaviors of addiction. Most addicts are in denial as to the extent by which these behaviors are damaging their life. Even though it may be difficult to imagine life without it, there are treatment options.
Treatment Options: The Art Of Recovery
There are many steps and treatment options for people suffering from addiction these days. The first step, however, is for an addicted person to acknowledge that there is a substance dependency and an addiction problem. The next actionable step is to get help.
Typically, treatment options for addictions include a combination of inpatient and outpatient programs, counseling (psychotherapy), self-help groups, paired with individual sponsors, and sometimes even medication.
The road to recovery can include group therapy.
The hardest part of early recovery is the transition out of treatment and into the world. Widespread Recovery is not in the business of arresting addiction and we do not provide treatment. However, after you’ve taken the first step and gone through treatment, the next phase is what we like to call “The Art of Recovery.” Widespread Recovery delivers highly structured sober living environments to adult men and focuses on the transition out of treatment in a safe and stimulating environment, with a mission of improving lives in recovery.
There are a number of fundamental elements to the art of recovery:
fitness and wellness
purpose and goal setting
human connection
citizenship and service
connection and community
work or school
addressing advanced recovery issues
The philosophy of Widespread Recovery is integration, not isolation. Widespread Recovery clients commit to their recovery, connect with peers and healthy recovery role models and succeed in life.
Successful recovery really is an art form; it’s taking one thing, one story and turning it into something else. We didn’t get sober just to keep living the exact same life we always lived – just without alcohol and drugs. We got sober to live better, to dream then work toward achieving those dreams, to enter into full satisfying relationships, to live productive lives and to be happy being of service.
In recovery, each day you remain sober is something to feel good about, and that feeling of success, making it through each day, is part of what enables us to set the next goal. At Widespread Recovery you learn to put several goals into practice:
Staying clean and sober no matter what
Socialize in a group setting/Breaking patterns of isolation
Discovering role models for healthy recovery
Avoiding risky places, situations & people
Developing self-responsibility
Developing your Recovery Capital/Get back to work or school
Overall Wellness: Physical. Spiritual. Intellectual.
You will be amazed by the application of recovery principles and virtues that create a completely different list of behaviors typical of addicts in recovery. Addicts using the art of recovery use the steps to practice:
Surrender
Hope
Commitment
Honesty/Courage
Truth
Willingness
Humility
Reflection
Forgiveness
Maintenance/vigilance
Attunement/Spirituality
Service
Choose A New Story: How I Give Back
Our memories, stories and experiences are almost like tattoos all over our body/mind. Thanks to cognitive framing we can change the “stories” and actually change how we feel and behave! Make a decision to change your fate. Be empowered. Choose a new story.
As addicts in recovery, our stories, and history, is really our greatest of assets. All of us showed up for recovery with a lengthy and intensive list of “Things That Do Not Work.” They had been tested way too many times. Through the art of recovery our history and stories now contain an intensive list of “Things that DO work!” We have found that we do not regret the past or wish to shut the door on it. But rather using the steps and principles in the treatment of our disease we’ve had spiritual awakenings.
I feel very passionate about Widespread Recovery and after treatment programs. I choose to give back, one day at a time, one thing at a time, and one step at a time. We can all be reminded to focus on what we can do right now, in this minute, and then congratulate ourselves when we’ve done it. You are not alone; we all need help navigating this new way of sober life…let us support you.
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