If you’ve been arrested for DUI, then you may be wondering about life after DUI. There is no denying that having charged with drunk driving is not really a good feeling and experience. For some reason, you drove your car after drinking some alcohol, then the unfortunate but inevitable happens. You got caught by the police due to some irregularities they noticed, then they gave you the usual tests for drunk drivers, and you failed in them – and for that, you are charged with driving under the influence, or DUI (or in some areas, it’s driving while intoxicated, or DWI). Then you underwent the standard process as prescribed the state law before finally clearing you out of the trouble. It is really a fact that the first few days after a DUI are likely the roughest days of every person’s entire life.
And then there are those feelings. You feel terrible. You feel like you have disappointed your family, friends, and other loved ones. You are, without a doubt disappointed in yourself and the way you had possibly put others in harm’s way. You know you made a mistake. Now it’s time to face the possible consequences and life after DUI.
Facing those consequences will not be fun, for sure, but they are not supposed to be. But you have to keep this in mind. While you are dealing with life after being charged and convicted with DUI, there is one important thing for you to always remember – it gets better. But then, it only gets better if you would take the initiative in order to make it better. You would ask, is there actually life after DUI? The answer is yes. Read on to find out.
Get Your Life Back: Things You Should Do
We have already told you that there is definitely life after DUI. Now, what can a person do to straighten his life back to normal after all the drunk driving troubles he had been into? These are some of the things a person like you can follow if you had just come out of your DUI case and wants to put your life back on track like how it really used to be.
First, you have your family and friends for you to the lean-to. Recent studies have shown that most people are actually never aware that their loved ones have an alcohol problem. Your family should be your number one source of support. Sure, they might be upset, but at the end of the day, they are just thankful that you’re alive. Talking to them about your mistakes is one way to help to ensure that the same will never happen again. If you would help to get through things together, they get easier for everyone. Don’t be afraid to lean on them.
You can seek out the help of various support groups. Throughout the times, there has always been a stigma surrounding certain support groups meant for people with alcoholism. While a single DUI offense doesn’t really feel like alcoholism, it does indicate that you have an alcohol problem. You’re not alone. There are so many other people who are dealing with issues similar to yours and their life after DUI..
If support groups are not necessarily your thing, perhaps you can be the one to give out support! You can try getting involved with your local church or a food drive, volunteer with a soup kitchen, or at a nursing home. The point here is to get out there and do something in a group setting. Once we surround ourselves with people, we have a larger support system.
Life After DUI: Treatment
If necessary, seek counseling or therapy. Depending on your personal background, this one might be a mandatory step. But that doesn’t really make it a bad thing. Therapy can be a wonderful resource to help us deal with our personal issues before they become public. Your counselor or therapist is there to be your sounding board, and they provide more constructive ways to let off steam.
If you really need it, you have to think about rehab. This step isn’t for everyone. But if you are one of those who are dealing with serious alcohol addiction, consider checking yourself into rehab. Why? Alcohol addiction is sickness, for it hurts families all across the world. But there is no reason for you to fight this battle alone.
Going to a rehab center might seem like a dramatic step. But if you want to make a dramatic change in your life, it might be a necessary, but incredibly personal choice. Talk to your family, friends, and your therapist before you make a decision.
Lastly, you have to mend things that were broken after the incident. That means you have to apologize to the ones you had hurt physically, mentally, and emotionally, and accept your new and better life after DUI. This seems like a no-brainer, but you need to apologize, especially if you hurt someone because of the DUI incident. Make sure that your family knows that you are aware of how badly you messed up. Let your loved ones know that you plan to do better. And then, once you’ve given a sincere apology, it’s time for you to forgive yourself and move on.
Yes, you could have spent most of your life beating yourself up because of the incident and its effect on you and everyone around you, because It is so easy for us to dwell on the one bad thing we have ever done and beaten that into ourselves. But then, there is no reason you should. Sure, you made a mistake. And because of that mistake, you will deal with the consequences; you will pay your fines, you will follow the new rules set in front of you. But let that be enough. Don’t punish yourself. You have to take steps to heal yourself and improve your life and to move on. Striving for a good life after DUI may not be a walk in the park, but when you follow these steps, you would have no problem in straightening yourself and getting back on your feet.
If you need help with a DUI in Louisiana, call Louisiana DUI lawyer, Carl Barkemeyer at 225-964-6720. Click here to answer your questions about DUI in Louisiana.
