We have unhoused families with small children, unhoused veterans and even unhoused pregnant teenagers on waiting lists for safe shelter/housing. Pinellas and all its municipalities must band together with budget/resources by combining advocacy, education and supportive services toward systemic change. Upholding the rights and dignity of homeless individuals creates safer and more inclusive communities. Plus, wraparound supportive services — including mental health and drug/alcohol treatment — are more cost-effective versus short-term reactive policies. In fact, stable housing, supportive services and job training greatly reduce spending on expensive public services like ambulances, hospitals, jails and law enforcement.

Breaking Up with Addiction: Writing a Goodbye Letter to Addiction

It’s time to let go, even if it’s terrifying. Breaking free from addiction is difficult, but it will be the finest decision you ever make. Write a goodbye addiction letter and express your true feelings to yourself and enjoy the freedom and new life. You may be talking to your future self with this letter, so providing words of encouragement can be helpful. Remind yourself that you can do this and that drugs and alcohol do not need to control your life.

How to Write an Impact Letter

A goodbye letter to addiction is similar to journaling because you are still writing down your emotions, and you will likely feel some of the same effects. It serves as a personal outlet for any feelings you may be struggling to come to terms with. A goodbye letter to alcohol or drugs can also help you in the future as addiction letter to self a physical symbol of your commitment to changing for the better. I had to admit my complete powerlessness over you in order to release your grip on my existence. But as I bear witness to you ripping through the lives of my friends, my family members, and my patients, I find it nearly impossible to surrender again.

Example of an Impact Letter

The experience of writing this letter can be wonderful. Describe how the addiction has been a part of your life. Be honest about both the perceived positives and the real negatives. Explain how the addiction has affected your friendships, health, and overall well-being. This helps to underscore the reasons for your decision to let go. Discover the invaluable benefits of utilizing our Goodbye Letter to Addiction template on your patient’s path to recovery and freedom from substance dependency.

Seeking support and guidance from others can provide additional strength and encouragement as they continue on their journey towards recovery and healing. What I do understand—and need you to know—is how your painkiller problem has hurt me and our relationship. We used to talk on the phone every day. Now I’m lucky to get a text once a week, and it’s usually you asking for money. You don’t show up to family dinners or game nights anymore.

• We include options such as detox, residential treatment, a partial hospitalization program, an intensive outpatient program, and traditional outpatient services.
• As a “fix,” the law allows local governments to designate public property as shelter.
• Through therapy, support groups, and personalized plans, participants rebuild relationships with family members and emerge stronger.
• They will wonder how you got out while they are still stuck.
• No matter has been created or destroyed, its shape has changed, and that can make all the difference.
• It is going to take an immense amount of courage and you will go through unbelievable pain but I can promise you it will all be worth it.

You didn’t care if we were in danger because you owed money to a dealer. You didn’t stop to think about how it affected us. In each program and at every level of care, you will have the opportunity to work in close collaboration with a team of skilled and compassionate treatment professionals.

• When it is time to be reminded of these memories, the letter serves as a time capsule, preserved in a non-central space — both cognitively and physically.
• I know that your addiction is a disease and not something you can control, but I hurt.
• The following letter is what I came up with.

Below you’ll find more information about an impact letter, tips for how to write one, and, as further inspiration, a sample letter. Even now, you barely have time to check in with me. As I prepare to graduate, you’ve taken no interest in my life or my future. You only showed me how terrible a marriage can be. I am sure there are plenty of people that have found fulfilling and trusting relationships, but I don’t think I’ll be one of them.

Clearbrook Manor – Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center

Sticking up for yourself is no easy task. But there are concrete skills you can use to hone your assertiveness and advocate for yourself. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. I am not going to stop stepping into the light. I am not going to stop spreading a message of hope.

Benefits of Writing for Mental Health

I still hate you; I still hate what you’ve done to me and what you made me do to the people I loved. You know your recovery is a process that will get a little easier every day. Write a letter to your future self — whether that’s one year, five years or 10 years from now — and tell them how much you’re looking forward to getting there. Whether your recovery journey has been a few weeks or a year, it’s important to take the time to acknowledge the progress you’ve made. Describe all the effort you’ve put into your recovery journey so far and give yourself the credit you deserve. The simplistic brilliance of addressing a letter to the future resides in the portability of the message.