After I retired, I wasn't prepared to handle all the downtime I would have and I started getting really depressed. It went from a simple case of me having trouble filling the hours to a constant preoccupation with how useless I'd become to the world. I was the type of guy that always needed something to do, but wasn't really interested in playing golf or taking cruises. I never actually wanted to stop working, but it was looking like they were going to terminate my position. The idea of just existing idly made me physically ill, and eventually led to a drinking problem that forced me to seek affordable alcohol rehab in Florida, where I've lived my entire life. 

June 16, 2007-that was my last day of work. I'd done my best to map out a future without a job, but I was coming up short with ways to spend my time. I thought I'd do some traveling, catch up on some reading, and perhaps build a new addition onto my house. But I didn't really have a lot of money to do anything except sit there on the couch. I was on a fixed income, and never really managed to save that much--it's lucky I was able to find affordable alcohol rehab in Florida; otherwise I might never have gotten help, but more on that later. 

After eight months of doing nothing, I became painfully depressed and started drinking just to fill the days. I'd always liked a drink every so often, but never thought I'd resort to abusing alcohol out of boredom or desperation. It wasn't long before I had a serious problem on my hands. The day I realized this, and the day that I started considering affordable alcohol rehab in Florida, was about a year after this behavior started. I was sitting around my house, and found myself hard-pressed to think of a reason to live--I was actually contemplating suicide. This never happened before I started abusing alcohol, so I knew I needed help. 

Like I said before, I didn't have much money and didn't want to go anywhere far, so I sought out an affordable alcohol rehab in Florida. I came across a place that was willing to work with me, and even specialized in depression and dual diagnosis. I first had to complete their alcohol detox and then I was able to follow it up with their behavioral mental health based treatment program. After successfully completing my alcohol rehab treatment, I was able to overcome my feelings of despair and uselessness for the first time in as long as I can remember. I also learned to focus my energy on doing something good with my spare time. 

I consider myself a lucky man to have found such a quality rehab place that offered an affordable alcohol rehab option. Today I no longer curse my free time, but embrace it as a gift. Every time I start to feel useless, obsolete or sorry for myself, I remind myself what I learned in treatment; that I'm entitled to this time in my life, and I should never define myself only by what I use to do for a living.

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