How Will DUI Jail Time Affect My Recovery?

March 29, 2023

Written By: Buena Vista Recovery

If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), you might be wondering how DUI jail time will affect your recovery. A DUI arrest can be just as devastating to your sobriety and recovery as any other addiction trigger. Here, we will explore how treatment at Buena Vista Recovery can help you maintain your recovery as you serve jail time for your DUI. 

Understanding the Effect of DUI Jail Time

A DUI is a serious crime. If you’re convicted of driving under the influence, it can affect your life in many ways. It’s important to understand the possible consequences of a DUI so you can stay on track with your recovery program. 

While the consequences of a DUI can vary from person to person and state to state, some general guidelines apply across most jurisdictions:

  • A criminal record will be created for your arrest and conviction. This means that if you apply for jobs or housing in the future, this information will appear on background checks.
  • You may face jail time, fines, community service, and/or you may lose your driver’s license for up to one year, or possibly longer if it’s your second or subsequent offense within ten years (depending on state law).
  • Your insurance rates will likely increase.
  • You might have to serve some jail time as a result of your DUI. However, this could affect your ability to get the treatment you need for your alcohol or drug use.

The good news is that there are things you can do to help yourself if you have been arrested for a DUI. Some of these things might even help your recovery from addiction.

What Will Happen if I Have a DUI?

If you’re in recovery, a DUI can have serious consequences. It will affect your license and insurance, which means that it’s harder for you to drive to meetings or therapy appointments. A DUI may also affect your job if the company requires that their employees be sober at all times. If someone else is injured because of your drinking and driving, then that person could sue for damages. Those costs will likely come out of your pocket as well.

A DUI might even cause problems with family members or friends who don’t understand substance abuse and addiction. They may worry about what could happen if you relapse and use alcohol or other drugs again after a drunk driving offense. These circumstances can further cause individuals to isolate to from others who don’t accept them unconditionally as they attempt to recover from addiction.

How DUI Jail Time Can Shape Your Treatment Goals

If you are receiving addiction treatment, the consequences of a DUI may not only affect your recovery but also your ability to stay sober. For example, if you have been in treatment for a while and are making progress toward recovery goals, a DUI can derail those efforts. The legal ramifications of getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol or using drugs may halt your progress and inform relapse as a result of worsening feelings of shame and guilt.

When you are ready to admit that you have a problem and need support, you must be honest about your struggles. You should also be honest about your goals and needs. Additionally, it’s important for you to be able to identify your strengths, weaknesses, and fears so that you can work through them during treatment.

Those who get DUIs will often face additional challenges when trying to recover from addiction. This is due to the legal and emotional consequences that come along with this type of offense. However, these difficulties can also help motivate you in the right direction for lasting sobriety if they are addressed with the help of a professional treatment program.

How Buena Vista Can Help You With Your DUI Jail Time

If you have made the mistake of getting behind the wheel while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, it can feel like all hope is lost. However, it is important to understand that you can still gain hope for lasting sobriety. At Buena Vista Recovery, we will take a look at all the factors that go into your recovery. We take the time to sit and talk with you and your loved ones about what the best course of action is to get you the help that you need.

With the help of a case manager and other staff members at Buena Vista, we will create an individualized treatment plan that will include effective interventions and therapies to help you get sober. This will also include dealing with any legal ramifications that might come from DUI jail time. DUI jail time can be the start of a change in your life if you allow it. We can help you find new ways to cope with the feelings, emotions, and stress that have put you in this situation. Whenever you are ready, we can help you.

It is crucial to understand how your DUI will affect your recovery. If you have been convicted of a DUI, it can be difficult to find employment and keep yourself sober. However, if you are willing to work hard at finding the right treatment program and maintaining sobriety, then there is hope for a better future. You can begin to move forward in your recovery today. If you are struggling with an addiction or possibly facing DUI jail time, Buena Vista Recovery can set up an individualized treatment plan for you to overcome this obstacle and help you achieve long-term sobriety. For more information about the services that we offer, give us a call at (480) 741-9414 or complete an insurance form.