Tips for Talking to Your Friends and Family About Your DUI Arrest
Your DUI arrest is not something you are going to want to skywrite, but it is also something you cannot keep totally private. The best way to recover is by making sure you have the support you need to get better quickly. You need the people around you to know what happened, and more importantly, know what your plan is to make it right. They are going to be the ones you need to rely on for help during the process, and they are likely the ones who will also hold you accountable for it.
Why Do You Need to Talk About Your DUI Arrest?
Your choice to get behind the wheel after drinking may not have been your finest moment, but it also does not have to define who you are for the rest of your life. Instead, it should be a mistake you own up to and a starting point for what you want your future to become. You could wallow in your mistake and keep drinking, but that is likely only going to leave you in a worse spot than you are in now. By talking about your DUI arrest, you get the mistake out there in the open. The topic is no longer taboo, and you can show those around you how you are learning from your mistake.
One part of recovery that many who have struggled with a DUI arrest in the past take to, is going to meetings like AA or AlAnon. This allows you to really see that you are not alone. You may have made a bad choice, but others have made a similar choice. They learned from their mistakes, and are often great teachers when it comes to how to move forward in this situation. Go in, talk about your DUI arrest, and see what type of insight you get back. Granted, this only works if you are giving up drinking, but that may not be the worst way to guarantee yourself that you won’t get another DUI.
How to Start to Talk About Your DUI Arrest
You begin with the person you fear their reaction the least. Talk to them openly. Explain what you recall about your DUI arrest candidly with them. Show them the truth about the situation, and ask what they think about the whole thing. Answer their questions honestly, and be vulnerable with them. This shows a lot of responsibility. Once you have spoken with that person, go the opposite direction, and open up to the person you fear their reaction the most. Once you have both extremes done, telling other people will be something you can manage.
Remember, people are not going to be happy about the situation. Some may express their displeasure, while others will simply give you that look of disappointment. You made a mistake, and they understand that. However, it is what you choose to do from this point forward that matters the most. Step up, show that you will not let your future be dictated by your mistake, and fix it. There is no one simple way to fix the situation, but having the right support by your side during the process can significantly help.
What to Do About Your DUI Arrest
Once you have the support of friends and family, it is now time to create a plan. You need to figure out how to move forward from your DUI arrest. This may mean giving up alcohol altogether, which is not a bad thing. There are some steps that the court is going to require of you. One of those steps is going through a DUI screening. This is a process where you are asked a series of questions. The questions are not difficult, and require you to be totally honest in your responses. From there, an evaluation is created, which tells the court how likely you are to make this mistake again. If you answered honestly, and not with answers you thought the court would want to hear, then you may only have to take this step. If your alcohol problem was severe, or you gave bad answers, then you may need further steps, such as rehab. You will find out what your evaluation results are when you go to court next after the screening is completed.
Another thing you want to do during this phase is to make sure to include as many friends and family members in each part of the process as you can. You opened up to them following your DUI arrest, so let them help now. There may not be much they can do, but even driving you to and from court lets them be helpful to you. They may not know what to do to help, so offer suggestions on things they can do as you think of things. This may be going with you to court, driving you to see your DUI attorney, or even just sitting and talking with you about what is going on.
When It Is Time for Your DUI Screening, We Can Help
The court will tell you when you need to get your DUI screening done. When that comes, call us here at Alcohol Screening Phoenix. Our number is 602-535-6468. We can set up the DUI screening for you either in person or over the internet. From there, we are able to send the evaluation directly to court so it shows up as being done, plus the judge will get the results.
You do not need to go through any part of the DUI process alone. Your friends and family will likely want to be a part of it once they get a chance to sort through what happened in their minds. Talk to them and lean on whoever lets you. Show them that their input and presence makes a difference in your life. They are standing by you after what could have been a life-altering decision. Show them how much that means to you, too.