Waking up after a DUI arrest may feel awful and uncomfortable. You might feel terrible. You might feel like you’ve disappointed your family and friends.
But now, it’s time to face the consequences. There are probably several things you need to sort out. So how exactly can you get back on track and take control of your life?
Hire an Attorney
If it is your first DUI arrest, you won’t likely face jail time. However, there could still be legal actions that may be taken against you, especially if you caused damage to property or if you hurt someone.
Get in touch with a reputable criminal attorney to make sure you’ll get fair treatment when dealing with settlements and charges. It’s not worth making things more difficult for yourself.
Own the Mistake and Apologize
The first thing you should do after getting arrested for a DUI is to accept it, own it, then apologize for it. Call your family and friends and tell them you’re genuinely sorry. If you caused inconvenience to someone because of the incident, apologize to them. Own your mistake and promise that you’ll do better moving forward.
You could spend the rest of your life beating yourself up. But there’s no reason that you should.
Lean on Family and Friends
During this challenging time, you must reach out to your family and friends for support. A DUI may carry a social stigma that can make people too embarrassed to even reach out to their loved ones. In a country where nearly 50 percent of adults grew up in a family affected by alcoholism, it can be no surprise that there are feelings of guilt and shame associated with DUI.
Your family and friends can offer you the help you needed to overcome the problem. Talking to them about the incident is one way to help ensure this mistake never happens again.
Seek Local Support Groups
Once you’ve realized you need to make changes in your life, then it’s time to start the road to recovery. While one DUI offense doesn’t automatically equate to alcoholism, it may indicate that you have a problem with alcohol.
If you feel like you need some help, you can check out several support groups. These systems can help you look deeper into yourself and start contributing positive changes in your life. They’ll give you the necessary tools and materials to steer away from negative thinking and repel addiction triggers.
If you’re uncomfortable in joining support groups, try getting involved with your local church or a food drive. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or in a nursing home to give yourself space where you can lend a hand.
Think About Rehab
If you suffer from a drinking problem and the mishap wasn’t an isolated incident, you should consider entering rehabilitation programs. Substance abuse can take control of your life and cripple it.
Although the move might be a little too drastic, it’s one that’s often necessary. Discuss it with your loved ones first. Remember that entering such a program will still be up to you.
Life after a DUI arrest feels heavy at its onset. However, there are so many things you can do to make sure life gets better from here. Follow the advice above so that you can learn and move on from this experience.