A serious charge on your record has the possibility of changing your life. A DUI charge especially has the power to alter the state of your future. While you may never have thought that you would be hit with a DUI charge, you’re certainly not alone. Over a million people are arrested for driving under the influence each year. Life after DUI can be difficult, and in some ways, it might feel impossible to get your life back on the proper track.
While it is difficult, it doesn’t have to be impossible.
Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know about moving on after DUI charges.
Looking Into Treatment Options
In some cases, a DUI or DWI might be the result of poor judgment or a night of casual drinking gone too far. In many scenarios, however, it is the result of a much more serious drinking problem that the driver had failed to get a handle on.
Far too often, people get behind the wheel of an automobile drunk simply because they are drunk far too often.
If you think you might have a problem with alcoholism or substance abuse, it can be well worth seeking help. These problems can be difficult to work through, but with proper support and treatment, you can leave this issue in your past.
There are many different types of treatment one can look into if they want to move towards healthier living following a DUI. Group counseling can help one work through their problems with alcohol aloud with others who understand the addiction.
Rehabilitation centers can help those suffering from addiction break their dependence and work through painful withdrawal symptoms under close supervision. Coping strategies can be learned and a new standard of living established.
Taking this difficult but important step can ensure that another similar charge won’t lie waiting in the future. Getting control of one’s drinking problems can be the first and best step following a DUI conviction.
Follow Through on Your Sentencing
The day of your sentencing in court is one of the most difficult days of many people’s lives. Depending on the specific charges one faces, there may be a series of court-ordered stipulations one might have to adhere to. These can be wide-ranging in nature.
No matter what is stipulated by the courts, it’s of the utmost importance that you follow through with these orders to the very best of your ability.
Punishments may include the suspension of your driver’s license, mandatory counseling, house arrest orders, or monetary fines to be paid to the state. In more extreme cases, you might even have to spend time behind bars. All of these punishments can be hard to swallow, especially if you feel that your DUI charge was a simple mistake.
However, if you truly want to move past the charge and get on with your life, it can be very important to comply. Failure to comply can result in further charges and harsher sentences. You will only dig your hole deeper as opposed to get yourself out of the situation you find yourself in.
Other Issues To Overcome
It won’t be just the courts that take issue with your DUI charge. You might also have to overcome some issues at work or with your auto insurance. You might need to have meetings with your employers and face possible pushback to some of your job duties due to the charge.
Your auto insurance company will also likely want to raise their rates on you due to the charge. You can be labeled as a high-risk driver like you were as a teen. You’ll need to work out a new budget that can account for a higher cost of car insurance.
While these issues might loom large at first, they’ll eventually settle down back to normal. You just need to be prepared to work through changes in all areas of your life due to the charge.
Take Control of Your Life
With these other steps aside, you’ll find yourself on somewhat more stable ground. However, there’s still a lot to work through. You’ll need to find the personal strength to forgive yourself for the mistake you’ve made that is now in the past.
If you can let go of the guilt and defeatism of receiving such a charge, you can pour yourself back into the work at hand. That includes your job, the relationships you hold dear, and your hobbies. You can focus on being the best possible version of yourself and putting good back into the world.
Keeping yourself busy and active in the weeks and months following a conviction can be good. Do things that make you feel good about yourself. This could be volunteering or donating to charity, as well as taking time out to help your friends and family.
A DUI is a serious offense and not something to be taken lightly. At the same time, it’s not something you can let destroy your sense of self. It’s well worth it to work yourself through the process of moving on in a healthy way.
Life After DUI: Getting Back On Track
It can be hard to figure out life after DUI. However, just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean it has to be impossible. The above information can be hugely helpful in getting yourself back on track and down the proper path to happy living.
Need help with your particular case? Give us a call for assistance.