The stress of the situation can weigh heavily on some people. You might be having trouble sleeping, you’re worried about what could happen to your job, and you’re embarrassed about what your friends and family might be thinking.
To make matters worse, while you’re dealing with all of this stress, you’re also facing important deadlines and are being forced to make some of the most important decisions in your case, decisions which can have a long-lasting impact on your case, your career, and your future. If you accidentally make a critical mistake by missing a deadline or failing to preserve important evidence, you can ruin your chances of getting your license back or even sabotage your entire case.
Help is here, and you’re not alone. You’re going to be okay, and you will get through this. I promise. Keep reading and I’ll tell you how.
First of all, I know that you’re NOT a criminal and you’re NOT a bad person. But even though you’re not a criminal, they sure treated you like one, didn’t they? Everything they did, from the handcuffs, to the food (if they even fed you), to the bathroom, to the “collect calls only” process for calling someone so you could get out of jail…
…The Entire Process Was Designed to Rob You of Your Dignity.
Even the employees at the tow yard piled on, basically saying, “We Don’t Trust You!” and demanding cash, rather than accepting your check or credit card.
It was humiliating.
And now, because of how you were treated, you may be experiencing fear, shame, and even humiliation.
You need to understand how this arrest is going to affect you, and be prepared to handle the stress that may arise from being arrested, having your life up-ended, and spending a night in jail.
Here are the 7 stages that you will typically encounter after you’ve been arrested. Some people may go through all 7 stages in a matter of hours, while others may take weeks (even months) before they complete the cycle.
Each person’s progression will be different, and there isn’t usually a neat “break” from one stage to the next. Often, there will be much looping back, or sometimes the stages can all hit at the same time, or occur out of order. There’s no clear picture of exactly what will happen, but this will serve as a good general guide of what to expect.
One quick tip: For a quick and easy way to get through this process, you should hire an experienced DUI lawyer. This is what we’re here for… To help you survive your DUI arrest, and to get you through the entire process with as little pain as possible. There are techniques and strategies that we can share to help you through each stage, and to minimize the time that you spend in each stage of the recovery.
We’ve been there before. I’ve seen thousands of people go through the process that you’re about to go through. I can help you get through this as painlessly as possible, so that you can get your life back under control and put this bad experience behind you.
Remember:
You will survive this…
You will get through this, and…
You will be okay.
Here are the 7 stages of surviving your DUI arrest, and the tips you need for surviving the emotional aftershock of your DUI arrest.
You will probably start feeling guilty about things you did, and feeling regret and remorse about things that you didn’t do or should have done. Unfortunately, some people are going to pile on and try to make you feel worse. Florida releases the booking photos of everyone arrested for DUI, so your name and your mugshot have been posted across the internet, for all the world to see. You’re probably focusing more attention on the “You Drink, You Drive, You Lose” campaigns and the shame campaigns that groups like MADD have published. These tactics are specially designed to increase feelings of shame and guilt in someone who has been charged with a DUI.
You will feel scared and out of control during this phase, but remember: You will survive this.
It’s normal and healthy to release your anger and pent-up frustration, but you’ve got to do it in a constructive way (if possible) that doesn’t destroy your relationships.
You may yell out loud, or privately rage and ask, “Why me?!?” You may try to bargain in vain for a way out of your despair, saying things like “I’ll never drink again” or making promises if it will “just go away.”
Again, this is normal. If you’re prepared to deal with the inevitable anger and bargaining that will arise, you will be able to keep yourself under control so it doesn’t ruin your relationships.
In this stage, you may finally realize the true magnitude of the consequences of a DUI arrest, and it can be depressing. You may isolate yourself on purpose, play the “what if?” game again, reflecting on the things that you did (or didn’t) do, and also focusing on your past and other mistakes that you’ve made. You may feel empty, or feel a sense of despair. Yes, DUI arrests are serious, but you can’t let it ruin your life.
It’s helpful to have someone to talk to, hopefully someone who listens and understands what you are going through. A close friend, professional therapist, or an experienced DUI attorney are all good people to talk to. Having an experienced DUI attorney on your side will also help you feel like you’re taking back control over your life.
Luckily, if you have an experienced DUI attorney by your side, you may be able to avoid going back to court, so those negative emotions don’t get re-triggered and restart the entire process.
Tampa DUI Attorney Elliott Wilcox has handled thousands of DUI cases. A member of the National College for DUI Defense, a founding member of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association, and a life member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Elliott's practice is dedicated exclusively to helping drivers accused of Driving Under the Influence (DUI). To talk to Elliott about the available options to continue driving and avoiding a DUI, schedule a phone appointment or call (813) 940-4300 today!
The Wilcox Law Firm
620 East Twiggs Street, Suite 304
Tampa, Florida 33602
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You will be okay, and you will get through this... We promise!
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