Everyone falls off the beaten path from time to time, and recovery is no exception. Most of the “down” moments in recovery give you a chance to identify what you need to change and what you need to continue emphasizing in your recovery. Unless there are major concerns that you have about the treatment center you’re in, you’re likely letting your fears get in the way of your success. Consider these common fears:
- It’s been a month and I still don’t feel strong, what if this isn’t right for me?
- I’ve relapsed a few times already – maybe I’m not ready for this.
- My family says I’ve been moody lately; what if I’m doing something wrong?
- I haven’t made any close friends yet and I feel awkward here. Maybe I should leave?
- One of my group leaders doesn’t like me and I can’t continue dealing with this.
Most of these fears contain “what if” statements – statements that cannot be predicted and shouldn’t be attempted. As Psychology Today states, “recovery from addiction is the process of sustaining abstinence and learning and practicing the awareness and skills necessary to live a whole, healthy, and healed life.” Everything takes time, and quitting your journey now discredits the knowledge and growth you have acquired during your time thus far. Recovery isn’t about feeling strong all the time, having constant friends you can rely on, and being in a “happy” or “cheerful” mood – it’s about having and not having these things and still carrying on.
Relapse is considered a normal part of recovery; if this happens, this does not mean that you have failed. Rather, relapse is a chance to learn and grow and find out what it was that triggered you to relapse. You likely didn’t realize it was something someone said, or a song that came on, or a random thought that creeped up that sent you into a spiral – but you can learn from this afterwards. This doesn’t mean that everything is over.
Self-knowledge and self-awareness are some of the most crucial, key pieces to transformation in recovery. When you find out these things for yourself, you gain more power over your addiction/mental disorder and can develop yet another tool to use in moments of despair. If you’re considering quitting, don’t give up. Stay in longer. You’ll be grateful you did.
Avalon Malibu is a world-renowned, California state-licensed mental health and substance abuse recovery center. Our licensed, experienced health care professionals will work with you to restore your mind, body, and spirit. If you are ready to seek treatment, call us today at 888-958-7511 for a consultation.
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