Addiction can affect both your mental and physical health; active addiction can also negatively affect your loved one’s overall well-being. Addictive behaviors can impair even the healthiest relationships. In some cases, it can seem nearly impossible for you to repair them. Although it may seem challenging to forgive yourself and make amends with family and friends, moving forward with Avalon Malibu can teach you how to forgive yourself and others. This is a critical stage in recovery. Doing so can help you find peace within yourself and promote a stronger bond with loved ones for long-term healing.
Why Is It Important to Forgive Yourself in Recovery?
Suppose you have felt remorseful or regret some choices you have made in active addiction. In that case, take comfort in knowing this is a natural feeling as many individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) may also relate. Taking a step back to recognize and acknowledge what has led you to recovery can also be very helpful. Understand that drug and alcohol addiction was not a choice; it is a prevalent chronic brain disease that once impaired your ability to take control of your life. It is crucial for you to learn how to forgive yourself in recovery to gain improved mental health.
Research indicates that self-forgiveness and forgiving others can function differently throughout the recovery process. For example, a study made up of 364 participants reported increased efficacy in forgiving themselves and others. Although they found it easier to forgive others over themselves, there were reduced relapse rates related to self-recrimination, shame, and guilt. Mending relationships with others has also been proven to facilitate one’s ability to achieve self-forgiveness. Therefore, it is critical for you to forgive yourself and make amends in addiction recovery.
Practical Tips to Teach You How to Forgive Yourself
Although it may seem as if you do not deserve self-forgiveness, implementing practical tips or techniques into your daily routine can help in the healing process. Doing so can assist you in gaining a stronger sense of self-forgiveness and help you see the entire picture differently. Practicing different strategies can also help you make amends with loved ones to establish improved relationships. Some practical tips to help you find forgiveness within yourself and others include:Â
- Taking responsibility for your past actions
- Acknowledging your hard work in treatment
- Accepting the consequences of your past
- Learning to understand your past behaviorsÂ
- Continuing to make better choices
- Letting go of self-judgment
- Addressing hard feelings such as guilt and shame instead of avoiding them
- Practicing self-careÂ
Make Amends With Friends and Family in Recovery
Once you build the strength to forgive yourself, it may still seem challenging to forgive others who were involved in your cycle of addiction. Receiving hurtful stigma, mean stereotypes, and pure judgment from loved ones may have felt extremely hurtful.
Sometimes viewing the situation from their end can give a better perspective too. Addictive behaviors such as lying, stealing, and manipulation can seem almost unforgivable from their end.Â
Although inexcusable for both parties, their negative response may have stemmed from a lack of understanding. Thus, family and friends may have received the wrong impression, leading to a poor perspective of your condition. It can be difficult for everyone to find peace after active addiction, but taking action to make amends with friends and family can provide everyone with a greater sense of relief.
Learn How to Forgive Yourself With Avalon Malibu
Even though following practical tips can be beneficial to the recovery process, seeking professional assistance can provide the right services to better help everyone move forward from the past. For instance, Avalon Malibu can be a great source of help during your recovery process. Their treatment facility supports individuals facing hardship like you to find peace in the healing process.Â
Moving forward with different services can help you find self-forgiveness. Doing so may also help everyone make amends after active addiction. Participating in Avalon Malibu’s treatment and recovery programs can provide helpful information. Avalon Malibu deeply understands the severity of SUD. Their trained specialists can teach you or your loved one additional skills to effectively cope while in recovery.
Understanding the Benefits of Perusing Different Treatments at Avalon Malibu
Attending different outpatient treatment programs such as individual, group, or family therapy can help you achieve a better quality of life. Family work can also help each family member take responsibility for their actions and move forward from the past. Although it may feel like a challenging process, staying dedicated to outpatient treatment can aid in relapse prevention and improve your overall odds of having a successful outcome. Further advantages that may come from seeking professional care include:Â
- Improved mental health
- Reduced tension within the household
- Improved satisfaction with life
- Better quality of sleep
- Improved relationships with family and friends
- Increased self-esteem, self-worth, and confidence
- Reduced stress and distress
- Decreased negative emotions
- Lower levels of self-harm or suicidal ideation
- Long-term sobriety
At Avalon Malibu, our substance abuse treatment center offers a healthy, positive, life-changing experience. Avalon Malibu’s sanctuary model is a forward-thinking approach to addiction and psychiatric treatment. We are committed to imparting new ways of living to our clients through progressive treatments that help expose and release old ways of behavior. We want to make the process as comfortable as possible so that you feel safe and supported during your time of need. Our intensive outpatient programs (IOP) offer the support and accountability needed to focus on your body and mind without drugs and alcohol. Call Avalon Malibu at (844) 857-5992 to gain the tools needed to forgive yourself and mend relationships with others for ongoing healing.Â
