Common Reservations in Recovery

Listed below are common reservations addicts may have when going through addiction recovery.
  • Not being able to cope with loss: “If my parent/spouse passes away, I will have to use to get through it.” When a death of someone close to you actually happens, it is really not a reason to use. If you use in order to cope with the loss, you are robbing yourself from having genuine emotions and mourning organically. Walking through the feelings of grief is actually a gift, especially if you have been using for a long time in order to numb yourself from negative feelings. You will be surprised to find that it is possible to mourn without the use of substances. In healing from these losses while being sober, you are able to live through such tragedies and grow from the experience.
  • Keeping alcohol or paraphernalia in your possession: It is never a good idea to keep these items in your home because if you find yourself in the mood to use, it will be that much easier to relapse. Eliminating these completely from your life will ensure that you cannot be distracted by the temptation of using these substances. Surrendering to recovery means giving up everything that was a part of your addictive lifestyle.
  • Reverting back to old habits if something negative happens: Life presents challenges, and even in recovery you are not exempt from difficulties that arise in life. Part of being in recovery is not letting anything that could happen bring you back into active addiction. Using only hinders the chance of bouncing back from conflicts and unpleasant experiences in recovery. In walking through life abstinent from substances, you will become stronger in your recovery and grow your personal strength.

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