The hardest part of the road to recovery can be the damage done over time and the feelings of disgust and embarrassment one suffers from their addiction. Alcoholism often gives those suffering from the disease a negative outlook on how they feel about themselves and their relationships. No matter the anxiety that it caused, it is possible to move on from the mistakes you have made and make amends to those you’ve hurt.
Acceptance Is Key
There are six stages of recovery that an addict experiences: grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. When you finally come to the realization that you have a problem and you are willing to take the steps to conquer it, it’s easier to relinquish feelings of guilt and shame. To get to this acceptance stage, you must first complete a full detox.
This will allow you to function without the substance making all of the decisions for you. This is a very difficult stage to complete, but the medical assistance of a professional can help with withdrawal symptoms that can cause anxiety and pain. Finding out the real reason for your addiction or overuse of a substance can be an overwhelming experience, and finding the real reason for your use can be a huge relief and allow you to tackle the problem head-on. Of course, meeting with a marital or family counselor can help with developing a strong support system at home.
Counseling Can Help
The damage that your addiction can do to the friends, family and other loved ones around you is difficult. This addiction can put a considerable amount of strain on the significant other and at times this can end things in divorce. It is very important to seek a professional to help your loved one or partner through this process. It can be a very uncomfortable or stressful process, but it can be extremely vital to saving the relationship or marriage. Interestingly enough, even loved ones have feelings of not having done enough to help, so counseling can work both ways.
Tips for Letting Go
Psychologists diagnose shame (which goes hand in hand with guilt) an unnecessary feeling because you can’t change the past. Reliving the past stops you from moving forward and planning for the future, which is necessary to recover from your addiction. Though it may take a lot of practice, it’s helpful to replace guilty thoughts with healthier ones. Here are some tips:
- Talk yourself out of guilt: You talked yourself into feeling guilty, so you can talk yourself out of it, too.
- Become a problem solver: Focus on things you need to correct in the present without dwelling on the past.
- Don’t judge yourself: Judging yourself will only make you feel guilty and ashamed. Put your behavior/addiction into context in order to understand where you were at in your life at the time so you can move on.
- Don’t magnify the past: In other words, don’t stew in your juices. Take ownership of your behavior and move on.
- Don’t label yourself: If you believe you’re a terrible person because of your addiction, you’ll always feel that way, which will lead you to struggle with self-confidence and bring on feelings of shame. Redirect your energy so you can face your fears and your addiction.
- Prepare a personal testimony: Many clients of psychologists practice this exercise to help work through guilty feelings.
- Learn from the past: Just because you shouldn’t live in the past doesn’t mean you can learn from it.
In the beginning, staying positive during treatment may feel like an uphill battle, but remember that it’s crucial for a successful recovery. Through acceptance, counseling, and letting go, you can beat your addiction. Remember that you’re not alone in this journey.
Just the absence of drugs and alcohol is not enough to maintain addiction recovery. Everyone has stress in their life, and you can learn how to effectively manage the stress while leading a productive and fulfilling life. Asana Recovery is an effective and modern addiction treatment center that offers a variety of options depending on your needs. Contact us now to learn more about admissions to a treatment program that will fit your needs. 949-438-4504
