Different people have different fears when it comes to addiction recovery. These fears are natural as the recovery process can be mentally and physically tasking. This article examines how you can overcome fear in addiction recovery, so you can continue living a healthy and sober life.
What Is Addiction Recovery?
Individuals who have been addicted to drugs or alcohol for a significant period of time may have to confront the idea of addiction recovery. This process can be challenging, as those individuals may need to go through an extensive rehabilitation program before they are able to return to a healthy living environment.
The first step is often attending a detox program to overcome physical cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Next, recovering addicts work with therapists on identifying triggers for relapse and developing coping strategies to avoid them. They also meet with other recovering addicts who have been through the same thing to develop support networks that will help them stay sober.
Luckily, many people have successfully recovered from addiction, but there are still unanswered questions about how to treat addiction and the best way to recover from it. Recovery requires a lot of work and will depend heavily on the person’s unique situation.
Common Fears in Early Stages of Addiction Recovery
After long-term addiction, the process of recovery can be a frightening and daunting one for many people. There are many fears that arise in the early stages of recovery such as:
- Fear of facing your problems – The fear of facing problems is understandable, but if you do not face them they will only remain in the shadows and continue to create more misery and chaos. You must learn how to deal with these issues so that they don’t control or dictate what happens next. This means learning about yourself and dealing with all aspects of life including relationships, finances, and career. It also includes getting help when needed.
- Fear of failure – Failure can be a very scary thing for some people because it brings up feelings of shame and inadequacy.
- Fear of relapse – Relapse is the biggest fear in recovery. You may think that if you go back to your old ways of drinking/using drugs that you will fail again. The truth is that many addicts who get clean do not relapse after their first time. There are always going to be triggers but those should only lead to more motivation to stay sober.
- Fear of where to go from here – Many people find themselves with a lot of questions about what they need to do now that they have gotten off alcohol or other substances. This can cause anxiety and depression along with other forms of emotional distress. It’s important for someone who has been through addiction and treatment to know how to handle these feelings so they don’t spiral out of control.
It is important to understand these fears and know how to handle them properly to successfully recover from addiction.
Addressing Fear in Addiction Recovery
Many individuals have had nightmares about the terror of withdrawal. They fear losing their job, being thrown out of their home, or that they will never be able to enjoy life again. All of these fears are worth taking on if you want to live a more fulfilling, productive life in sobriety. It’s also possible to overcome your fears during recovery by learning some simple techniques.
Techniques that will help individuals overcome fear in addiction recovery:
- Be honest with yourself and others. Start with something like: I haven’t had any drugs for X days/weeks/months now, and I feel great. That way, even though you may slip up at some point, you can always come back by saying “Hey, remember when we were talking about me having problems? Well, I’m doing better than ever!”
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re feeling depressed or anxious, talk to someone in a safe place (like the doctor’s office) so that they can give you advice on how to overcome these feelings.
- Remind yourself and others you’re taking things “one day at a time.” This is especially helpful when others question how you are doing or bring up events from the past. Just tell them, “I can’t do anything right now about the past. Right now I’m just taking things one day at a time.”
- Use positive affirmations. Say something like: “Today I am going to be happy,” or “Today I am going to smile more often.”
- Make sure that your environment supports you in this process. For example, if you have an addictive personality, then don’t surround yourself with people who are also addicted (or even those who might become so).
- Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep every night. If you’re not getting enough rest, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the problems in life. It may help to keep a journal where you write down what you need to accomplish each day.
- Talk about your fears with someone else. You can tell your friends or family members how you fear relapse because they will be able to understand better than anyone else. They’ll know when something feels off and won’t judge you as harshly as others would.
- Think of yourself as an adult who has been through this before. When you were younger, you had no control over whether you would become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Now that you’ve grown up, you have more experience under your belt. This gives you some perspective on things like relapse.
- Remind yourself that the only person in charge of your life right now is you. You are not a victim; you are responsible for what happens next. If you want to get sober, then it’s time to take responsibility for your actions.
Note, words matter when talking about addiction. People should avoid judgmental verbiage to reduce negative bias and stigma.
Final Thoughts on Fear and Addiction
In conclusion, it is important to seek help for addiction. It is best if you know what you are getting into before trying anything, but it is never too late to stop.
- It is healthy and normal to have fears.
- Remember drugs and alcohol are not the answer.
- Educate yourself on the dangers of substances and their features, as well as how to quit if needed.
- Seek advice from those who have been there before you.
Get Addiction Help in Nashville, TN
Fear in addiction recovery is very common. Fear is a natural emotion but it can cause problems for addicts trying to maintain sobriety. Brentwood Springs Detox in Nashville, TN can help those overcoming addiction address their fears, so that they can recover fully and find the happiness they deserve. Learn more about our programs today by giving us a call or using our admissions form.
