“I’m not going to succeed.”
“I don’t think I can do this.”
“This is all I’m ever going to be, it’s not going to get better than this.”
Everyone has bad days, and sometimes we’re down on ourselves more than we should be. Even if you’re at the beginning of your recovery journey, you may have some sincere doubts about whether you can handle sobriety. It’s a scary process – it’s something new, and it involves change, which is very hard to work through. Once you start relying on God or another higher power, you’ll find that these fears go away – and it’s because you know in your heart that you’re not alone.
When Doubts Creep In
Whether it’s depression, anxiety, or just a bad day, it’s possible to feel like you’re not going to succeed even if you’ve been in recovery for years. Recovery is considered a lifelong process because of this very notion – it takes a lifetime to learn the ups and downs and how to navigate these situations when they arise.
One instance that can create these fears and doubts is thinking about how we may have hurt our loved ones when we were intoxicated or high. Nobody likes to reflect on how addiction has torn apart certain aspects of their lives that used to matter the most. This can bring out feelings of doubt and uncertainty about where a person is in life now.
In other circumstances, we may engage in negative self-talk because we learned it growing up. We may have heard our parents or guardians talking badly about themselves. Then, we adopted this into our own perception. Traumatic experiences can also cause us to have self-conflicting beliefs about who we are, what we stand for, and what we’re capable of. For those in addiction recovery, it’s not unusual to experience negative self-talk because there are often many healthy coping mechanisms that haven’t been learned yet.
If you were to ask a lot of people in addiction recovery what it’s like to have self-doubt, they’d probably tell you that a significant portion of relapse prevention has involved working through negative self-talk. While the voices in a person’s head may continue to flood a person with pessimism, that doesn’t mean that they have to place importance on those thoughts. Actually, they can turn to their spiritual relationship with God or another Higher Power to understand that strength comes from above.
Relapse often happens when a person becomes focused on their ego and feels helpless in solving their own problems. 12-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous teach people that we’re naturally flawed and that God is our only way to building a definite purpose in life. Through this understanding, we can now begin to move forward instead of dwelling on the past.
Spiritual Connectedness and Positivity
When we’re ready to make a positive change in our lives, we begin questioning the negativity that’s entering our minds. Instead of simply believing what the voices said before, we become more critical about what we’re hearing, and we weigh out what’s been said against what God says. The reality is that we’re all worthy of love and light, and the voices that state otherwise are not valid.
A Different Perception
Spirituality has a way of helping us feel like we’re part of something much bigger than ourselves – and when this happens, our problems become small. The minor worries, stresses, and negative blips that we may hear in our mind from time to time, all seem insignificant compared to the grand scheme of things.
Ground Yourself
Emotions can be all-encompassing. If you become too wrapped up in negative self-talk, you may find yourself starting to spiral. Instead, you can begin grounding yourself by reaching out to your support network (many people find peers who become part of this through their 12-Step program), praying about it, reading positive and encouraging recovery books, volunteering, and so much more. You have to find ways to work through the pain while also realizing that you have a purpose in this world. By seeking out recovery and strengthening your spiritual relationship, you’re doing just that.
If you’re currently struggling with addiction, know that you’re not alone. Everyone experiences negative self-talk, but there are many tools, people, and resources to help individuals break through the negativity and find the light. If you’re ready to seek help, speak with a professional from Rancho Milagro Recovery today. There is an entire team of healthcare professionals prepared to be there by your side as you embark on the most wondrous journey of your life. In early sobriety, a lot of us have experience doubt and dismay. We see concepts on the walls of meeting halls like “God” and “Higher Power”, and we wonder how we will ever find the kind of faith that we see in the people around us. People with time sober seem so certain of themselves and the faith they have in a Higher Power. It’s essential that we all understand that we will have a unique and highly personal journey to sobriety. At Rancho Milagro Recovery, our goal is to help you realize this journey. You’ll receive access to our elite and experienced team of recovery professionals, from 24/7 staff support to licensed therapists. You’ll experience group therapy, art therapy, animal therapy, recovery groups, and much more. The path to finding long-term recovery is not narrow – it is a wide and roomy highway which has plenty of room for you and the personal beliefs you hold dear. If you want to learn more about getting sober, give us a call at (951) 526-4582.