Feelings of sorrow are commonplace for everyone when anxiety, disappointment, fear, heartbreak, loss, or other instances of sadness occur. However, when these feelings take place, it can stop an individual in their tracks and prevent personal growth during addiction recovery. It’s for this reason that moving on from sorrow during sober living is critical.
Sorrow is compounded by substance abuse
It isn’t uncommon for those experiencing sorrow to feel the need to self-medicate. The desire to do so is compounded by an individual’s need for avoidance, rather than confrontation. It’s more comfortable to find a way to remove pain physically than it is to work on healing the underlying issue. It’s at this point we realize we’ve run into trouble because unhealthy habits have settled into our routines. Rather than treating the problem, we’re self-medicating symptoms and compounding the issues.
How to move forward from sorrow during sober living
Once we realize that sorrow is an illusion, half the battle is won. The other half of the battle is understanding that, during addiction recovery, we don’t have the strength to take care of ourselves. Overcoming hurdles is a team effort and requires support from outside help. These individuals help provide insight, inspiration, guidance, motivation, and a shoulder to cry on when times become challenging. Here are four steps to take to help you move past sorrow:
1. Find a mentor or a sponsor: acknowledging you need help doesn’t admitting you’re weak, it is actually a sign of strength.
2. Tackle issues head-on: instead of self-medicating, confront every issue you’re faced with so you experience personal growth during your addiction recovery.
3. Develop an action plan for growth: the creation of a self-improvement plan helps keep you accountable and allows you to track the progress you’ve made on your journey away from sorrow.
4. Remain accountable: work in conjunction with your mentor or sponsor with your action plan to stay accountable throughout your goals.
Don’t be afraid to share your experiences
When you share your experiences about feeling sorrowful, you’re less likely to move into that mindset again. Rather than feeling ashamed about what you’ve experienced and labeling yourself as being broken, open up and educate others. Help others move past these issues, so they don’t self-medicate as well.