Change can be challenging for anyone. Starting a new activity or moving to an unfamiliar environment requires a lot of emotional energy. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone requires a certain amount of bravery. While it may be difficult at first, these tasks become easier to accomplish when an activity or behavior becomes routine. It can take a while for you to become comfortable in these new situations, whether it be starting a new job, taking on a new sport or hobby, or meeting new people. Although it can be frightening or stressful at times, change helps you grow and evolve, and making changes to your life is a necessary part of meeting your goals in addiction recovery.
Change Isn’t Easy
Change can be difficult and can cause people to feel some stress or anxiety. This is a totally normal response to a new situation as your body and mind try to anticipate how these changes will affect you. Being pushed out of one’s comfort zone is, well, uncomfortable. Those in recovery from addiction often have to make huge changes to their lives in order to stay sober and be successful in their recovery. Abandoning your old life and starting a new one can cause a lot of anxiety and make you wonder if you can handle it. When this happens, remember that you decided to make these changes for the better and that you are in control of the changes that you are making. Remind yourself of the reasons why you are making these important changes and the ways they will benefit you now and in the future.
Changes Will Become Normal
Even when you know you made the right decision, making huge changes to your life can be overwhelming and make you feel anxious about managing it all. During these times, it’s important to remember that the anxiety and uncertainty won’t last forever. The more you practice a new activity or engage in a new situation, the more comfortable you will feel about it. Eventually, these changes will become a routine part of your life. It’s important to not overburden yourself by believing that you need to make all the necessary changes all at once. Break down big changes into smaller pieces that you can tackle one day at a time. You might have to learn how to better manage your emotions or improve your eating habits, which you can do through regular therapy or group session and meal planning. These small changes can be more manageable to enact and will build up to bigger changes in your life and attitude.
Change is a necessary part of addiction recovery and you will need to change multiple aspects of your life to reach your goals. Sometimes change can be scary and cause you to feel some anxiety, but it’s important to remember that these feelings are normal and that you are in control of the changes that you are making for the better. Addiction recovery requires you to make a lot of changes, but you don’t have to do it alone. Alta Loma believes in their clients’ abilities to change and provides transformational treatment services for those struggling with substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health disorders. If you or someone you love is ready to make changes for a better life, call (866) 457-3843 today.
