Addiction recovery is a continuous battle on a long journey. You will have times of great success where you feel like you’re on top of the world and you will also have times of great struggle. While everyone’s journey to recovery is unique, with different valleys and hills to go through, it is important to remain hopeful. Remember that all feelings are fleeting. Sometimes you will feel down, but your ability to bounce back from negative emotions will help you along your journey. More importantly, it will help you fight back harder against your addiction.
Finding Hope
At times, hope may seem silly, inauthentic, or near impossible. Finding hope when it feels like you’ve been knocked down for a long time can be hard. It might even feel easier to give in to negative self-talk and quit, instead of hoping for a day when it will become easier not to abuse substances or a day when it will become easier to take pleasure in life again. This is why it is important to surround yourself with a community that believes in positivity and will support you in your times of need. A supportive and encouraging community can help you find hope when you’ve lost it. You might find hope in faith or organized religion, finding comfort in communities that believe in forgiveness and helping others. You might find hope in your family and friends who have always believed and supported you. You might find hope in your peers who are going through similar situations but are living proof that you can do this too. Wherever you find your hope, it should inspire you to continue on your recovery journey.
Believing in Hope
Ultimately, it will be up to you to find hope within yourself. Recovering from addiction means taking responsibility, not only for your past wrongdoings but also for your recovery, which is a journey only you can choose to take. It’s okay to rely on a community to help you find hope, but it will come down to you to believe in hope. It’s important to believe that one day things will get better. Being hopeful means adopting a positive attitude, through positive self-talk or mantras. If you’re finding it hard to find hope in positive thinking, then start by stopping negative self-talk and take it one day at a time. It might help to plan out the steps you want to take to feel better. For instance, you can decide to take up yoga, get more sleep, see your therapist on a more regular basis, or practice more self-care. Every person is different, and you will have to discover what the best way is for you to get out of a rough time.
Addiction recovery is a long journey to embark on, but having hope that you can stay sober will make your journey a little easier. You can find hope within a supportive community of religion, friends, family, or peers. Ultimately, it is up to you to find hope within yourself. Finding hope within yourself requires you to be introspective, make healthy choices, and take care of yourself. Let Alta Loma be a part of the support system that gives you hope for your recovery and your future. Call (866) 457-3843 for more information.
