When people enter recovery, it’s usually after addiction has ruled over their life, affecting their health, their relationships, their career, and just about everything else in a negative way. We should be happy to see our addiction go – but strangely enough, that’s not always the case.
Most people associate recovery with feelings of release, happiness, and joy. A new life filled with healing and restoration is starting, and the darkness of addiction is being left behind. But some people in recovery still experience grief over their addiction – a looming feeling of sadness and loss because they miss the comfortability that came with substance abuse. This may sound odd, but it makes sense. Human beings crave routine, and substances can become so ingrained in a person’s daily routine that it’s hard to imagine life without them.
Give Yourself Time
Once you’re in recovery, you have taken a huge step. But this step requires changes, challenges, and unpredictability, which can be scary. This doesn’t mean that recovery is not possible – but it may take some time to accept and change your perspective towards a mentality of gain, not loss.
First and foremost, it’s important that you give yourself time to grieve. It’s going to take a while for your mind and body to adjust to the fact that you’re on a different path now. You have to allow yourself to feel these emotions, even if they’re uncomfortable. Part of recovery is learning how to process unsettling thoughts and past experiences. In fact, the very act of grieving can help you grow stronger.
Look to the Future
Once you’ve allowed yourself some time to feel sad, you can begin to acknowledge and accept the fact that recovery can give you an even better life than you ever imagined. There is so much to be gained from recovery, such as remembering good times with loved ones, enjoying hobbies and activities that are important to you, and working through difficult situations with greater clarity.
In time, you will wonder how you ever grieved the loss of your addiction or the substance that had such a hold on your life. But until then, the grief you are feeling is real. Acknowledge it, process it, and then you can move forward with the rest of your life.
Seek Help
If you’re ready to seek help, speak with a professional from Alta Loma today.
Alta Loma is a transformational services facility designed to help men recover from co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. By focusing on coordinated care that meets both mental health and substance use needs, we are able to help residents who might not have been successful in other treatment settings. We’d like to help you, too. Call us today at (866) 457-3843.
