18 Oct 10 Things to Keep in Mind When Struggling With Alcohol Recovery
The road to alcohol recovery is a long one. You’ll encounter speed bumps along the way and you may even come to a complete stop. But it’s important to know that you’re not alone with your struggles. Millions of alcohol addicts are having difficulty with their recovery every year. But that doesn’t mean you should just give in and let your alcohol addiction take control of you. With the right approach and the right mindset, you can turn things around and make lasting life changes.
If you’re struggling with alcohol recovery, here are 12 things to keep in mind to help you push through difficult times. Alternatively, get in touch with the leading drug and alcohol rehab center in Bali for more info.
- Alcohol addiction is a disease
In the medical field, alcohol addiction (also known as alcoholism) is defined as a chronic disease that impacts the brain’s memory, reward, and motivation systems. It can take over a person’s life and affect major aspects of their life from families, friends, relationships, and even their occupation.
The first step towards rehabilitation is acknowledging that you have a disease. The good news is, alcoholism can be treated effectively by following a professional route to recovery.
- Everyone’s needs are different
There’s no predetermined route for alcohol recovery. Each person is different and will require different treatment methods to help break their destructive habits. If you find yourself struggling with a certain treatment method, do not get frustrated with the results. Perhaps you can consider a different option to see if you can stick with it and help you recover better from your alcohol addiction.
- Take control of your life
Recovering from alcohol requires extreme self-awareness on your part. You have to make conscious decisions about improving yourself and staying away from triggers that may lead to a relapse. This could mean resisting urges to grab a drink or saying no to friends who are inviting you to pubs. Once you take control of your life, you’ll find that navigating through the recovery process will feel much easier.
- Steer clear of toxic relationships
Just like how toxic alcohol is to the body, some relationships bring toxicity to our lives as well. You should be mindful of the people you hang out with as this can determine the success or failure of your recovery. Surround yourself with people that encourage you to change for the better and steer clear of those that downplay your recovery.
- Suffering from a relapse does not mean your recovery is over
Understand that a relapse doesn’t put an end to your recovery. Rather, it’s a part of the process that teaches you a very important lesson. Think about what caused the relapse and what you can do to prevent it from happening again. Are you still hanging out with friends who drink? Or are you passing by places where you used to drink? Whatever the case is, it’s crucial to avoid such triggers to reduce your chances of suffering a relapse.
If you do happen to experience a relapse, the most important thing is to pick yourself back up again and move with speed. Dwelling on the mistake for too long can halt your progress and drain your motivation levels.
- You are not alone
As the saying goes, “no man is an island” and you are definitely not alone in your recovery. There are people out there who want to see you do better. Who want to see you succeed. Who want you to live a clean and sober lifestyle. Sometimes we just need to open our eyes and see who’s been there with us right from the start.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and family members for help. Often times, they’ll be more than willing to help you out so you can get back on the right track.
- Be good to yourself
During this vulnerable stage of your life, it’s easy to lose sight of your personal value. Your self-esteem takes a hit, and you feel like a burden to everyone else. But keep in mind that focusing on negative energy will only delay the process and put you in a position for a relapse.
Be kind to yourself. More than anything, do this for yourself and not for other people. When your desire to become better overcomes your weaknesses, you will be able to defeat your inner demons.
- Not everyone will understand your struggles
People who’ve never been in your shoes might find it difficult to understand what you’re going through. They may not even commit to helping you break free of your addiction. But keep in mind that not everyone can relate to your struggles, which is why it’s important to surround yourself with people who do understand them.
- The stigma should not keep you down
Alcoholism comes with a lot of stigma and it can make you feel trapped in deep, dark secrets. No matter what people think about you, you’ve actively made the decision to better yourself and that alone is a feat worth celebrating. Don’t let the outside noise affect you and just focus on taking small steps that lead to big successes.
- You will make it
Despite your struggles, you will make it. All it takes is the right people, the right mindset, and a strong commitment to your rehabilitation. Just because you’re struggling, that doesn’t mean your recovery isn’t going well. Most recovering alcoholics struggle at some point in their recovery and it’s about how they handle it that ultimately determines their success. Once you overcome these difficulties, it won’t be long before you say goodbye to your alcohol addiction once and for all.
The final take
The best thing you can do to defeat any addiction is to explore your treatment options and find support for your ongoing recovery. While there will be setbacks along the way, these struggles will help prepare you as you make lasting changes in transitioning to a clean and sober lifestyle.
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