If you have begun your recovery journey, you have probably noticed that sobriety can be awesome. Facing an active addiction was probably one of the hardest things you have ever done. You put in the effort and learned more about your mental health.
Now you get to enjoy the pleasure of sobriety and living the life you have always dreamed of. If you are in early recovery, you are probably still getting used to a life of sobriety. You may still be trying to figure life out and begin to feel comfortable with your new normal. It is perfectly normal to feel hesitant and unsure. Recovery is a process filled with exploration and growth. Here are a few aspects of sobriety that may surprise you.
#1. Your Sobriety Will Evolve
Who you are on the first day of sobriety will be different from who you are five years later. Just like with everything in life, your life of recovery will ebb and flow as you grow and change. Try to remain flexible and remember the journey that you are on.
#2. Talking About Recovery Will Begin to Feel More Natural
You may feel awkward talking about your journey when you are in early recovery. You may feel like you are bragging or that your recovery is just not something worth talking about. People will probably ask you questions and wonder how you are doing.
Early recovery is filled with new experiences and learning how to handle them. Many people struggle with feeling as if they are being judged for their past or that they are facing stigma. As you journey through recovery and start reaching milestones and goals, you will begin to feel more confident in your journey.
Sharing your journey with others can be an amazing experience. It can help others find hope in their situations and keep fighting against their struggles just like you did. Sharing your experience can also help you to acknowledge how far you have come.
#3. You Will Be Proud of Your Journey
You may not realize it right away, but your recovery and sobriety will be monumental landmarks in your life. You will grow to be so proud of the work you put in to make your life exactly what you wanted it to be. You will be proud of your journey, just like everyone else is incredibly proud of you.
#4. Triggers Change
What triggers you in early recovery may be different than what triggers you years later. Learning to be flexible with recovery helps many people continue learning about themselves and their own journey.
As your triggers change along with your growth and goals, you will experience new and challenging situations. Continue working with a mental health professional as your journey through recovery. You do not need to face changes and challenges alone.
#5. Your Friendships Will Change
The friendships you had before treatment may look very different from the ones you keep after treatment and into recovery. When you faced an active addiction, many relationships in your life probably centered around your substance of choice and a lifestyle built around addiction.
Post-treatment, you may realize how meaningful and healthy some relationships are and how unhealthy others are. The growth you experience as you journey through recovery can be tremendous. You will meet people who not only see your growth but also see your potential as well. Other people will judge you for your past choices. Friendships and connections will change as you change and grow into the person you always wanted to be.
#6. You Will Learn So Much About Yourself
You probably don’t realize how much of yourself got lost when you experienced addiction. Your entire life was centered around your substance of choice. You probably stopped seeing certain people, hid your use, developed unhealthy friendships, and stopped doing many activities that you enjoyed. As time went on, it became easy to forget what you were really like before addiction.
Now that you are in recovery, your life is filled with exploration, growth, and remembrance. You have the opportunity to rediscover all of the activities you enjoyed, the relationships that you cherished, and who you were before addiction took over your life.
You will learn so much about yourself. You will learn how capable and strong you truly are as you journey through recovery and hit every milestone ahead of you. You will also realize what is most important to you and how hard you are willing to work to fight for the people you cherish and the life that you most want for yourself.
Recovery can be an amazing time filled with growth. For many people in early recovery, sobriety can feel a little intimidating and scary. You may worry about making the wrong choices and ending up in situations you aren’t ready for. However, there are many aspects of recovery that may surprise you. You will discover so much about yourself, how strong you are, and how capable of achieving any goal set before you. You may be surprised at how much your relationships and friendships change with sobriety and recovery. Eventually, it will feel natural to talk about your journey and everything you have experienced. Here at The Guest House, we know that recovery can feel intimidating and frightening. We are here to support you along that journey. You do not need to face those changes and challenges alone. Call us today at (855) 483-7800 to learn more about our different treatment options.