It takes a lot to work through active addiction. First, you had to acknowledge that you had a problem and take steps to reach out for help. Then you had to work through your past, your addiction, trauma, and mental health issues. As you have probably already discovered, the work for most people does not end when addiction does. Continuing to work on your mental health issues and your past is important. For most people, it needs to continue even after leaving treatment. It takes time to find yourself and to discover who you really are again after addiction. You may even find yourself facing new and unexpected challenges.
You may find after addiction that you became very accustomed to the drama that came along with addiction. Now that the addiction is no longer present, your mind may still be searching for that constant drama or commotion. It will take time and effort to work through this. Remember that this is normal, and a lot of people experience this. When we begin to learn what we are feeling, we can be more confident in our ability to power through and continue with our goals and progress.
Roller-Coaster Ride of Addiction
During your addiction, you probably found yourself on a roller-coaster ride mentally and physically. You probably focused entirely upon your substance. You probably faced an up and down of emotions like anxiety, relaxation, numbness, paranoia, or joy. Now that you have gotten off the ride, your mind is probably calm in a way that you haven’t experienced for some time. Change can be complicated and stressful sometimes. Do not worry if things feel different or unfamiliar. It takes time to adjust to all the changes.
Being able to find your center and your inner calm may feel weird at first. You may not even like the feeling if you are still drawn toward the drama of addiction. That is okay. Try your best to work through those feelings and continue to grow and work towards your goals. Everything in life takes time. Be persistent, and eventually, these feelings will begin to feel more natural and easy.
Self-Avoidance
If you find yourself still craving the drama that came along with addiction, it may simply be because you still have work to do on yourself. Self-avoidance can look different to everyone. Continue to put in the effort to better yourself, understand your mental health, and work towards your goals. For most people, this means continuing to work with a mental health professional in some capacity.
There is a good chance that your addiction consumed your life. It will take time to understand and learn who you really are again. We all struggle to comprehend our emotions and feelings sometimes. It will take time to acknowledge and recognize underlying emotions and motives. Do not give up; you have already made fantastic progress.
Work on Your Support Group
Having a strong support circle is very important while maintaining your sobriety. We all have moments where we need people to talk to and lean on. If you find yourself craving the constant drama and intensity of your addiction, work on surrounding yourself with people you really enjoy. Suppose there are people around you that you enjoy talking to and doing activities with who are also working on improving themselves in the same way that you are. In that case, you will slowly develop a healthier mindset. As with everything, this takes time, practice, and patience.
Find New Hobbies
Keeping your brain healthy is an important aspect of your mental health. For some people, trying new hobbies may be the perfect thing to help with sobriety. Often, when we enter recovery, we barely even know ourselves. Many of us became so consumed in our addiction that we stopped doing activities that we enjoyed or spending time with the people we had healthy relationships with. You may be surprised at what you enjoy doing as you begin to venture out and try new activities and hobbies.
Finding new groups and activities may help you to stay mentally focused on your goals. It takes time to train our brains that the constant commotion and drama that came with addiction are not what we want. A life of sobriety is different for everyone. Your mind and body will soon become accustomed to your own unique calm and quiet life away from your substance of choice.
Addiction has many layers and is often experienced at least to some degree slightly differently for everyone. We all have different histories, triggers, and thought processes. Sometimes we may even find ourselves in recovery but still craving that constant chaos that came along with addiction. Our minds are very powerful and learning to understand your own mind will be your most effective tool as you continue on the journey of sobriety and healthy living. Many times we find that changing our routines can be challenging. Our minds and bodies are so used to living and thinking a certain way that it takes time to begin changing those things. Try to change your routine, do new activities, and always surround yourself with people who are uplifting and supportive of your journey. Here at The Guest House, we understand that people often need ongoing support as they continue through a long-term recovery process. We are ready to help you continue to grow, face life’s challenges, and exceed any goal you set. Call us today to learn more about our different treatment options at (855) 483-7800.