When you’re trying to get clean and sober, it can feel like there are a million issues to think about and address. People from support groups, therapists, medical professionals, friends, and family all have something to say about your situation. With cravings, triggers, and painful memories continuing to surface for some time after hitting bottom, any person working their way through recovery has plenty of issues they want to address.
The problem is that it’s all going on in your head. You don’t have a great friend you can talk to about these issues or anyone with whom you can share what you’re feeling or thinking in a constructive way. Even those close to you may not be the best people to discuss this sort of thing with because they don’t fully understand what you are going through. It can be frustrating and isolating and make getting sober seem like an impossible task. Psychodrama, a powerful therapeutic tool, has been proven in numerous studies to significantly aid in recovery and prevent relapse.
What Is Psychodrama?
The best way to understand psychodrama is to think about a play. In a play, actors put on a show for an audience. The actors know what their characters are doing and saying and why. At the same time, the script is a mystery to the audience. They don’t know what’s going on inside the characters’ minds. The audience doesn’t know what the characters’ emotions are or why they’re doing and saying the things they are. They don’t know what’s going on inside the actors’ heads.
This is where psychodrama comes in. It’s a process by which you can put yourself in the shoes of a character in your story and explore what’s going on inside. In psychodrama, a mental health care provider will guide you through the process.
How to Use Psychodrama to Get and Stay Sober
If you’re struggling with addiction, it can be very difficult to get clean and stay sober. You’re dealing with cravings, feelings of shame, guilt, regret, and challenging relationships with friends and family members. You might even have regrets about getting sober in the first place. You might feel like you’ve lost friends or disappointed family members. This is what may be going on inside you. You have all these feelings and emotions you don’t know how to process. If you want to get clean and sober, psychodrama can be a great tool for exploring these issues. You can use it to learn more about yourself and work through the emotions and feelings that may be getting in the way of lasting sobriety.
When you’re trying to get clean and sober, it can feel like there are a million issues to think about and address. When it all feels too overwhelming on your own, know that psychodrama can help.
If you or someone you care about are trying to confront substance abuse issues, psychodrama is a creative approach to communication that can help. It allows you to get in touch with your feelings on a deeper and more authentic level. Psychodrama is an active process, not a passive therapy. It is a means of self-discovery by which you can explore how you think, feel, and behave. At The Guest House, psychodrama can be part of your individualized treatment program. Call (855) 483-7800 for more information.