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worst-case scenariosRecovery can be scary at times. You worked so hard to face your addiction and work on your mental health issues. It took a lot of hard work and determination. It can be easy to get focused on the worry that all of your hard work will suddenly disappear in a split second. Even small situations cause fear, especially if you are new to recovery. As time passes, you will gain confidence. Continuing to accept and seek support is important. Here are a few different ideas on how to stop focusing on the worst-case scenario of daily situations.

Remember Your Support

We all have triggers, bad days, and arguments with others. Situations pop up unexpectedly, and sometimes they are negative. The level of stress and worry we each experience is unique to each one of us. If you find yourself thinking about what could go wrong, remember all of the support you have.  You not only have the professional support that helped you through your active addiction, but also you have friends and family by your side.

When you think about and remember all of the support around you, it can give you the confidence you need to face difficult situations. Even if you think of all of the negative or worst-case scenarios possible, the support you have will propel you forward. Our support systems have the ability to instill in us a strong sense of confidence.

Positive Self-Talk

Positive self-talk will help you to acknowledge the positive in every situation. Recovery can be challenging and scary at times. We desperately want to maintain our sobriety and to keep working on our mental health. The work that you have been doing is impressive. Talking to yourself in a positive manner can make all the difference. 

Positive affirmations are one tool to help you remain positive and confident. Every morning tell yourself positive things about yourself. Maybe you want to remind yourself how capable you are of maintaining your sobriety and handling daily stress or the positive impact you make on those around you. When we can think in this way, we can face situations with confidence and not solely think about the negatives or what could go wrong. 

Maintain Professional Support

If you find yourself focusing on the negative, make sure you continue to work with a mental health professional. During in-patient treatment for your addiction and mental health issues, you were in a very controlled environment. You worked closely with a therapist every day. The environment was controlled, and there were no unexpected situations. Now that you are sober and living in society, naturally, there are unexpected situations. 

Continued work with a professional does not mean that you are struggling with your sobriety or cannot handle situations independently; participating in therapy means you are placing top priority on your mental health. 

Acknowledge Your Negative Thoughts

If you are trying to stop thinking about worst-case scenarios, the first step is to acknowledge when you are thinking this way. If you have a difficult time noticing when your thoughts turn negative, work closely with those you spend the most time with. Those individuals will be a great help in pointing these thoughts out to you. 

Once you can acknowledge worst-case scenario thinking, you can work to change your thought process. Remembering the positives of every situation is important and necessary. You are fully capable of maintaining your sobriety in any situation you encounter. Thinking positively and having support can make all the difference in how we react to situations. 

Put Your Thoughts on Trial

After you acknowledge your negative thoughts, put them on trial. Start to question your thought process. Are your thoughts realistic? What other scenarios are possible? Do you have a bias? Figuring out our thought process is incredibly powerful. When we can see where our thoughts may not be fully accurate, we can walk through why they are not accurate and what other scenarios are possible. 

Being able to work through your thoughts and question your thought process is a powerful skill. We all face moments where we jump to the worst-case scenario in our minds. Learn to put those thoughts on trial. Question how your thoughts form and what triggers them and try to analyze patterns. Often we can start to figure out why our minds are jumping to the worst-case scenario. Underlying components can be difficult to spot; putting your thoughts on trial can definitely help. 

Recovery is a process that can look slightly different for everyone. We are all on our own journeys and experience situations and challenges in our own way. If you find your thoughts jumping right to the worst-case scenario all the time, it may be time to begin questioning those thoughts. Try to analyze your thoughts and question your thought pattern. Stop and remember all of your support that is right by your side cheering you on. You are fully capable of maintaining your sobriety and bettering your mental health every single day. Often, individuals in recovery still need professional support. That support can help you to understand why you may find yourself thinking negatively or worrying. Here at The Guest House, we understand that everyone needs different support to journey through recovery and maintain sobriety. We are here to give that customized support regardless of where you are in recovery. Call us today to learn more at (855) 483-7800