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Congratulations on continuing with your recovery journey and your sobriety. That is something to be immensely proud of. You have made a journey that is not only physically challenging but also mentally challenging. You have fought through hard days and enjoyed the good ones.

In treatment, you learned about your mental health and why you personally respond and react the way you do. It was a huge learning time, and you probably left treatment a different person than when you entered it.

One great thing you can do with your journey is to share it. Sharing your journey can take different forms depending on your comfort level and how you choose to share your story. There are many different reasons why people choose to share their journey.

Deciding whether or not to share yours can be a difficult choice. You may struggle to share your story because you feel as if you are bragging or that it was nothing too special. These are common thoughts. Always remember that your journey was amazing. Here are a few different reasons why you may want to share your story.

Instill Hope 

Your story can bring hope to others. Addiction can be very frightening. It can completely consume you and every part of your life. Try to remember what that felt like. Remember the isolation, the fear, the anxiety, and the roller coaster of highs and lows. When you are experiencing active addiction, it can feel as if there is no way out. You have been in that very moment. Hope can feel nonexistent at times.

When you choose to share your story, you shed light on the hope that is possible. You explain to others how you also felt trapped and isolated – that you felt like there was no way out and no hope for a different life. Your story shows how you can go from that thought process to recovery and sobriety.

Educate Others  

When you share your story, you help to educate people. People fear what they do not understand. Addiction is hard to understand if you have not personally experienced it or have an educational background.

For those that are outside of the mental health world, addiction looks foreign and strange. The unknown begins to grow, and eventually, fear takes over. When you share your story with people who do not have experience with addiction, you help to start their education. The more people can learn about the lives of others, the easier it can be to connect and form relationships.

You can also help to educate people who are considering seeking treatment. Fear of the unknown also plagues people who want to seek help but are afraid of what that experience will be like.

When you share your journey, you help to show others what the experience looked like for you. What did it feel like the first day of treatment versus the last day of treatment? What did an average day look like? Were you scared? Information like this can help others gain the confidence they need to seek treatment and begin their own journey.

Fight Stigma  

Similar to educating people, when you share your story, you fight stigma. When others do not understand something, they turn to the existing stereotypes about addiction, and these stereotypes are perpetuated. Society has come a very long way concerning mental health issues.

However, stigma is still very real and prevalent. When you hear something about addiction or mental health that is not accurate, speak up. Talk about your personal experiences and counter the misinformation that exists.

Stigma may be something that does not affect you much. For some, stigma is just something that happens but does not affect their life. For others in recovery, however, stigma can be very powerful and have an adverse impact on their lives.

When you stand up to stigma and share your story, you are not simply doing it for yourself. You are doing it for everyone who is experiencing stigma and who will experience it in the future.

Remind Yourself 

Sharing your story can be a great reminder to yourself about how far you have come. It can become easy to get caught up in the hustle of everyday life, going from one activity to the next, with little to no downtime.

For many of us, recovery takes effort. You need to be conscious about what you do and what situations you place yourself in. When you share your story, you remind yourself of the progress you have made and the hard work that made that progress possible.

Recovery can be an amazing time. It is filled with learning, empowerment, freedom, and improved health. Your recovery is a journey that has taken many twists and turns and ups and downs. You are probably a much different person than you were the day you entered into treatment. One thing you can do now that you are experiencing recovery and sobriety is to share your story. There are many different benefits of sharing your story. It can help to educate others and, in turn, help to fight stigma. Educating others is a powerful thing that can benefit everyone. You may also want to share your story to remind yourself of how far you have come. Here at The Guest House, we know recovery is a process. It is an ongoing learning experience. We are here to support you through your long-term recovery goals. Call us today to learn more about how we can support you at (855) 483-7800.