Mature male explorer standing on a mountain and looking for a right direction on a map during a hike
It is natural to want to compare your journey with others. We all want to fit in, feel as if we are doing just as well as others, and know that we are doing the same things as others.
Often that leads us to compare journeys with other people, which can easily lead to concerns or stress if journeys do not match. Every recovery journey is different and probably will not look the same. Here are a few simple reasons to avoid comparing your recovery with others.
Every Addiction Is Unique
One reason to avoid comparing your journey with someone else’s is the simple reason that you cannot compare them because they are two different journeys. Everyone is journeying down a unique road, with unique goals and unique obstacles.
Your road of recovery may easily be going in a completely different direction than someone else’s. Addiction is a personal struggle. What you faced every day is not necessarily what someone else faced. What came easy for you may have been an incredible obstacle for someone else.
When you compare your journey with someone, you are aligning your addictions. Try to remember your journey and every step you took to face your addiction and create a healthier and more stable lifestyle.
Varying Mental Health Diagnoses
Just like with addiction, everyone is on their own mental health journey as well. Two people could have the same diagnosis yet still face obstacles differently.
Mental health issues are often complex. There tend to be many layers to every struggle. The root cause may be hard to distinguish.
The skills and tools you learned in treatment to help you manage your mental health more effectively are unique. Remember that every small detail in your life has an impact on your mental health. Those details will look very different in someone else’s journey.
Inauthenticity of Social Media
We live in a social media-driven society. Almost everyone has a profile on one site or app. Social media comes with many benefits. It helps with staying connected to people, passing along information, and creating groups.
However, there are some downfalls to social media as well. One major downfall to social media is that it often leads to people comparing themselves to others.
When you see pictures on social media, it can become impossible not to compare yourself to that person. The same concept applies to recovery. Social media is wonderful in the sense that it creates a platform to tell your story.
You will notice, however, that many people only share the good stuff. They share how amazing recovery feels, how many things or areas they are succeeding at, or the exciting things they are now doing. It can make you doubt your process or feel bad that you are not succeeding in the same way. Remember that people share only what they want to and can easily hide the less-than-exciting bits of their story.
Recovery Is Life Long
Recovery is a lifelong process. You do not simply wake up one day and find that you are just done with recovery. You will constantly learn new things, develop new skills, and face unique challenges. Every year that passes, your recovery will change as you do.
You are not the same on the first day out of treatment as you are five years out of treatment. Your recovery and goals will probably look completely different. What affects you on day one will be different than what affects you three years into your sobriety.
When you compare your journey to someone else’s, it can be easy to forget that you probably are not in the same exact time frame of your recovery as they are. If you are new to recovery and they are twenty years into recovery, can you really compare with them? Of course not.
Everyone is on their own timetable when it comes to recovery. What takes you six months to work through could take someone else two years. That is expected. We all process differently.
Enjoy the Process
Sometimes when we compare ourselves to others, it places pressure and stress on us. You want to excel just like the other people you see and meet. It is normal to feel this way.
Almost everyone needs to learn the ability to simply enjoy the process. You have worked so incredibly hard. You took the time to understand your mental health issues better and work through trauma. Stop adding pressure by looking at what other people are doing. Focus on your own challenges, goals, and the journey you are on.
Recovery can be an amazing time. You have the ability to relearn and recreate who you are. Enjoy the process and try to avoid comparing your journey to someone else’s. Recovery is a lifelong process, and you will change and grow with every phase of your life. Comparing journeys can add extra pressure and stress if you think you are not excelling like other people. Always remember that social media has the ability to let people hide what they want to hide. Try to focus on your own growth and remember that your mental health issues and addiction are unique to you. Here at The Guest House, we understand that every phase of recovery may have different challenges or struggles for you. Always remember that you do not need to face these challenges alone. We are here and ready to support you at any stage of your recovery journey. Call us today to learn more at (855) 483-7800.