Sometimes as recovering addicts we question what line of work to get into following our struggles with addiction, especially if we’re feeling vulnerable and prone to relapse. Many might assume that choosing a career in addiction and mental health would be too risky and would create too much temptation for us to give in to alcohol or other drugs of choice and fall back into self-destructive patterns. For many of us, though, the opposite often is true. Working in mental health and addiction spaces can be an important part of our healing and recovery.
Choosing this particular line of work means we’re constantly being reminded of our painful struggles with addiction. For some people, this would be too much mental and emotional pressure, too many triggering situations and memories, too much stress having to relive our past experiences. For others of us, though, these visceral reminders are exactly what we need to stay clean and sober. Working in mental health and addiction means we’re always being reminded, and shown in very clear ways, just how far we’ve come. We see where we’ve been, how far we fell, and how much pain we’ve experienced. We also see the many critical changes we’ve made in our lives and how much progress we’ve had. We’re always aware of how easy it is to slip back into old patterns because the suffering of addiction is always at the forefront of our minds. It can help us to be vigilant and disciplined with ourselves, and to stay on track with our sobriety, to be reminded of our past experiences, especially the most painful among them. Keeping the memories of our struggles alive within us can be the extra motivation we need to stay sober.
One of the best antidotes to relapse is finding a sense of purpose and feeling fulfilled in something that brings us joy and meaning. Being able to help other people who are currently struggling with the same issues we’ve worked so hard to overcome is the definition of fulfillment for many of us. We feel a renewed sense of self-worth and confidence knowing we’re helping people cope, thrive and survive. We feel better about ourselves, uplifted and empowered, after spending so much of our lives feeling down on ourselves, insecure and ashamed. We’ve found ways to turn our pain into something useful, meaningful and productive. We’ve transformed our struggles into redemption by taking our personal experiences and using them to help other people who can benefit and grow from them.
At The Guest House Ocala, we have personal recovery experience and over 12 years in the recovery industry. We have helped countless people recover, and we’re here to help you too. Call 855-483-7800 today for more information.